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Choose your state. The tool shows which classes of e-bike the PeopleForBikes handout for that state treats as bicycles, quotes the handout's own sentences on age, helmets and paths, and then lists the bikes in our check whose published class settings fit. Enter the rider's age to apply the age limits.
How the tool decides
- Classes. When the handout says the state "designates three classes", all three count as bicycles. When it describes something else (a "motorized bicycle" with a 20 mph cap in D.C., a 750 W cap in North Carolina and Pennsylvania, 1,000 W in Oregon, 25 mph and 1,491 W in Rhode Island), we keep only the classes that fit the words, and the motor ratings the brands publish.
- Bikes. A bike is listed when one of the class settings printed on its page (Class 1, 2 or 3) is allowed. "Ships as Class 2" or "set it to Class 1" tells you whether you must change the setting. Six Himiway pages print no class: they are listed apart.
- Age. A minimum age in the handout removes that class (or every class) for a younger rider.
- What it does not do. It does not read city rules, park rules or laws passed after the handout's date. Kentucky's and South Carolina's handouts set no class at all: the tool then shows bikes you can set to Class 1 or 2, the setting closest to an ordinary bicycle.
All 51 handouts at a glance
| State | Classes treated as bicycles | Minimum age in the handout | Handout year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Class 1, 2, 3 | 16 for Class 3 | 2022 |
| Alaska | none (motor-vehicle rules) | 14 for any e-bike | 2022 |
| Arizona | Class 1, 2, 3 | none published | 2022 |
| Arkansas | Class 1, 2, 3 | 16 for Class 3 | 2022 |
| California | Class 1, 2, 3 | 16 for Class 3 | 2023 |
| Colorado | Class 1, 2, 3 | 16 for Class 3 | 2022 |
| Connecticut | Class 1, 2, 3 | 16 for Class 3 | 2022 |
| Delaware | Class 1, 2, 3 | 16 for Class 3 | 2022 |
| District of Columbia | Class 1, 2 | 16 for any e-bike | 2023 |
| Florida | Class 1, 2, 3 | none published | 2022 |
| Georgia | Class 1, 2, 3 | 15 for Class 3 | 2022 |
| Hawaii | Class 1, 2 | 15 for any e-bike | 2022 |
| Idaho | Class 1, 2, 3 | none published | 2022 |
| Illinois | Class 1, 2, 3 | 16 for Class 3 | 2022 |
| Indiana | Class 1, 2, 3 | 15 for Class 3 | 2022 |
| Iowa | Class 1, 2, 3 | 16 for Class 3 | 2022 |
| Kansas | Class 1, 2, 3 | 16 for Class 3 | 2022 |
| Kentucky | not sorted by class | none published | 2022 |
| Louisiana | Class 1, 2, 3 | 12 for Class 3 | 2022 |
| Maine | Class 1, 2, 3 | 16 for Class 3, 16 for Class 2 | 2022 |
| Maryland | Class 1, 2, 3 | 16 for Class 3 | 2022 |
| Massachusetts | none (motor-vehicle rules) | 16 for any e-bike | 2022 |
| Michigan | Class 1, 2, 3 | 14 for Class 3 | 2022 |
| Minnesota | Class 1, 2, 3 | 15 for any e-bike | 2022 |
| Mississippi | Class 1, 2, 3 | 16 for Class 3 | 2022 |
| Missouri | Class 1, 2, 3 | 16 for Class 3 | 2021 |
| Montana | Class 1, 2 | none published | 2022 |
| Nebraska | Class 1, 2, 3 | none published | 2023 |
| Nevada | Class 1, 2, 3 | none published | 2022 |
| New Hampshire | Class 1, 2, 3 | 16 for Class 3 | 2022 |
| New Jersey | Class 1, 2 | 15 for Class 3 | 2022 |
| New Mexico | Class 1, 2, 3 | 16 for Class 3 | 2023 |
| New York | Class 1, 2 | none published | 2022 |
| North Carolina | Class 1, 2 | 16 for any e-bike | 2022 |
| North Dakota | Class 1, 2, 3 | none published | 2022 |
| Ohio | Class 1, 2, 3 | none published | 2022 |
| Oklahoma | Class 1, 2, 3 | 16 for Class 3 | 2022 |
| Oregon | Class 1, 2 | 16 for any e-bike | 2022 |
| Pennsylvania | Class 1, 2 | 16 for any e-bike | 2022 |
| Rhode Island | Class 1, 2 | none published | 2022 |
| South Carolina | not sorted by class | none published | 2022 |
| South Dakota | Class 1, 2, 3 | 16 for Class 3 | 2022 |
| Tennessee | Class 1, 2, 3 | 14 for Class 3 | 2022 |
| Texas | Class 1, 2, 3 | 15 for Class 3 | 2022 |
| Utah | Class 1, 2, 3 | none published | 2022 |
| Vermont | Class 1, 2, 3 | 16 for Class 3 | 2022 |
| Virginia | Class 1, 2, 3 | 14 for Class 3 | 2022 |
| Washington | Class 1, 2, 3 | 16 for Class 3 | 2022 |
| West Virginia | Class 1, 2, 3 | none published | 2023 |
| Wisconsin | Class 1, 2, 3 | 16 for Class 3 | 2022 |
| Wyoming | Class 1, 2, 3 | none published | 2022 |
Source: PeopleForBikes, "E-Bike Law Handouts", one PDF per state, linked from peopleforbikes.org/electric-bikes/state-laws, read November 7, 2026. The year links open each PDF.
Before you buy
A bike that can be set to Class 3 is not a problem in a Class 2 state: you ride it in its Class 1 or 2 setting. A bike with no class on its page, or a motor rated above your state's cap, is the one to question before checkout. The class settings of every bike in our check are in the e-bike comparison; what changes between the classes on the road is in Class 2 vs Class 3.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Class 3 e-bike street legal?
In the 38 handouts that use the three-class system, yes, with conditions: most set a minimum age (12 in Louisiana, 14 in Michigan, Tennessee and Virginia, 15 or 16 in most others) and several require a helmet or keep Class 3 off bike paths. New Jersey treats Class 3 as a motorized bicycle needing a license, registration and insurance, and New York does not permit the 28 mph Class 3, per the PeopleForBikes handouts.
Do I need a license for an e-bike?
Not in most states: the handouts say e-bikes are not subject to the registration, licensing or insurance rules for motor vehicles. Exceptions in the handouts: Alaska (operator's license), Massachusetts (license and registration), New Jersey for Class 3, and Hawaii, which requires a $30 registration.
Can I ride an e-bike on a bike path?
It depends on the state and often the city. Many handouts allow e-bikes on paths but let local governments restrict them; several keep Class 3 off paths unless they run next to a road (Georgia, Maryland, Oklahoma, among others). The tool quotes your state's sentence.
How current are these rules?
The PeopleForBikes handouts are dated 2021 to 2023 (each state's year is shown). Laws have changed since in some states, and cities add their own rules. Use the tool to narrow your choice, then check your state's current statute or DMV page before you ride.