Arkansas · researched July 21, 2026
Arkansas uses three classes of electric bicycle. Class 1 is pedal assist ending at 20 mph, Class 2 may propel without pedaling but cannot assist at 20 mph, and Class 3 is pedal assist ending at 28 mph.Arkansas General Assembly — Act 956 of 2017 Spot an error? →
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The short answer
A qualifying Arkansas e-bike is not a motor vehicle and is exempt from Title 27 provisions on insurance, licensing, registration, operator's licenses, and certificates of title. Class 3 operators must be at least 16, Class 3 operators and passengers under 21 need helmets, and path access differs by class and land manager.Arkansas General Assembly — Act 956 of 2017· Code of Arkansas Rules — 22 CAR § 50-122 Spot an error? →
01 / Categories
Pedal assist · 20 mph
It must be a bicycle with fully operable pedals, have an electric motor of less than 750 watts, and meet one of Arkansas's three class definitions.Arkansas General Assembly — Act 956 of 2017 Spot an error? →
The motor assists only while the operator pedals and stops providing assistance when the e-bike reaches 20 mph.Arkansas General Assembly — Act 956 of 2017 Spot an error? →
Throttle-capable · 20 mph
The motor may be used exclusively to propel the e-bike but cannot provide assistance when the e-bike reaches 20 mph.Arkansas General Assembly — Act 956 of 2017 Spot an error? →
Pedal assist · 28 mph
The motor assists only while the operator pedals and stops providing assistance when the e-bike reaches 28 mph.Arkansas General Assembly — Act 956 of 2017 Spot an error? →
02 / Class consequences
| Class | Motor behavior | Assisted cutoff | Core consequence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Pedal assist only | 20 mph | No Title 27 motor-vehicle insurance, licensing, registration, operator's-license, or title requirements. The motor must stop when pedaling stops, and Class 1 may use bicycle and multi-use paths where bicycles are allowed unless the local authority prohibits it.Arkansas General Assembly — Act 956 of 2017 Spot an error? → |
| Class 2 | May propel without pedaling | 20 mph | No Title 27 motor-vehicle insurance, licensing, registration, operator's-license, or title requirements. The motor must disengage or stop when the brakes are applied, and Class 2 may use bicycle and multi-use paths where bicycles are allowed unless the local authority prohibits it.Arkansas General Assembly — Act 956 of 2017 Spot an error? → |
| Class 3 | Pedal assist only | 28 mph | No Title 27 motor-vehicle insurance, licensing, registration, operator's-license, or title requirements. The operator must be at least 16, operators and passengers under 21 need qualifying helmets, the bike needs a speedometer, and ordinary off-road path access requires local permission.Arkansas General Assembly — Act 956 of 2017 Spot an error? → |
Classification unclear: a device at 750 watts or more, without fully operable pedals, or outside the three motor-behavior and assisted-speed definitions is not an electric bicycle under § 27-51-1702. The cited sources do not assign one replacement category to every such device; ask the Office of Motor Vehicle about the exact vehicle before public-road use.Arkansas General Assembly — Act 956 of 2017 Spot an error? →
03 / Rider requirements
Helmet coverage is incomplete: the cited Act expressly requires helmets for Class 3 operators and passengers under 21, but it does not state a helmet rule for Class 1, Class 2, or people 21 and older. Check local rules and wear one anyway.Arkansas General Assembly — Act 956 of 2017 Spot an error? →
04 / Where you can ride
Road-facility detail is not enumerated: § 27-51-1703 expressly gives qualifying e-bikes and operators all bicycle rights, privileges, and duties, but Act 956 does not separately list streets, shoulders, or on-road bicycle lanes. Follow bicycle rules and posted controls.Arkansas General Assembly — Act 956 of 2017 Spot an error? →
Sidewalk access is unclear: Act 956 addresses bicycle paths, multi-use paths, and bicycle-equivalent rights and duties but does not expressly authorize or prohibit e-bikes on sidewalks. Check the current local ordinance and posted signs.Arkansas General Assembly — Act 956 of 2017 Spot an error? →
Yes where bicycles are permitted, unless the local authority with jurisdiction over the bicycle or multi-use path prohibits Class 1 or Class 2 operation there.Arkansas General Assembly — Act 956 of 2017 Spot an error? →
Only when the path is within or adjacent to a highway or roadway, or when the local authority with jurisdiction over the path permits Class 3 operation.Arkansas General Assembly — Act 956 of 2017 Spot an error? →
For bicycle and multi-use paths, the local authority with jurisdiction may prohibit Class 1 or Class 2 and may permit Class 3 beyond the highway-adjacent paths where state law already allows it. Act 956 does not grant the same express blanket path prohibition for Class 3; its Class 3 provision is framed as permission.Arkansas General Assembly — Act 956 of 2017 Spot an error? →
General natural-trail access is unclear: Act 956 uses “bicycle path” and “multi-use path” without saying that every natural-surface trail is included. Arkansas state parks have a specific rule, but elsewhere the land manager's current designation, rules, and signs control the practical answer.Arkansas General Assembly — Act 956 of 2017· Code of Arkansas Rules — 22 CAR § 50-122 Spot an error? →
All three classes are allowed on roads within Arkansas state parks. Class 1 is allowed on every park trail designated for bicycles, including mountain-bike, paved and unpaved multi-use, ATV, and off-road-motorcycle trails. Class 2 and Class 3 are prohibited on mountain-bike trails and on paved or unpaved multi-use trails that allow bicycles.Code of Arkansas Rules — 22 CAR § 50-122 Spot an error? →
05 / Common questions
No. Arkansas expressly says a qualifying e-bike is not a motor vehicle and exempts it and its operator from Title 27 provisions relating to insurance, licensing, registration, operator's licenses, and certificates of title.Arkansas General Assembly — Act 956 of 2017 Spot an error? →
A Class 3 operator must be at least 16. A passenger under 16 may ride on a Class 3 designed for passengers, and every Class 3 operator or passenger under 21 must wear the specified qualifying helmet.Arkansas General Assembly — Act 956 of 2017 Spot an error? →
Class 1 and 2 may use bicycle and multi-use paths unless the local authority prohibits them. Class 3 needs a highway-adjacent path or local permission. Treatment of every natural-surface trail is not express; in Arkansas state parks, Class 1 has broad bicycle-trail access while Class 2 and 3 are barred from mountain-bike and bicycle-legal multi-use trails.Arkansas General Assembly — Act 956 of 2017· Code of Arkansas Rules — 22 CAR § 50-122 Spot an error? →
Yes, as Class 2, if it otherwise meets the electric-bicycle definition, may use the motor exclusively to propel the bike, and cannot provide assistance when the e-bike reaches 20 mph.Arkansas General Assembly — Act 956 of 2017 Spot an error? →
Penalty coverage is unclear: Act 956 states the class, paperwork, equipment, path, age, and helmet rules but does not state one penalty for violating them. Other traffic laws or local rules may carry separate consequences.Arkansas General Assembly — Act 956 of 2017 Spot an error? →
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