Illinois E-Bike Laws: Classes, Age Limits and Where to Ride

An e-bike is a bicycle in Illinois law as long as it stays small and slow. Cross the line and it becomes a motor driven cycle, with different rules. The line has three parts: pedals, watts and speed.

The three classes

The Vehicle Code defines a low-speed electric bicycle as a bicycle with fully operable pedals and an electric motor of less than 750 watts¹. It sorts those bikes into three classes:

Class	How the motor works	Assistance ends at
1	Assists only while the rider pedals1	20 mph1
2	May propel the bicycle exclusively1	20 mph1
3	Assists only while the rider pedals1	28 mph1

Illinois adds two motor rules. A Class 2 motor must disengage when the brakes are applied. Class 1 and Class 3 motors must disengage when the rider stops pedaling².

Where you can ride

A low-speed e-bike may use any highway, street or roadway open to bicycles, bike lanes included². It may use a bicycle path unless the municipality, county or local authority prohibits e-bikes or a specific class there². It may not go on a sidewalk². The Secretary of State’s guide repeats the sidewalk rule⁵. For the sidewalk rule in Chicago, see riding on the sidewalk.

Except as the section provides otherwise, the Vehicle Code’s chapter provisions that apply to bicycles also apply to low-speed e-bikes².

Who can ride

Section 11-1517 sets an age limit for only one class: a person may operate a Class 3 e-bike only at 16 or older². A rider under 16 may sit behind as a passenger on a Class 3 bike designed for passengers². Chicago repeats the Class 3 limit in its own code⁶.

Equipment and labels

Each low-speed e-bike must meet the equipment and manufacturing requirements of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission under 16 CFR 1512². Manufacturers and distributors must permanently affix a label showing the class, the top assisted speed and the motor wattage². Tampering with the speed capability without replacing the label is prohibited². A Class 3 bike needs a speedometer showing mph².

What Chicago adds

Chicago applies the Title 9 rules for bicycles to low-speed e-bikes, except as provided in sections 9-36-020, 9-40-060, 9-52-020 and 9-52-040⁶. A Class 3 rider must be 16 or older, and Class 3 bikes may not use any sidewalk or pass on the right^6,4,7. Class 1 and Class 3 motors must disengage when the rider stops pedaling⁶. The full set of city rules is on the Chicago bike laws page.

What changes on January 1, 2027

Public Act 104-0854 takes effect January 1, 2027³. In the enrolled text:

• Class 1 and Class 2 operators must be 15 or older. Class 3 stays at 16³.
• An e-bike built for passengers may not be ridden by anyone under 18 with a passenger, unless the passenger is a sibling, stepsibling, child or stepchild of the operator³.
• Park districts, forest preserve districts, conservation districts and transit districts may regulate e-bikes on bicycle paths in their jurisdiction³.
• Except where the section authorizes it, no unit of local government, including a home rule unit, may regulate low-speed e-bikes³.
• Any electric bicycle that is not a low-speed e-bike is a motor driven cycle under the Vehicle Code³.

The last item matters for fast bikes. A bike at or above 750 watts is not a low-speed e-bike¹.

Rentals and commuting

Renting instead of buying? Prices and rules for the shared fleet are in the Divvy e-bike guide. For commuting on one, see the e-bike commuting guide. The rules and safety hub lists every topic.