Illinois · primary sources checked July 21, 2026
Illinois uses three classes of low-speed electric bicycle. Classes 1 and 2 stop assisting at 20 mph; class 3 is pedal assist to 28 mph. Every class must have fully operable pedals and an electric motor of less than 750 watts (625 ILCS 5/1-140.10).625 ILCS 5/1-140.10 Spot an error? →
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The short answer
Qualifying e-bikes follow bicycle rules, may use bicycle-authorized roads and bicycle paths unless the path authority prohibits them, and may not be ridden on sidewalks. Class 3 operators must be at least 16. Driver-license, registration, insurance, and helmet answers are less explicit in the citeable HTML sources and are marked unclear below.625 ILCS 5/1-140.10· 625 ILCS 5/11-1517 Spot an error? →
01 / Categories
Pedal assist · 20 mph
It must have fully operable pedals, an electric motor of less than 750 watts, and the motor behavior and assistance cutoff for one of Illinois's three classes. Manufacturers and distributors must permanently label the class, top assisted speed, and motor wattage.625 ILCS 5/1-140.10· 625 ILCS 5/11-1517 Spot an error? →
Pedal assist only, with motor assistance ending when the bicycle reaches 20 mph.625 ILCS 5/1-140.10 Spot an error? →
Throttle-capable · 20 mph
The motor may propel the bicycle without pedaling, but cannot provide assistance when the bicycle reaches 20 mph.625 ILCS 5/1-140.10 Spot an error? →
Pedal assist · 28 mph
Pedal assist only, with motor assistance ending when the bicycle reaches 28 mph.625 ILCS 5/1-140.10 Spot an error? →
02 / Class consequences
| Class | Motor setup | Statewide age rule | Core consequence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Pedal assist to 20 mph | No express minimum in the cited current section | Pedal assist to 20 mph; bicycle operating rules apply. It may use roads and bicycle lanes open to bicycles and bicycle paths unless the path authority prohibits its class, but it may not be ridden on a sidewalk.625 ILCS 5/1-140.10· 625 ILCS 5/11-1517 Spot an error? → |
| Class 2 | Throttle-capable to 20 mph | No express minimum in the cited current section | Throttle-capable to 20 mph; bicycle operating rules and the same road, path, and sidewalk rules apply. Its motor must disengage or stop when the brakes are applied.625 ILCS 5/1-140.10· 625 ILCS 5/11-1517 Spot an error? → |
| Class 3 | Pedal assist to 28 mph | Operator must be 16+ | Pedal assist to 28 mph; operator age 16+; speedometer required. Bicycle operating rules and the same road, path, and sidewalk rules apply.625 ILCS 5/1-140.10· 625 ILCS 5/11-1517 Spot an error? → |
Next category unclear: it does not fit 625 ILCS 5/1-140.10's low-speed electric-bicycle definition, but the cited current statute does not assign one automatic replacement category or public-road answer to every nonconforming electric bicycle. Ask the Secretary of State about the exact vehicle before public-road use.625 ILCS 5/1-140.10 Spot an error? →
03 / Rider requirements
The adult answer is unclear. The cited e-bike section states no helmet requirement, but silence isn't an express exemption — and the Secretary of State's direct statewide answer appears only in a PDF that isn't among the cited sources. Check local law, and wear one anyway.625 ILCS 5/11-1517 Spot an error? →
04 / Where you can ride
A qualifying e-bike may use any highway, street, or roadway authorized for bicycles, including bicycle lanes. The bicycle provisions of the Illinois Vehicle Code apply unless § 11-1517 provides otherwise.625 ILCS 5/11-1517 Spot an error? →
Yes by default under 625 ILCS 5/11-1517(f), but the municipality, county, or local authority controlling the path may prohibit all low-speed e-bikes or a specific class.625 ILCS 5/11-1517 Spot an error? →
No. 625 ILCS 5/11-1517(g) prohibits operating a low-speed electric bicycle on a sidewalk.625 ILCS 5/11-1517 Spot an error? →
On IDNR-owned, leased, or managed property, a bicycle or qualifying e-bike may use a roadway designated for vehicles, a parking lot, or a posted bicycle trail. The rule generally caps bicycle and e-bike speed at 20 mph on roads, paths, bicycle trails, and drives unless posted otherwise, and IDNR may close a trail for safety or resource protection (17 Ill. Adm. Code 110.165).17 Ill. Adm. Code 110.165 Spot an error? →
Blanket trail access is unclear: 625 ILCS 5/11-1517 expressly addresses bicycle paths, not every recreational or natural-surface trail. IDNR separately limits riding on its property to designated roadways, parking lots, and posted bicycle trails. Check the trail manager's current signs and rules.625 ILCS 5/11-1517· 17 Ill. Adm. Code 110.165 Spot an error? →
05 / Common questions
The likely answer is no because Illinois excludes a qualifying low-speed e-bike from the motor-vehicle definition, while the cited license, registration, title, and insurance provisions apply to motor vehicles. None of those cited sections expressly states the complete no-paperwork answer for e-bikes, so it remains unclear rather than overclaimed.625 ILCS 5/1-146· 625 ILCS 5/3-402· 625 ILCS 5/6-101· 625 ILCS 5/7-601 Spot an error? →
The likely statewide answer is yes, but the cited HTML statute is silent and the Secretary of State's express helmet statement appears only in a PDF that isn't cited here — so the adult answer stays unclear. Check local law, and wear one anyway.625 ILCS 5/11-1517 Spot an error? →
Bicycle paths are open by default unless the controlling local authority prohibits e-bikes or a class. That is not a blanket answer for every trail: on IDNR property, use only designated vehicle roadways, parking lots, and posted bicycle trails, and check the manager's current signs elsewhere.625 ILCS 5/11-1517· 17 Ill. Adm. Code 110.165 Spot an error? →
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