How old do you have to be to use a ride on mower on private land?
There is no age limit. Lots of parents teach their children responsibility by making "lawn mowing" a chore but their opinions differ when it comes to the age. As you can see by some answers, some were far too young by my opinion but maybe they understood how serious it was while others don't.
If a riding mower is the only equipment you have in mowing the lawn (My father has a rotary lawnmower where you have to pull a bar down before you start and if you release the bar, the mower stops! A helpful safety feature to prevent further injuries), I would wait until your child is older, preferably 12. I know some children tend to be BIG for their size and could reach the pedals but I wouldn't let a child get on until I was absolutely sure that they understood how dangerous it can be if they're horsing around. It all depends on their maturity level as well. I have a nephew who is now 16 and I wouldn't even trust him to get on mine because of how foolish he can get.
Take your time to teach them the rules such as:
Look behind you before you back up in reverse in case children or adults have just started walking behind you when you were passing by.
If there are pets who are not afraid of the mower and tend to come too close, lock them up in the house or garage until you are done.
Etc etc etc...
I would also supervise the child. It's usually easy if you're also in the yard to weed garden beds, pruning plants that need it, etc. And perhaps you may trust them to mow the lawn in due time without needing you around.
