Are Electric Bikes Legal? A Comprehensive Guide to UK Law

I have compiled this page to help people understand UK law and government vehicle restrictions regarding the use of electric bikes on UK roads in England. So, are electric bikes legal? Yes, they are, to a certain level. A straightforward definition is as follows: If you refer to the law on the Electric Scooters page linked here, you’ll find that the bike law also covers electric tricycles

The government classifies electric bikes as EAPCs (Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles). They must have a motor output of no more than 250W, a top speed of 15.5mph with pedal assistance, and use pedal assist to legally operate on UK public roads.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/electrically-assisted-pedal-cycles-eapcs/electrically-assisted-pedal-cycles-eapcs-in-great-britain-information-sheet

What makes an e-bike legal in the UK?

To be legally used on UK public roads, an electric bike must meet the government’s definition of an EAPC (Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle). This means:

• It must have pedals that can be used to propel the bike.
• The motor must provide assistance only when you are pedalling.
• The motor must cut out when you stop pedalling or reach a speed of 15.5mph (25km/h).
• The motor output must be no more than 250 watts.
• The bike must be clearly marked with the motor’s power output and have a working speedometer.

If your e-bike meets all these requirements, it is not classed as a motor vehicle, so:

• You do not need a driving licence.
• You do not need to register, tax, or insure the bike.
• You can ride it on cycle paths and public roads (excluding motorways).

However, anything over 250w or that works without pedalling (like throttle-only bikes) is classed as a moped or electric motorcycle, which requires:

A full crash helmet (not just a cycle helmet)

A driving licence

MOT, insurance, and road tax

Throttle Use

Can I use an E-bike with a throttle on the UK roads?

If you bought your bike before 2016, you can have a throttle on your E-bicycle, but any newer and it’s NOT legal, and your ebike will be classed as an electric motorcycle. As this is one shared feature, you have a few options. You can often disable the throttle in your e-bike settings, or just chance it and hope you don’t get pulled over by the police, which is rare but does happen.

Rules and Restrictions

What are the age limits for using electric bicycles?

In the United Kingdom, the legal age for cyclists using an electric bike is 14 years old or older. However, riders under 16 must be accompanied by an adult and wear a helmet.

Are Electric-Bikes required to be registered and insured to be on UK roads?

Unlike other motorised vehicles, you do not need to have insurance or be registered to use UK roads, so long as your bike is legal, does not have a motor bigger than 250 watts, and does not go faster than 15.5 mph.

If you own a bigger bike than 250 watts that goes faster, technically, you need to have insurance to use UK roads, but since they can’t be MOT tested or at least it’s hard to do, it’s very difficult to insure an ebike for legal use on the roads due to the current legislation, you would need an MOT certificate and since you can’t get an MOT certificate for an e-bike (as far as I’m aware) it’s hard or next to impossible to insure your bike.

Now you can insure your bike against theft, whatever the size of your bike motor is, as this is for a different reason, but it would not insure you to be on the road, just insure against someone stealing your bike.

What Happens if You Break the Law?

Is my 500-watt, 750-watt, or 1000-watt bike legal on UK roads?

No, they are not legal. They are classed as mopeds or electric motorcycles, so they come under the same rules and regulations as motorists.

If you ride one on public roads, you must have:

• A valid driving licence
• Insurance
• An MOT certificate
• The bike is registered and taxed
• A proper crash helmet (not just a cycle helmet)

500 watts, 750 watts and 1000 watts or over are classed as mopeds or motorbikes, so they will be treated as such if you are stopped by police.

Is it legal to own a 500-watt, 750-watt bike, or even more powerful?

It is not illegal to buy or sell these bikes, they are just not legal to use on our roads. It is one of the many confusing parts of the law.

What is the penalty for riding an illegal bike on the UK roads in the UK?

The police usually give you 14 days of grace. If you do not resolve the issues at this time, it could be sold or scrapped.

After that, the consequences may include:

• Your bike being confiscated or scrapped
• Fines for riding without:
  • Insurance
  • A licence
  • An MOT certificate
• Up to 8 penalty points on your licence
• A driving ban (discretionary disqualification)

It’s treated the same way as if you drove a car with no insurance or MOT.

Can the police seize or take my bike from me?

Yes, if they suspect it is an illegal bike, they can take it from you to check it over, or if they suspect you have broken the law, it’s the police’s job to keep people safe.

Police Views & Enforcement

How will the police know if my bike is illegal or not?

The truth is, it’s not always easy, but officers can and do spot suspicious bikes, especially with:

• Throttle-only operation (riding without pedalling)
• Riders going well over 15.5mph with ease
• Bikes that look more like motorbikes (e.g., Surrons)

While the average police officer might not carry a wattmeter, they’re trained to spot the signs of illegal use, and many will act on instinct or reports, so riding an ebike that looks like a motorbike could work against you if it’s not legal.

What Happens If You Get Stopped?

Most people I know who’ve been stopped were:

• Not pedalling while the bike was moving
• Blatantly speeding past traffic or on the pavement

In those cases:

• Some were just given a warning
• Others were told to sort it out within a set time
• A few were threatened with confiscation, but not prosecuted

But don’t assume you’ll always get off easy. Things are changing, and enforcement is increasing, as more people are abusing these bikes.

FAQ Section

What is the legal speed limit in the UK for e-bikers?

This is an interesting question. The maximum speed an electric bike can power you to is 15.5mph. Now you can go faster, but this is what speed the electric bike motor will cut out or turn off.

However, if you do not use an electric motor, you can ride as fast as you like, but you are expected to stick to the same limits as any other road user. For example, on a 30mph road, you need to stick within this limit.

This is where the law gets silly, a strong rider can easily pedal past 15.5mph under their own steam, but can’t use the motor to help. It makes it hard to keep up with traffic, and arguably, less safe in busy areas.

Why is the speed limit for e bikes set at 15.5mph in the UK?

The answer to this is pretty interesting. The reason it’s set to this is because this is what speed a human can run at a fast pace. For example, Roger Bannister ran an average of 15mph. When he set his 3-minute mile record, this is why this speed of 15 mph was chosen, interesting, right?

I am not entirely sure how they came to 15.5mph, but I know this is why it was made to 15.5 mph. It seems a little outdated now, but the story is great behind it.

Can you ride an electrical bike if you are banned from driving?

Yes, you can; you do not need any kind of valid driving license to ride an ebike, and again, this is another gap in the law.

These laws need updating for the good of everyone, so we can all learn to be safer and the country and government could actually make some money from helping people go electric, by letting people pay a small road tax fee to use these scooters and bikes.

We currently have a subculture of people riding scooters and electric bikes illegally, and if you watch any of the debates on Facebook about this issue, you are either the devil for riding an illegal bike or a complete fairy for sticking to the law. The law is the issue here, not the people. The law has been too slow to update, while this industry has ploughed ahead full steam

I, for one, don’t have a problem with illegal bikes, but I have seen some idiots riding them and am sure if one ran into me, I might change my mind about that. There are some proposed changes to the bike law coming up for debate soon.

It would actually make more sense to bring in some light regulation, like a low-cost road tax or training scheme. That way people could go electric legally and safely, and the government might actually earn from it.

Please check out more of our blog posts, and share our electric bike site with others

Can I insure a powerful e-bike?

Yes but it is likely more hassle than its worth, you would need to get it taxed and tested, there are not even that many test centers in the UK, so all of this would be a massive pain in the ass, an the insurance would be more expensive than a motorbike, so we are left with a mess currently but let me know if you manage to do this.

My Personal Opinion

Should I risk using my e-bike on UK laws if it is classed as illegal?

It honestly is not for me to say, I have used all kinds of bikes on UK roads in the past. I think the law is completely outdated and flawed, it needs to be updated, but if you take the risk and get caught please don’t come moaning to me about it, as you should know the risks, and if you do get caught saying you don’t know the rules won’t cut it.

Police vs. Government

Here are the police’s views on this matter on this page. It’s important to point out that the police do not make this law, so they are not really to blame; they only enforce the law, and it’s the government that is to blame for this whole mess.

The Real Danger: Accident

The real danger is that if someone causes a serious accident, you will not have insurance, which would be more serious and could get you into a lot of trouble with the law.

There is often the argument that if you cause a death on your ebike you will be in trouble, but if you cause any kind of accident or someone dies on or in any kind of vehicle, you are in a lot of trouble. The fact that it’s illegal is not going to make any difference.

I did post this on Reddit once, and someone commented, Well, that’s not always true However, if the accident was truly an accident in the sense that it occurred without any criminal intent or gross negligence, it’s less likely that the person responsible would face prison time. If you were on an illegal bike, that would probably be negligence.

My Hypocrisy? I Own It

I saw someone riding a powerful Surron motorised bike on the pavement at about 50mph once. This person should be in jail because they endanger pedestrians’ lives riding at this speed on the pavement. I also realise this makes me a massive hypocrite, but I am a very careful rider, and most people would not dream of riding like this, unlike some.

If you own an electric scooter, these are also not legal to use on the street, either and just think how many of those you see each day.

I took the risk, but I am not telling you to do so, Hopefully, the law will be updated soon, but it’s 2025, it won’t be before 2030 at least!

See Also

Electric scooter law for the UK
Keep your ebike from thieves
What an ebike is
Delay in electric scooter adoption