Tennessee Injury Law Center
Recently, in California, a 14-year-old boy doing wheelies on an e-bike struck and killed a pedestrian. Under California law, because the bike was capable of higher speeds, the minimum age was 16 years old. To make matters worse, in an interaction with law enforcement before the fatal accident, the mother told police that she “knew that he drove it recklessly”. The mother is now charged with involuntary manslaughter, felony child endangerment, felony accessory after the fact, misdemeanor counts of providing false information to a police officer and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. She faces 7 years and 8 months if convicted on all counts.
So, what do you need to know about e-bikes and e-motorcycle accidents in Tennessee? Read on to learn more about the classification of e-bikes, where they can ride, requirements for registration, licensing and insurance as well as an important change to Tennessee e-bike law set to take effect on July 1, 2026.
Tennessee classifies e-bikes into three categories. Class 1 is an e-bike which provides pedaling assistance and stops providing that assist when speeds reach more than 20 mph. Class 2 is throttle-actuated motor that also stops providing assistance when speeds reach more than 20 mph. Class 3 is a pedal assist e-bike that stops providing assistance at speeds over 28 mph.
All e-bikes manufactured after January 1, 2017, must have a label displaying the bike’s top speed, classification number and motor wattage. It is a violation of Tennessee law to modify or replace the required e-bike label. It is also a violation of Tennessee law to modify an e-bike to change the speed capacity without also providing a new accurate label.
Electric bikes are granted “all rights and are subject to all duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle”. E-bikes must comply with all federal and state laws regarding safety equipment such as reflectors and brakes. Tennessee specifically requires Class 3 electric bikes to be equipped with a speedometer. E-bike riders must always have one hand on the handlebars, and the number of riders must not exceed that for which the bike was designed. In other words, if it is a 2-person bike, three people is a violation.
Class 1 and 2 electric bikes may be operated on any street or highway where bikes are legally allowed to travel including bicycle lanes and bike paths or trails. Class 3 electric bikes are not allowed on paths or trails except under narrow exceptions. None of the three types of e-bikes are allowed on sidewalks. Importantly, State law allows local and state agencies to adjust these rules by resolution or ordinance. As such, if you are riding an e-bike of any type, you need to familiarize yourself with your local ordinances to determine if you can be on paths, trails or the sidewalk. Riders of a Class 3 e-bike must wear a helmet. Violations of most e-bike regulations is a Class C misdemeanor.
The Tennessee Legislature has specifically excluded motorized bikes from the definition of “motor vehicle”, so laws related to registration, financial responsibility and insurance do not apply to e-bikes except for under narrow circumstances. Even if it is not legally required, if you or your child injures someone while riding an e-bike, you are going to want insurance. If you do not have it, your personal assets including your bank accounts, home, cars, etc. are at risk. Unfortunately, auto and homeowners’ insurance often excludes electric bikes, so you should check your policy before riding and do not assume those types of policies provide coverage. Specialized e-bike insurance is available or an addition can be made to many homeowners insurance policies.
Like in the California example at the beginning of this blog post, parents cannot turn a blind eye to their children’s use of an e-bike. Tennessee law requires that parents or guardians not authorize or knowingly permit a child to violate any of the electric bike provisions. Finally, effective July 1, 2026, the minimum age for a Class 3 electric bike will increase from 14 to 16 years old.
E bikes can be fun but they can also be dangerous. Please ride responsibly and insure that you have adequate insurance to protect yourself and anyone that is hurt by an accident you cause. As always, we are here to help if you need us.
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