New Jersey e-bike law takes effect: License, registration and insurance now required
Under the new law, riders under 15 can no longer use e-bikes. Those 15 and 16 need a special license, while riders 17 and older can use a driver’s license.
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Enforcement of New Jersey’s new e-bike law began Sunday, meaning riders who don’t comply with a sweeping set of new requirements, including obtaining a license, registering their bike and potentially needing insurance, can now be ticketed.
Former Gov. Phil Murphy signed the law in January, overhauling how the state regulates electric bicycles. The measure scraps New Jersey’s previous three-class e-bike framework, reclassifying most e-bikes as motorized vehicles under Title 39 of state law, placing them under rules closer to those governing mopeds and motorcycles.
Under the new law, riders under 15 can no longer use e-bikes. Those 15 and 16 need a special license, while riders 17 and older can use a driver’s license.
Helmets are also now legally required, and riders must register their bike with the MVC. However, registration fees will be waived until January 2027.
Detective Sgt. Dennis DaSilva of the Westfield Police Department told News 12 that the new rules should be a big help in making younger drivers more safety-aware.
“We’ve had issues of juveniles riding throughout town, having fun, but sometimes getting into the roadways, driving in large groups. And a lot of that has to do with them possibly not knowing the rules of the road,” DaSilva said.
Westfield has posted signs around town alerting residents to the new requirements. DaSilva said that safety, regardless of a rider’s age, will guide the department’s approach to enforcement.
“Our biggest concern is maintaining the safety of the public roadways. We want to make sure that people drive safely to and from.”
DaSilva and his 15-year-old son, Gianluca, recently went through the licensing and registration process for their own e-bike. They described it as a relatively straightforward process.
The law technically took effect the day it was signed, but the state created a roughly six-month window for riders to come into compliance before enforcement began.
