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Is this e-bike street-legal in your state?

Verify before you ride. Enter the bike and your child's date of birth, and we check it against your state's law and, if you tell us the school, your district's rules.

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All fifty statesOver 2,000 modelsStatute cited on every rule

Check a bike

Search by make and model, or enter the specs yourself.

Why this matters

A bike that was legal when you bought it may not be legal now.

  • Many e-bikes can be switched to a faster class in an app. The class changes without the bike looking any different.
  • Parents may be held liable for injuries or damage caused by a child riding an out-of-class or under-age device.
  • Violations can lead to fines, citations, and the bike being confiscated, often at the school gate.
  • Knowing the class, the age rule, and your district's policy before the first ride protects your child, other people, and you.
Watch: Is my e-bike legal? Two minutes on classes, switchable bikes, and what to check.

Understand the law

The three e-bike classes.

Most states use the same three-class system. The details, especially the Class 3 age and helmet rules, vary by state, and the checker applies your state's version.

1

Class 1, pedal assist

The motor helps only while pedaling and stops at 20 mph. No throttle. Most states set no minimum age.

Allowed by most districts
2

Class 2, throttle

A throttle can power the bike without pedaling, stopping at 20 mph. Most states set no minimum age.

Allowed by most districts
3

Class 3, speed pedelec

Pedal assist up to 28 mph. Riders must meet the state's minimum age, commonly 16, and wear a helmet.

Excluded by many middle schools
Anything faster or more powerful is not an e-bike. Over the state's motor cap, over 28 mph, or a throttle above 20 mph makes it a motor vehicle, usually requiring a license, and never permitted on a school campus. Several popular models sold as "e-bikes" fall into this category. The checker tells you.

Next steps for parents

Be informed. Check the bike. Talk to your child.

The problem is real, and preventable

Kids on bikes too fast for their age.

20,000+
E-bike injuries in the US every year, roughly 3,000 hospitalizations
American College of Surgeons
#1
E-bike injuries became the leading cause of trauma ED visits at a regional children's hospital in 2025
Hospital trauma registry
11 to 14
The most-injured age range, which is also the age range that cannot legally ride a Class 3
Hospital trauma registry
Kids on bikes too fast for their age

We screen the bike against the rider before they ride

Every enrollment is validated against the rider's date of birth. A Class 3 bike with a 13 year old is flagged before a permit is issued.

"Never took a class on how to ride safely"

Safety training is a required step, not an afterthought

A four-module course is built into enrollment. Riders learn the rules of the road, and are tested on them, before they are permitted.

No accountability, inconsistent enforcement

A scannable decal proves a bike is permitted

Campus staff can verify any permit in seconds with a phone. One consistent way to apply district policy at every school.

Parents don't know the rules differ by class

This free checker gives a clear answer in seconds

No signup required. Any family can check their bike, whether or not their district uses RidePermit yet.

RidePermit supports safer riding through screening, required training, and verifiable compliance. It does not replace adult supervision or guarantee against injury. The checker reflects state law and district policy as recorded; it is not a legal determination.

Legal is the floor, not the finish line.

If the bike qualifies, the next step is the safety course and a permit that proves it.

Start a permit See your state's law