In Illinois, Class 1, 2 and 3 e-bikes are legal with no license, registration or insurance, as long as the motor is under 750 watts and the assist stops at 20 mph (Class 1 and 2) or 28 mph (Class 3). Class 3 riders must be 16 or older, and no e-bike may be ridden on a sidewalk. Electric scooters are only partly covered by state law until a new law takes effect on January 1, 2027: from then, riders must be 16, electric scooters stay off sidewalks statewide, and Class 1 and 2 e-bike riders must be at least 15.
We ship electric scooters and e-bikes to riders across the country, Illinois included. Here are the state rules now, what the 2027 law changes, and what Chicago and the Cook County forest preserves add. The official sources are listed at the end.
What are the Illinois e-bike and electric scooter rules?
| Rule | Electric scooter | E-bike |
|---|---|---|
| Where the law is | 625 ILCS 5/1-140.11 and 5/11-1518 (low-speed electric scooters); Public Act 104-0854 from 2027 | 625 ILCS 5/1-140.10 (definition and classes) and 5/11-1517 |
| What counts now | "Low-speed electric scooter": under 100 lb, a floorboard to stand on, no more than 10 mph | Working pedals and a motor of less than 750 watts, in Class 1, 2 or 3 |
| What counts from 2027 | Low-speed up to 15 mph; high-speed over 15 mph, inside a new micromobility category capped at 28 mph | Same classes; e-bikes with a motor of 750 W or more, or assist past 28 mph, become motor-driven cycles |
| Speed | 10 mph design limit now; no riding over 28 mph from 2027 | Assist stops at 20 mph (Class 1 and 2) or 28 mph (Class 3) |
| License, registration, insurance | None for a low-speed electric scooter now; none for any electric micromobility device from 2027 | Not required |
| Minimum age | 16 from 2027 | 16 for Class 3; 15 for Class 1 and 2 from 2027 |
| Sidewalks | Banned statewide from 2027 | Not allowed |
| Roads | From 2027: speed limit 35 mph or less, faster roads only with a bike lane, never interstate highways | Bicycle rules apply |
| Bike paths | From 2027: allowed unless IDOT, IDNR or the park, forest preserve, conservation or transit district in charge restricts them | Allowed unless the agency in charge bans e-bikes or one class |
| Helmet | No statewide helmet law; recommended | |
What are the e-bike classes in Illinois?
Illinois calls them "low-speed electric bicycles": a bicycle with fully working pedals and an electric motor of less than 750 watts (625 ILCS 5/1-140.10), in one of three classes:
- Class 1: the motor helps only while you pedal and stops helping at 20 mph.
- Class 2: the motor can move the e-bike on its own (a throttle) and stops helping at 20 mph.
- Class 3: the motor helps only while you pedal and stops helping at 28 mph. A Class 3 e-bike must have a speedometer that shows miles per hour.
Every e-bike must carry a permanent label from the maker showing its class, top assisted speed and motor wattage, and it's illegal to change an e-bike's speed capability without replacing the label to match (625 ILCS 5/11-1517). A low-speed e-bike isn't a moped or a motor-driven cycle under the law.
Note the wording: Illinois requires a motor of less than 750 watts, so an e-bike with a motor rated at exactly 750 watts falls outside the state definition.
Do you need a license for an e-bike in Illinois?
No. A Class 1, 2 or 3 e-bike isn't a motor vehicle under Illinois law (625 ILCS 5/1-146), so it needs no driver's license, title, registration or insurance. From January 1, 2027, the same goes for electric scooters and the other electric micromobility devices: Public Act 104-0854 exempts them from title, registration, driver's license and insurance requirements.
That changes for faster machines. From January 1, 2027, an electric bike with a motor of 750 watts or more, or one whose motor keeps helping past 28 mph, is a motor-driven cycle, not an e-bike (625 ILCS 5/1-145.001 as amended). Riding one takes a valid driver's license and insurance, it has to be titled and registered to be ridden on public roads, and it's barred from sidewalks, bike lanes, bike paths and interstate highways (new Section 11-1403.4).
How old do you have to be to ride an e-bike in Illinois?
Today, 16 for a Class 3 e-bike, with no state minimum for Class 1 or Class 2. A rider under 16 may ride as a passenger on a Class 3 e-bike built to carry one.
From January 1, 2027, Public Act 104-0854 sets a minimum age of 15 for Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes; Class 3 stays at 16. Riders under 18 may carry a passenger only if the passenger is their sibling, stepsibling, child or stepchild.
Where can you ride an e-bike in Illinois?
On roads, under the same rules as bicycles, and on bike paths unless the city, county or other agency in charge of the path bans e-bikes or one class of e-bike there (625 ILCS 5/11-1517). Never on a sidewalk: state law says a person may not ride a low-speed electric bicycle on one.
From 2027, the path rule changes: a state agency in charge of a path can ban e-bikes or one class there, park districts, forest preserve districts, conservation districts and transit districts can regulate e-bikes on their own paths, and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources can on its land. Check the signs at the trailhead.
At night, e-bikes follow the same lighting rules as bicycles, because the state's bicycle rules apply to them (625 ILCS 5/11-1517). From 2027, an electric scooter ridden at night needs a white front lamp visible from at least 500 feet and a red rear reflector, or a red rear light visible from 500 feet (new Section 11-1435).
Forest Preserves of Cook County
The forest preserves allow Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes under 750 watts on bicycle trails, at the posted speed or 15 mph where none is posted. Class 3 e-bikes aren't allowed, e-bikes stay off single-track mountain bike trails unless authorized, and electric scooters, electric unicycles and hoverboards are banned outright. Helmets are recommended, not required.
Are electric scooters legal in Illinois?
Partly, today. Since August 2024, Illinois law has defined a low-speed electric scooter: under 100 pounds, two or three wheels, handlebars, a floorboard you stand on, and a top speed of no more than 10 mph (625 ILCS 5/1-140.11). It needs no title, registration or driver's license (625 ILCS 5/3-102, 3-402 and 6-102), and Section 11-1518 sets where it may be ridden until that section is repealed on January 1, 2027.
Most adult electric scooters go faster than 10 mph, so they fall outside today's state definition. Check your city's, park district's or forest preserve's rules before you ride.
What changes on January 1, 2027?
Public Act 104-0854 (Senate Bill 3484), signed on August 26, 2026, rewrites the rules for electric scooters, electric skateboards and electric unicycles statewide. Under the law's text:
- A low-speed electric scooter can go up to 15 mph, and a new "high-speed electric scooter" category covers models over 15 mph.
- Both sit inside a new "electric micromobility device" category, with electric skateboards and electric unicycles, capped at 28 mph.
- Riders must be at least 16.
- No electric scooters on sidewalks anywhere in the state.
- Roads with a speed limit of 35 mph or less are allowed; faster roads only where there's a designated bike lane; never interstate highways.
- No riding over 28 mph: a device that can go and is going over 28 mph is banned from all public roads, bike lanes and bike paths.
- No title, registration, driver's license or insurance for these devices.
- Class 1 and 2 e-bike riders must be 15 or older, and e-bikes with a motor of 750 watts or more (or assist past 28 mph) and e-motos over 750 watts become motor-driven cycles that need a driver's license, insurance, and title and registration for the road.
Until January 1, 2027, today's rules apply.
What are Chicago's e-bike and electric scooter rules?
Chicago applies its bicycle rules to e-bikes and uses the state's three classes, with two local twists in the Municipal Code:
- A Class 1 or Class 2 e-bike weighing 125 lb or more counts as a Class 3 e-bike (§9-4-010), and only riders 16 or older may ride a Class 3 (§9-52-120).
- No Class 3 e-bike on any sidewalk (§9-52-020), and no bicycles at all on Lake Shore Drive.
A privately owned electric scooter in Chicago is a "low-speed electric mobility device": no pedals, under 100 lb and a top speed of 15 mph on a level surface, and it follows the bicycle rules for riding and parking (§9-4-010 and §9-52-130).
Chicago's shared electric scooters (Divvy and Lime) are capped at 15 mph, can't be ridden on sidewalks, and aren't allowed on the Lakefront Trail, The 606 or the Chicago Riverwalk. Riders must be 18, or 16 with a parent's or guardian's consent. The Chicago Park District is writing new micromobility rules for its paths under the 2027 state law; until those are published, follow the signs on the Lakefront Trail.
Are electric dirt bikes street legal in Illinois?
No. Electric dirt bikes such as Surron and Talaria models aren't e-bikes: their motors and speeds are far past the class limits. To be ridden on a public road, one has to be titled and registered, and a model that isn't built and equipped for road use can't be registered at all; it gets a distinctive certificate of title instead (625 ILCS 5/3-101). From January 1, 2027, the law spells it out for electric motor-driven cycles with motors over 750 and up to 8,000 watts: new ones must be titled, riders need a driver's license and insurance, and they're barred from sidewalks, bike lanes, bike paths and off-road bicycle trails (new Section 11-1403.4). IDNR requires a $30 certificate of title for off-highway motorcycles bought on or after January 1, 1998, and a public access decal to ride at public grant-assisted off-highway vehicle sites. See our electric dirt bikes and the best electric dirt bikes guide.
Is there an Illinois battery law for e-bikes?
Yes. The Micromobility Fire Safety Act (Public Act 104-0414, in force since January 1, 2026) is Illinois's fire-safety law for e-bikes, electric scooters and their lithium-ion batteries, and it relies on certification by accredited, independent testing labs (815 ILCS 361/10). Whatever state you ride in, look for a ride and battery certified to the UL standards: UL 2849 for e-bikes, UL 2272 for electric scooters and UL 2271 for the battery itself. More on what the standards mean in why UL certification matters.
Which of our rides fit Illinois's rules?
For an e-bike, look for a Class 1, 2 or 3 label and a motor of less than 750 watts. These fit, on the maker's own figures:
| E-bike | Motor (rated) | Assist and throttle (maker) | Illinois class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hiboy C1 | 350W | Up to 20 mph on throttle and pedal assist | Class 2 |
| Segway Myon | 500W | Class 1 and 2 at 20 mph; Class 3 pedal assist up to 28 mph | Class 1, 2 or 3, by setting |
These electric scooters top out between 18.6 and 22 mph on the maker's figures. Today they're faster than the state's 10 mph low-speed definition, so local rules decide where you can ride them; from January 1, 2027, they'll be high-speed electric scooters under the 28 mph cap, for riders 16 and older:
| Electric scooter | Top speed (maker) | Range (maker) |
|---|---|---|
| Segway E2 Pro | 18.6 mph | Up to 21.7 miles |
| Hiboy S2 Pro | 19 mph | Up to 25 miles |
| Segway F3 | 20 mph | Up to 44 miles (Eco) |
| Segway Max G2 | 22 mph | Up to 43 miles |
Bought from us, each one has a one-year Wilson's warranty against manufacturing defects, and we manage the claim with the maker. Standard shipping is free to Illinois and the rest of the lower 48 (see our shipping policy). Browse commuter e-bikes and commuter electric scooters.
Where can Illinois riders get service?
Our shops are in New York City and San Francisco, and our technicians service every brand, wherever you bought it, with express service at every shop. If you're visiting, walk in with no appointment. A simple inspection is always free; a full diagnosis with disassembly or test equipment is $30, waived on repairs over $100. Brake repair starts at $25 and a flat tire repair at $40, parts and labor included. Book a repair.
Compare other states in our California, Texas and Pennsylvania guides, or see all our state law guides.
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Frequently asked questions
Do you need a license for an e-bike in Illinois?
No. Class 1, 2 and 3 e-bikes need no driver's license, title, registration or insurance. From 2027, e-bikes with a motor of 750 watts or more, or assist past 28 mph, count as motor-driven cycles that do.
How old do you have to be to ride an e-bike in Illinois?
16 for a Class 3 e-bike. There's no state minimum for Class 1 and 2 today; from January 1, 2027, it's 15.
Are electric scooters legal in Illinois?
Today, state law defines only low-speed electric scooters that top out at 10 mph; faster models fall outside that definition, so check your local rules. From January 1, 2027, electric scooters up to 28 mph are covered statewide for riders 16 and older.
Can you ride an e-bike on the sidewalk in Illinois?
No. State law bans e-bikes on sidewalks, and from 2027 electric scooters are banned from sidewalks statewide too.
Can you ride an electric scooter on Chicago's Lakefront Trail?
Not a shared Divvy or Lime electric scooter: they're barred from the Lakefront Trail, The 606 and the Riverwalk. The Park District is writing new rules for its paths under the 2027 law, so follow the posted signs.
Do you need a helmet on an e-bike in Illinois?
Illinois has no statewide helmet law for e-bike riders, but Chicago and the Cook County forest preserves recommend one, and so do we.
Sources: Public Act 104-0854 (SB 3484, enrolled text), which prints the current and amended wording of the Illinois Vehicle Code sections cited here (625 ILCS 5/1-117.6, 1-125.11, 1-140.10, 1-140.11, 1-145.001, 1-146, 3-101, 3-102, 3-402, 6-102, 11-1403.4, 11-1435, 11-1517 and the repeal of 11-1518) and of the Micromobility Fire Safety Act (815 ILCS 361/10, Public Act 104-0414); Chicago Park District; Chicago Municipal Code §§9-4-010, 9-52-020, 9-52-120 and 9-52-130; Chicago DOT, scooter share; IDNR off-highway vehicle FAQ; Forest Preserves of Cook County Ordinance 21-0202. Checked October 2026.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Laws change and cities add their own rules, so check your local rules before you ride.
