Well just when I thought ebike laws couldn’t get much dumber, New Jersey upped all other states. If you live in NJ and have an ebike your ownership just got more complicated. Their new law is only going to discourage use of micromobility statewide.
The outgoing New Jersey governor signed Senate Bill S4834 (often referred to as the “ebike law”), a significant piece of legislation that reclassifies and regulates electric bicycles in a manner far more stringent than most other states. While framed as a safety measure, the law imposes barriers that critics argue will disproportionately harm the state’s most vulnerable residents.
Summary of the New Law (S4834)
The new legislation fundamentally changes how low-speed electric bicycles (Class 1 and Class 2 and 3) are treated under New Jersey law. Key provisions include:
- Mandatory Registration: Every ebike owner must now register their device with the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC).
- Licensing Requirements: Operators aged 17 and older must possess a valid basic driver’s license or a specific motorized bicycle license. For those aged 15 to 17, a motorized bicycle permit or license is required.
- Insurance Coverage: Owners are now required to maintain insurance for their ebikes, no matter the class.
- Age Limits: Operation of any low-speed electric bicycle by anyone under the age of 15 is strictly prohibited.
- Documentation: Operators must carry their license, registration certificate, and insurance identification card at all times when the motor is engaged.
Why This Legislation is Controversial
Critics argue that treating lightweight, low-speed ebikes similarly to motor vehicles is a “draconian” approach that undermines the benefits of micro-mobility.
- Administrative Barriers: Most states follow a three-class system that treats ebikes like traditional bicycles to encourage green transportation. Requiring registration and licensing at the MVC—an agency already known for long wait times—creates a massive bureaucratic hurdle for a simple bicycle.
- Insurance Ghost Market: Currently, few insurance companies offer specific liability policies for low-speed ebikes that meet “motor vehicle” standards, potentially leaving riders in a legal limbo where they are required to have insurance that is difficult or expensive to obtain.
- Conflict with Climate Goals: By adding costs and legal risks to ebike ownership, the law may drive people back into cars, counteracting state efforts to reduce carbon emissions and traffic congestion.
Who This Law Hurts Most
The burden of this law does not fall equally across the population. It is particularly damaging to:
- Low-Income Workers: For many who cannot afford a car or the associated costs of gas and car insurance, an ebike is a vital tool for commuting to work. Adding registration fees and insurance premiums may make this essential transportation unaffordable.
- The “Unbanked” Individuals who may struggle to obtain standard government IDs or navigate complex insurance markets will find themselves barred from using a primary mode of transport.
- Delivery Workers: Thousands of “gig economy” workers rely on ebikes for food and package delivery. This law adds significant overhead to an already low-margin profession and increases the risk of police stops and fines.
- Young Students: By setting a hard age floor of 15 and requiring permits for those under 17, the law removes a sustainable transportation option for middle-school and high-school students who previously used ebikes to get to school or extracurricular activities.
- Fixed Income: many ebikes are owned by older folks who may be on fixed imcomes and cant afford insurance or registration fees.
By requiring the same legal “weight” for a 50-pound bicycle as a 4,000-pound car, New Jersey risks stifling one of the most promising solutions for modern urban mobility and economic independence for low-income residents.
Now your class 1 ebike which weighs only slightly more than a regular bike and has NO throttle must have registration and insurance. That’s ridiculous!
This new law essentially gets rid of ebike classes and treats ANYTHING with a motor the same. In the eyes of NJ lawmakers an Emoto Surron is now the same danger to the public as is a simple class 1 Gazelle.
I’m glad I dont live in New Jersey. They should have just adopted the law the way Connecticut does it.