Illinois E-bike Laws

[EVTodd]

Does anyone have an official link to the Illinois e-bike laws? I've read in several places that electric bikes in Illinois are considered bicycles as long as they are limited to 25 mph when being assisted by the motor.

I would like to find the law on an actual state site so I can print a copy to carry with me on my bike but I'm not having much luck finding it.

Thanks!

 

[mvadventure]

At first it seemed like a simple question, just google or go to ask.com and paste a link and you're problem is solved.

Not for Illinois however. The closet thing I found is
http://www.sos.state.il.us/publications/pdf_publications/dsd_a1434.pdf
and it doesn't mention electric bikes at all.

Good luck, try a local dealer that sells ebikes.

Mike

 

[EVTodd]

Exactly. The closest thing I could find was about mopeds which, of course, have to be registered and insured. Of course you can't register a bike that doesn't have a vin number so you get stuck in that typical endless loop.

As for bike shops, I don't think there are any that sell e-bikes around here.

 

[RB Cats]

Motorized Pedalcycles (Mopeds)
A motorized pedalcycle (moped) is a motor-driven cycle. It produces two-brake horsepower or less and has a maximum speed of 30 mph. If the moped has an internal combustion engine, the displacement shall not exceed 50 cubic centimeters, and the power drive system shall not require the driver to shift gears.
A moped driver must have a current, valid driver’s license of any classification. A person without a driver’s license who wishes to operate only a moped must obtain a Class L license. The owner must have a Certificate of Title and a registration plate must be attached on the rear of the moped.
A moped driver may not carry a passenger unless the moped is equipped with a passenger seat and passenger footrests. If the moped is to be driven at night, it must be equipped with a white light on the front that is visible for 500 feet and a red reflector on the rear that is visible from 100 to 600 feet when in front of a vehicle’s headlights. A red light visible for 500 feet also may be used in addition to the reflector.
You must be at least age 18 to obtain a valid driver’s license in Illinois. The following exceptions apply:
If you are age 16 or 17, you may receive your license if you successfully complete an approved driver education class; present written certification from a parent, legal guardian or, if there is no parent or legal guardian, a responsible adult age 21 or older stating that you have a minimum of 50 hours of behind-the-wheel practice time, including 10 hours of night time driving; held a valid instruction permit for a minimum of three months, and you are sufficiently prepared and able to safely operate a motor vehicle; and pass the three parts of the driver’s license exam.
If you are age 16 or 17, for the first six months after receiving your license, or until you reach age 18, whichever comes first, you are restricted to driving with only one passenger under age 20, unless you are transporting immediate family, including siblings, step-siblings, children or step-children.
If you are age 16 or 17 and have NOT been issued a driver’s license, you may receive your motorcycle Class L instruction permit only after successfully completing an approved driver education class. You are required to pass all appropriate exam(s).
Driver's License/ID Card Fees
Driver's License/ID Card Fees
Original Instruction Permit $20
Basic Driver’s License $10
Commercial Driver’s License $60
Limited Commercial Driver’s License $20
School Bus Permit (original, duplicate or corrected) $4
Driver’s License, ages 18 - 20 $5
Driver’s License, ages 21 - 68 $10
Driver’s License, ages 69 - 80 $5
Driver’s License, ages 81 - 86 $2
Driver’s License, ages 87 and over Free
Corrected or Duplicate Driver’s License or Permit $5
Duplicate License or Permit, age 60 and over whose licenses have been stolen
(must have police report) Free
New Classification Added; not at time of renewal (except: CDL) $5
Five-Year ID card $20
Corrected ID Card $10
Duplicate ID Card $20
ID card, age 65 and over Free
ID card, Persons with Disabilities Free

NOTE: In addition to the appropriate license fee, a $5 fee will be added for any applicant renewing/adding an M or L classification.

 

[safe]

When In Doubt...

The Federal Electric Bike Law in America reserves a specific electric vehicle to be considered in the eyes of the law to be a bicycle.

You must comply with this NARROW definition to get the benefits of this law or the law DOES NOT apply to you.

Bike MUST have operable pedals.

Motor cannot be rated above 750 watts.

Top speed of the vehicle as sold is only 20 mph on flat land.

If you bike fits this NARROW defintion then the Federal Law "trumps" the local laws unless the local laws specifically is designed to defeat the Federal one. How do you know which law is dominant? Well, that can involve lawyers and messy legislation if you have to get into it, but if you start with the "Pedals/750 Watt/20 mph" base the chances are that your bike will automatically be legal.

So basically ignore the local laws and comply with the Federal one... 8)

In 2001, the U. S. Congress passed Public Law 107-319 which exempts electric bicycles under 750 watts/20 mph from the definition of a motor vehicle only "For purposes of motor vehicle safety standards...", which means that the manufacturers of these bicycles don't have to meet federal equipment requirements, and are instead governed by the manufacturing requirements of the Consumer Product Safety Act. There is no mention of exemption from other federal, state, and local traffic laws, or exemption from the definition of a motor vehicle for other purposes.

 

[EVTodd]

Thanks RB Cats.

I did find that info yesterday but you'll also find that a moped in Illinois needs to have a license plate on the back and a registration, two things you can't get without a vin number.

Several web sites mention Illinois having favorable e-bike laws. Here are a couple I've found:

http://www.swampcycles.com/why/law_scroll.htm
http://www.algardi.com/bike/electric_bicycles.htm

Of course those companies are trying to sell e-bikes... But I'm still not finding any wording in the Illinois law about an electric bike.

 

[EVTodd]

Safe,

I am aware of the federal law. I really was just hoping to make it as easy as possible to show an officer if it ever came up. I'd really rather not deal with it if it can be avoided.

Unfortunately I'm hooked on e-bikes now so that's the way it goes. lol

 

[safe]

I am aware of the federal law.

The Federal Law is "enough" to keep you out of trouble 99% of the time. But be sure you comply... if your bike doesn't comply with the law then you get no protection from it.

You're either "in the club" or "not"... and if not then you are on your own...

 

[EVTodd]

I comply for sure. My bike is well within the limits (for now anyway). Does anyone have a link to the actual federal law? Maybe I'll just carry that with me.

 

[TylerDurden]

The Federal Law is "enough" to keep you out of trouble 99% of the time. But be sure you comply... if your bike doesn't comply with the law then you get no protection from it.

Safe, stop spreading mis-information.

The federal law does NOT apply to the operation of e-bikes, only CONSUMER PROTECTION in commerce.

 

[EVTodd]

See? It's annoying. Everything has to be so complicated.

 

[Lessss]

Make it simple. Disolve the STATES.

 

[safe]

The federal law does NOT apply to the operation of e-bikes, only CONSUMER PROTECTION in commerce.

We've been over this many times...

The Federal Government uses a legalistic maneuver (don't they always?) to achieve their goals. By classifying the "conforming" electric bike from the manufacturers perspective as a "bicycle" it grants the legal rights to such a vehicle.

Just because the law doesn't use laymans terms doesn't mean that it isn't saying anything.

Conversely, the irony is that any electric bike that uses more than 750 watts is classified as "Toxic Waste". :lol:

Lawyers use a different language... they think differently...

 

[TylerDurden]

By classifying the "conforming" electric bike from the manufacturers perspective as a "bicycle" it grants the legal rights to such a vehicle.

Not true. Period.

Let's go back to your favorite pastime as an analogy:

Liquor is a legal consumer product in the USA, since the end of prohibition.

That does not confer the right to use it by anyone, anywhere or anytime; the States and local jurisdictions have that control.

States and local jurisdictions determine the rules of the road (even on the Interstates); they control: Who, What, When, Where and how ANYONE operates any vehicle.

Consumer safety laws confer NO legal rights for the operation of vehicles at all. Just because you can buy it, does not mean you can use it.

 

[Ypedal]

Hey.. i can brew my own Moon-Shine, and drink as much of it as i want, but i can't sell the stuff without legal troubles...

I can buy a bicycle... I can buy a motor... but i can't legally sell a high-powered electric bicycle in stores !!! 8)

Long story short : Ride it responsibly and have fun. :lol:

 

[TylerDurden]

Hey.. i can brew my own Moon-Shine, and drink as much of it as i want, but i can't sell the stuff without legal troubles...
:lol:

You can also send it to your online pals... ummm.. chain-cleaner. :wink:

 

[lazarus2405]

You can also send it to your online pals... ummm.. chain-cleaner. :wink:

Disguise its true nature in chemese... "slightly polar miscible organic industrial solvent containing one active hydroxyl group". Add blue food coloring and no one will give it a second look.

As I recall, there was actually a modern scam along these lines. Some American vodka producers were collaborating with less-than-scrupulous Russian entrepreneurs. They shipped the liquor in industrial containers labeled as some sort of solvent and added some sort of blue dye. Because of the resemblance to other blue liquids which happen to be poisonous, customs didn't check twice. Once within Russian borders, another agent was added to make the drink colorless again, and the drink was bottled and sold to Russian consumers at market price. Because the scammers did not have to pay local alcohol taxes or alcohol import tariffs, and because the operation was on the scale of multiple shipfulls, both sides made quite a hefty profit before they were eventually shut down.

As for passing it off as a solvent, unfortunately that is also highly regulated. Laboratories commonly use ethanol as a solvent, under the name "denatured alcohol". The "denatured" bit means that the producers have added 5% methanol to the brew, making it poisonous, which allows it to be regulated as an industrial solvent and not an alcoholic beverage.

 

[TylerDurden]

Selling vodka to Russians... sounds like selling snow to Alaskans. Or water to fish... or coal to Newcastle. :wink:

Again, let's be clear about the distinction between public-safety law and consumer-protection law: they are not the same.

Public-safety law regulates the five Ws within a jurisdiction.

Consumer-protection law defines the features of goods and services, to establish minimum standards of fitness of marketability.

i.e. If Safe sells his "e-bike" to a 16yr old kid and the kid crashes and is paralyzed for life: the kid did not break Missouri law by operating the bike... that was legal within (home-rule) Public-safety law. Safe, however; broke federal consumer-protection law by selling a 100W electric motorcycle, but calling it an "e-bike".

The federal law supercedes the state law in the consumer-protection realm, as the federal law is more stringent than the state law.