Overview
- Outgoing Gov. Phil Murphy signed the law on Jan. 19–20, immediately collapsing the state’s three-tier e‑bike system into a single motorized category considered among the strictest in the U.S.
- Riders have six months to obtain a license, register their bikes and secure insurance before $50 fines begin; registration fees are waived for the first year, then set at $8 annually.
- Operators must be at least 17 with a driver’s license or 15 with a motorized bicycle license, and adults who already hold a standard New Jersey driver’s license do not need a separate e‑bike license.
- The statute imposes a one‑year pause on certain online e‑bike sales and bans modification kits that boost power, with enforcement details to be set during the transition period.
- Supporters cite 2025 crashes and fatalities as the catalyst, while cycling and industry groups warn the broad approach burdens low‑speed users and businesses as the unfunded MVC rollout takes shape under the new administration.