New Jersey Requires Ebike Licenses and Insurance

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed legislation on Monday requiring riders of all electric bicycles to obtain a license, register their vehicles and secure insurance, marking a significant expansion of regulations amid rising safety concerns over ebike use.

The bill, sponsored by Senate President Nick Scutari, passed the state Senate 27-11 and the Assembly 52-10 earlier this month before reaching Murphy's desk on his final full day in office. It reclassifies all ebikes, including those with pedal-assist motors limited to 750 watts and speeds up to 28 miles per hour, as motorized bicycles. This eliminates New Jersey's prior three-tier classification system aligned with federal standards, which distinguished between low-speed pedal-assist models and those with throttles.

Under the new law, riders under 15 will be prohibited from operating ebikes. Those aged 15 or 16 must obtain a motorized bicycle license from the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, involving identification verification, a written test, a vision screening and a road test after holding a permit for at least 20 days. Individuals 17 and older can use a standard driver's license. Ebikes must be registered...