Colorado · researched July 21, 2026
Colorado uses three classes of electrical assisted bicycle. Class 1 is pedal assist ending at 20 mph, Class 2 may assist without pedaling but ends at 20 mph, and Class 3 is pedal assist ending at 28 mph.Colorado General Assembly OLLS — 2024 C.R.S. Title 42 Spot an error? →
How we verify →Spot an error? →Follow CO changes (Atom) →
The short answer
A qualifying e-bike needs no state driver's license, Colorado DMV registration, or compulsory motor-vehicle insurance. A Class 3 operator must be at least 16, every Class 3 operator or passenger under 18 must wear a helmet, path access differs by class, and local bicycle or e-bike licensing and registration may still apply.Colorado General Assembly OLLS — 2024 C.R.S. Title 42· Colorado General Assembly OLLS — 2024 C.R.S. Title 10 Spot an error? →
01 / Categories
Pedal assist · 20 mph
It must have two or three wheels, fully operable pedals, an electric motor not exceeding 750 watts, and the motor behavior and assisted-speed cutoff of Class 1, 2, or 3.Colorado General Assembly OLLS — 2024 C.R.S. Title 42 Spot an error? →
The motor assists only while the rider pedals and stops providing assistance when the bicycle reaches 20 mph.Colorado General Assembly OLLS — 2024 C.R.S. Title 42 Spot an error? →
Throttle-capable · 20 mph
The motor may assist whether or not the rider is pedaling, but it stops providing assistance when the bicycle reaches 20 mph.Colorado General Assembly OLLS — 2024 C.R.S. Title 42 Spot an error? →
Pedal assist · 28 mph
The motor assists only while the rider pedals and stops providing assistance when the bicycle reaches 28 mph.Colorado General Assembly OLLS — 2024 C.R.S. Title 42 Spot an error? →
02 / Class consequences
| Class | Motor setup | State paperwork | Core consequence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Pedal assist to 20 mph | No state license, DMV registration, or compulsory motor-vehicle insurance | No state driver's license, Colorado DMV registration, or compulsory motor-vehicle insurance. Class 1 may use bike and pedestrian paths where bicycles are authorized unless the local authority prohibits it; local bicycle or e-bike licensing and registration may apply.Colorado General Assembly OLLS — 2024 C.R.S. Title 42· Colorado General Assembly OLLS — 2024 C.R.S. Title 10 Spot an error? → |
| Class 2 | Throttle-capable to 20 mph | No state license, DMV registration, or compulsory motor-vehicle insurance | No state driver's license, Colorado DMV registration, or compulsory motor-vehicle insurance. Class 2 may use bike and pedestrian paths where bicycles are authorized unless the local authority prohibits it; local bicycle or e-bike licensing and registration may apply.Colorado General Assembly OLLS — 2024 C.R.S. Title 42· Colorado General Assembly OLLS — 2024 C.R.S. Title 10 Spot an error? → |
| Class 3 | Pedal assist to 28 mph | No state license, DMV registration, or compulsory motor-vehicle insurance | No state driver's license, Colorado DMV registration, or compulsory motor-vehicle insurance. The operator must be at least 16, every operator or passenger under 18 needs a qualifying helmet, a speedometer is required, and off-street bike or pedestrian paths are closed unless the local authority permits Class 3.Colorado General Assembly OLLS — 2024 C.R.S. Title 42· Colorado General Assembly OLLS — 2024 C.R.S. Title 10 Spot an error? → |
Classification unclear: a device outside all three classes, or one modified or designed to be readily configured outside them, is not an electrical assisted bicycle. CDOT calls devices over 28 mph or over 750 watts e-motos, but the cited sources do not assign every possible pedal-less, over-speed, over-power, or throttle-over-20 configuration to one automatic replacement category; confirm the exact device before public-road or public-land use.Colorado General Assembly OLLS — 2024 C.R.S. Title 42· Colorado General Assembly — 2025 Session Laws Chapter 279 (HB25-1197)· Colorado Department of Transportation — E-Bike Safety Campaign Spot an error? →
03 / Rider requirements
Adult helmet mandate not stated by the cited statewide sources: § 42-4-1412's Class 3 requirement expressly covers people under 18, and CDOT says helmets are strongly recommended regardless of class, but none of the cited pages expressly declares an adult exempt from every potentially applicable helmet rule. Check local rules and wear one.Colorado General Assembly OLLS — 2024 C.R.S. Title 42· Colorado Department of Transportation — E-Bike Safety Campaign Spot an error? →
04 / Where you can ride
Yes, subject to the bicycle framework and local ordinances. An e-bike rider has the rights and duties of other vehicle drivers where those rules can apply; a slower rider generally uses the right-hand lane with statutory exceptions for turns, passing, hazards, and safety margins.Colorado General Assembly OLLS — 2024 C.R.S. Title 42 Spot an error? →
Statewide bike-lane wording is incomplete: CDOT tells e-bike riders to use bike lanes when possible, and CPW expressly allows Class 1 and Class 2 on designated bike lanes on its managed lands, but the cited statutory e-bike access paragraphs do not separately state one statewide on-road bicycle-lane rule. Bicycle-equivalent roadway rights and local ordinances still apply; check signs and the responsible jurisdiction.Colorado General Assembly OLLS — 2024 C.R.S. Title 42· Colorado Department of Transportation — E-Bike Safety Campaign· Colorado Parks and Wildlife — Biking, Hiking and Horseback Riding Spot an error? →
State law permits sidewalk, pathway, and crosswalk riding unless an official traffic-control device or local ordinance prohibits it. Where allowed, the rider must yield to pedestrians, signal audibly before passing, travel safely in a crosswalk, and dismount where a sign or local ordinance requires it.Colorado General Assembly OLLS — 2024 C.R.S. Title 42 Spot an error? →
Class 1 and Class 2 may use a bike or pedestrian path where bicycles are authorized, unless the local authority prohibits them. Class 3 may use such a path only when it is within a street or highway or the local authority permits Class 3 on that path.Colorado General Assembly OLLS — 2024 C.R.S. Title 42 Spot an error? →
A local authority may regulate bicycle and e-bike operation on streets and highways under its jurisdiction, require local registration or licensing and a fee, and authorize or prohibit e-bikes on bike or pedestrian paths within the class-based limits of § 42-4-1412. Check local ordinances and posted controls.Colorado General Assembly OLLS — 2024 C.R.S. Title 42 Spot an error? →
Class 3 State Parks access is not resolved by the cited page: CPW expressly allows Class 1 and Class 2 on park roadways, designated bike lanes, multi-use trails, and other areas open to nonmotorized biking, without a separate CPW registration or permit. That page does not expressly authorize Class 3; check the specific park and route before riding.Colorado Parks and Wildlife — Biking, Hiking and Horseback Riding Spot an error? →
On CPW State Wildlife Areas and State Trust Lands, e-bikes are allowed on designated roads and in designated camping or parking areas where motor vehicles are allowed; CPW says they are not allowed in other areas.Colorado Parks and Wildlife — Biking, Hiking and Horseback Riding Spot an error? →
05 / Common questions
State motor-vehicle requirements: no driver's license, Colorado DMV registration, or compulsory motor-vehicle insurance. Local authorities may separately require bicycle or e-bike licensing, registration, and a fee, so check the ordinance where you live or ride.Colorado General Assembly OLLS — 2024 C.R.S. Title 42· Colorado General Assembly OLLS — 2024 C.R.S. Title 10 Spot an error? →
The statewide answer for adults is unclear. Colorado's express Class 3 mandate covers operators and passengers under 18, and CDOT strongly recommends a helmet for every class, but the cited pages don't declare a universal adult exemption. Check local rules, and wear a helmet.Colorado General Assembly OLLS — 2024 C.R.S. Title 42· Colorado Department of Transportation — E-Bike Safety Campaign Spot an error? →
Class 1 and Class 2 have default bike and pedestrian path access where bicycles are allowed, subject to local prohibition; Class 3 needs an on-street path or local permission. CPW expressly opens qualifying park biking areas to Class 1 and Class 2, while State Wildlife Areas and State Trust Lands restrict e-bikes to designated motor-vehicle roads, camping, and parking areas. Class 3 State Parks access is not expressly resolved on the cited CPW page, so check the route manager.Colorado General Assembly OLLS — 2024 C.R.S. Title 42· Colorado Parks and Wildlife — Biking, Hiking and Horseback Riding Spot an error? →
Yes, as Class 2, if it has fully operable pedals, a motor not exceeding 750 watts, and motor assistance ends at 20 mph. Colorado's Class 1 and Class 3 definitions require assistance only while pedaling.Colorado General Assembly OLLS — 2024 C.R.S. Title 42 Spot an error? →
Yes. A rider age 15 or older, or a younger rider accompanied by an adult, may treat a stop sign as a yield after slowing to 10 mph or less and yielding, and may proceed through or turn right at a red signal only after stopping and yielding under the stated conditions.Colorado General Assembly OLLS — 2024 C.R.S. Title 42· Colorado Department of Transportation — E-Bike Safety Campaign Spot an error? →
Violating the operating rules in C.R.S. § 42-4-1412 is a class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense unless another applicable provision specifies its own penalty. Violating § 42-4-221(1)–(10) is a class B traffic infraction; CDOT identifies a $15 fine and $6 surcharge for the manufacturing and classification rules it summarizes.Colorado General Assembly OLLS — 2024 C.R.S. Title 42· Colorado General Assembly — 2025 Session Laws Chapter 279 (HB25-1197)· Colorado Department of Transportation — E-Bike Safety Campaign Spot an error? →
Use your exact setup