Governor Murphy has signed S4834/A6235 into law, requiring riders to have registration, a license and insurance to ride ANY e-bike in NJ.
The passage of the bill has led to significant confusion regarding its implementation and contents. Law enforcement agencies across New Jersey hastily shared information about the new law on Facebook, but unfortunately, this information was incorrect. Consequently, e-bike users are feeling both concerned and bewildered about the potential implications of the law.
The following is a joint statement from the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia and the New Jersey Bike and Walk Coalition:
- “This confusing new law, with its new classifications, is the most restrictive law on e-bikes in the country. It was rushed through during the legislative lame-duck session, ignoring the many voices in opposition—from seniors and families to those who are mobility-challenged, bike shop owners, and delivery workers—and was signed into law by Governor Murphy on his last day.
We are grateful to coalition partners, the more than 5,000 action letter co-signers, and everyone who wrote, called, texted, and shared on social media their opposition to this bill. We’ll say it again: Restricting the use of low-speed e-bikes will not solve the problems we face to make our streets safer. Instead, this law creates barriers to developing micro-mobility in the state as a safer, more equitable and more sustainable part of our transportation system.”
Frequently Asked Questions about this Law (AKA “We Have Some Degree of Confidence That This Is True”)
What are the new Classifications of E-bikes in NJ?
- Low Speed Electric Bicycles – Widely recognized as Class 1 e-bikes. No throttle, pedal assist up to 20 mph. For simplicity, let’s call this NJ-CLASS-1
- Motorized Bicycles – Any e-bike with a throttle with a top assist speed of 28 mph and are grouped with mopeds – we’ll call this NJ-Class-2
- Electric Motorized Bicycle – Are you kidding me? This covers e-motorcycles and treats them as such – we’ll properly call these Motorcycles
What about E-scooters?
- E-scooters are are not affected by the new law. No age limit, no license, no insurance.
Who would need to purchase Liability Insurance?
- NJ Class 1 – Operator – No Insurance Required, Passengers – not specified
- There is a line that contradicts this.
- NJ Class 2 – Yes, quotes are coming back from people who made inquiries to insurance companies.
- 2 e-bikes at $200 with minimal coverage (American Modern)
- 4 e-bikes at $350 annually (Unknown)
- Lowest quote so far is about $75 per bike (Foremost with AARP Discount)
- Motorcycles – Yes, it was already required before the law was adopted
What will be required for bike shops?
- NJ bike shops that sell NJ-Class-2 e-bikes may be required to register as “motor vehicle dealers” and pre-register these bikes.
- Every person in the business of renting motorized bicycles shall maintain liability insurance coverage (Link)
What about Bike Share?
- Users are exempt from license requirements (NJ-Class-1)
- Minimum age is 16
- Currently, CitiBike/Lyft is the only public bike share company operating in New Jersey that offers e-bikes.
When will the laws be enforced?
- Effective Immediately
No one under 15 will be permitted to operate any e-bike.Ages 15-16 must apply for a motorized bicycle license to operate any e-bike- Further examination found no immediate implementation of the age requirement in the law
- License, Insurance and Registration for Motorcycles are already required by the law.
- 6 Month Grace Period NJ-Class-1 and NJ-Class-2
- Driver’s License or Motorized Bicycle License
- Registration
- Insurance – NJ-Class-2 only
- Deadline to obtain is July 20, 2026 1st year registration is free
Will out-of-state residents be affected?
- Apparently not, but the language is very ambiguous since no other state currently requires a driver’s license and registration for e-bikes. Florida is considering a DL for Class 3.
- The registration provisions governing motorized bicycles shall not apply to a nonresident motorized bicycle owner who has complied with the registration and licensing laws of his state of residence, if the motorized bicycle is appropriately identified in accordance with the laws of his state of residence. (Link)
- Contradiction – NJ-Class-2
- No person shall operate a motorized bicycle in this State unless a license plate is displayed. (Link)
- How will police enforce this law? It remains to be seen.
What is this Internet Sales Ban about?
- This applies only to Motorcycles, but even that is flawed because if the e-moto does not have pedals it does not apply to them (Surron, Talaria, Tuttio etc.)
- Notwithstanding any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, for one year following the effective date (of this bill), no person shall sell, or offer for sale, on the Internet any electric motorized bicycle as defined in R.S.39:1-1.
- Police departments and public officials are giving out wrong and contradictory information about NJ-Class-1 and NJ-Class-2.
Thanks to the staff at People for Bikes for taking a deep dive into the language of the law.
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Although this bill is now law, we aren’t giving up our opposition!
We hope you will join us as we continue to work with legislators to help create a NEW bill that will offer practical solutions to regulate the use of high speed e-motos and promote the expansion of safe micromobility.
At the same time, we will continue to focus on addressing the real threats to safety on our streets, the cause of more than 99% of our fatal crashes: motor vehicles, not low-speed e-bikes.
Safe streets are a right, not a privilege. We’re creating a stronger community WITH YOU! Investing in our year-round advocacy and education work makes Greater Philadelphia a safer and more fun place to ride— join or renew their support for another year to continue that work. More info here.