Are There Age Requirements to Ride an E-Bike in the US?
Written by: Rémy Rossi | October 31, 2025 | Time to read 4 min
No single rule fits all: find out what age you can legally ride an e-Bike where you live. Updated as of November 2025.
More about the Author: Remy Rossi
Rémy Rossi is a bike writer, mechanic, and educator who got his start in community-based bike shops and co-ops. With a decade in the industry, he still wrenches on bikes when he can and plays bike polo on a fixie.
Table of Contents
At what age can you ride an e-Bike in the US?
Age restrictions by e-Bike class
States where riders must be 16+ to ride any e-Bike
States where riders must be 16+ to ride Class 3 e-Bikes
States where there’s no minimum age limit
States where riders must be at least 15 years old to ride Class 3 e-Bikes
Safe riding is more than just rider age
At what age can you ride an e-Bike in the US?
E-Bikes are powerful machines and can be incredibly heavy, especially for young riders, and require adequate strength, bike handling skills, and maturity to ride. This is the rationale behind most states’ minimum age requirement. Many states have no age limit for Class 1 and Class 2 e-Bikes, but require riders to be older than 16 to operate faster Class 3 electric bikes.
Age restrictions by e-Bike class
States where riders must be 16+ to ride any e-Bike
- Arizona
- Massachussets
- New York
- Rhode Island
- North Carolina
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Washington D.C.
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States where riders must be 16+ to ride Class 3 e-Bikes
The following states do not have age requirements for Class 1 and Class 2 e-Bikes, but require riders of Class 3 e-Bikes to be at least 16 years old:
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delware
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Maine
- Maryland
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Nevada
- Ohio
- Utah
- Wyoming
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- Oklahoma
- South Dakota
- Vermont
- Washington
- Wisconsin
States where there’s no minimum age limit
- Florida
- Kentucky
- Montana
- Nebraska
- South Carolina
- West Virginia
States where riders must be at least 15 years old to ride Class 3 e-Bikes
- Georgia
- Indiana
- Idaho
- Louisiana
- New Jersey
- Texas
In Alaska and North Dakota, riders but be at least 14 years old to ride any electric bike. In Hawaii and Minnesota, the age requirement for all e-Bikes is 15 years or above.
Michigan, Tennessee, and Virginia only impose a minimum age requirement of 14 years old for Class 3 e-Bikes.
Safe riding is more than just rider age
- State and city laws: Check the specific regulations for your area for the most up-to-date information.
- E-Bike class: Top allowed speed and trail access are typically based on the three-class e-Bike system.
- Safety and maturity: Rider maturity and bike handling skills are more important than age. Safe riding habits and good decision-making are key for young riders or teens who want to ride an e-Bike.
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Key Takeaways
- No federal age limit: E-Bike age requirements vary by state and bike class.
- Class 3 = stricter rules: Most states require riders to be 16+ for faster Class 3 e-Bikes.
- Safety first: Maturity, handling skills, and helmet use matter more than just age.
