Vermont e-bike regulations
Vermont regulates electric bicycles under Title 23 (Motor Vehicles). Act 40 of 2021 (S.66), effective July 1, 2021 (with some provisions effective later), added a three-class e-bike classification system to 23 V.S.A. §4 and a dedicated operation statute, 23 V.S.A. §1136a, that generally treats e-bikes as bicycles rather than motor vehicles, exempting them from registration, titling, driver's licensing, and insurance requirements while imposing a minimum age of 14 for Class 3 e-bikes, a mandatory speedometer for Class 3, and local authority for municipalities and land managers to restrict e-bike use on paths and trails. Because Vermont counties have no general-purpose governing bodies (no county councils, county ordinances, or elected county executives), e-bike regulation in Vermont occurs almost entirely at the state level and in individual municipal (town/city) bylaws and trail-use policies; county government's role is limited mainly to the judiciary, sheriff, and assistant judges, so this dataset lists Vermont's 14 counties with minimal government notes and highlights select towns/cities that have adopted their own e-bike-related trail or park ordinances, along with statewide school district policy context (there is no known statewide school board rule on e-bikes; districts individually govern student transportation and any e-bike use on school property through general vehicle/bike policies).
Overview
Vermont statutes
Definitions - Electric bicycle
23 V.S.A. § 4(15)
Defines 'electric bicycle' as a bicycle equipped with fully operable pedals, a saddle or seat for the rider, and an electric motor of less than 750 watts, meeting the requirements of one of three classes (Class 1, 2, or 3) based on motor engagement (pedal-assist vs. throttle) and maximum assisted speed (20 mph for Class 1/2; 28 mph for Class 3). Also amends 'motorcycle,' 'motor vehicle,' 'motor-driven cycle,' and 'all-terrain vehicle' definitions to explicitly exclude electric bicycles, and revises 'motor-assisted bicycle' to cover higher-power two-wheeled devices that do not qualify as electric bicycles.
Vermont Statutes OnlineElectric bicycles
23 V.S.A. § 1136a
Establishes that electric bicycles are generally governed under the same rules as bicycles, not motor vehicles. Exempts electric bicycles from registration, certificate of title, financial responsibility (insurance), and operator's license requirements. Requires Class 3 e-bike riders to be at least 16 years old under this section's age/helmet framework as later refined, requires Class 3 e-bikes to be equipped with a speedometer, and authorizes the Agency of Natural Resources, municipalities, and other land managers to regulate or restrict where each class of electric bicycle may be operated (e.g., on multi-use paths, trails, and sidewalks). Also requires manufacturers/distributors to label e-bikes with class, motor wattage, and maximum assisted speed.
Vermont Statutes OnlineVulnerable users of a highway
23 V.S.A. § 1091
Act 40 (S.66) amended Vermont's vulnerable-user law to explicitly include a person operating an electric bicycle (or motor-assisted bicycle) within the definition of a 'vulnerable user,' extending enhanced penalty provisions for motor vehicle operators who cause injury to such users.
Act No. 40 (S.66) Act Summary, Vermont Office of Legislative CounselAn act relating to electric bicycles (S.66 / Act 40)
2021-2022 Session, S.66, Act 40
The enacted bill that created Vermont's modern three-class e-bike framework, described above; passed the Senate and House and was signed into law with multiple effective dates beginning July 1, 2021. This was not a 'proposed' bill still pending but the enacted, currently operative law governing e-bikes in Vermont.
Vermont General Assembly Bill Status
Vermont government links
Last verified 2026-09-08
Vermont meeting calendar (state, county & city)
August 2026
Showing Mon, Aug 24, 2026 — tap the day again for the whole month
Select Board Meeting
Bennington Select Board · Public body
Mon, Aug 24, 2026
Bennington Fire Facility, 130 River Street, Bennington, VT
Board meets 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month.
Vermont meetings on e-bikes
No e-bike meetings recorded for this area yet.
Federal delegation
Peter Welch
U.S. Senator • Democratic
Bernie Sanders
U.S. Senator • Independent
State officials
Phil Scott
Governor of Vermont • Republican
Phil Scott
Governor • Republican
Joe Flynn
Secretary, Vermont Agency of Transportation
Richard Westman
Chair, Vermont Senate Committee on Transportation • Republican