Parsippany Officials Issue Reminder On New E-Bike Laws

PARSIPPANY, NJ — In his last act as governor, Phil Murphy signed more than 120 bills into law on Jan. 20, hours before Governor Mikie Sherrill took office.

Among the slew of laws were updated regulations on the use of electric bikes, or e-bikes, in the Garden State. It's the first update to e-bike regulations in six years.

Parsippany officials have issued an update on exactly what these regulations will entail for local riders. The update comes months after a Parsippany 12-year-old was hospitalized following a serious electric scooter crash in September.

Now, all e-bikes are classified as motorized vehicles, and licenses will be required to ride them.

The minimum age to operate an e-bike in New Jersey is 15, and an e-bike license will be required for riders. Anyone 17 and older can operate an e-bike with a standard driver’s license under the new regulations.

Additionally, all e-bikes will require registration and insurance from now on. Popular e-bike insurers include Velosurance and BikeInsure, which offer theft/damage policies. Other major insurance companies, like GEICO, provide e-bike liability coverage.

Riders should have e-bike registration, insurance, and licensing by July 19, following the six-month grace period bestowed in January. Violators can be subject to fines, suspension, and other penalties.