The Vermont Statutes Online
The Vermont Statutes Online have been updated to include the actions of the 2023 session of the General Assembly.
NOTE: The Vermont Statutes Online is an unofficial copy of the Vermont Statutes Annotated that is provided as a convenience.
Title 23 : Motor Vehicles
Chapter 013 : Operation of Vehicles
Subchapter 012 : Operation of Bicycles, Electric Personal Assistive Mobility Devices, and Play Vehicles
(Cite as: 23 V.S.A. § 1136a)-
§ 1136a. Electric bicycles
(a) Except as provided in this subsection, electric bicycles shall be governed as bicycles under Vermont law, and operators of electric bicycles shall be subject to all of the rights and duties applicable to bicyclists under Vermont law.
(b) Electric bicycles and their operators shall be exempt from:
(1) motor vehicle registration, inspection, and certificate of title requirements under chapter 7 of this title, section 1222 of this title, and chapter 21, subchapter 2 of this title;
(2) operator’s license requirements under chapter 9, subchapter 1 of this title;
(3) financial responsibility requirements under chapter 11 of this title; and
(4) requirements applicable to all-terrain vehicles under chapter 31 of this title.
(c) An electric bicycle shall comply with the equipment and manufacturing requirements for bicycles promulgated by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, including 16 C.F.R. Part 1512 as may be amended, and may only be operated in such a way that the electric motor is disengaged or ceases to function when the operator stops pedaling or applies the brakes.
(d) A class 3 electric bicycle shall be equipped with a speedometer that displays the speed the bicycle is traveling in miles per hour.
(e)(1) An electric bicycle may be ridden in places where bicycles are allowed, including highways, bicycle lanes, and bicycle or multiuse paths.
(2) Following notice and a public hearing, a municipality, local authority, or State agency having jurisdiction over a bicycle or multiuse path may prohibit the operation of a class 1 electric bicycle or class 2 electric bicycle on that path if it finds that such a restriction is needed for safety reasons or compliance with other laws or legal obligations.
(3) A municipality, local authority, or State agency having jurisdiction over a bicycle or multiuse path may prohibit the operation of a class 3 electric bicycle on that path.
(4) This subsection shall not apply to a trail that is specifically designated as nonmotorized and that has a natural surface tread that is made by clearing and grading the native soil with no added surfacing materials. A municipality, local authority, or State agency having jurisdiction over a trail described in this subdivision may regulate the use of an electric bicycle on that trail.
(f) An individual under 16 years of age shall not operate a class 3 electric bicycle but may ride as a passenger on a class 3 electric bicycle that is designed to accommodate passengers.
(g) Manufacturers and distributors of electric bicycles shall apply a label that is permanently affixed, in a prominent location, to each electric bicycle. The label shall contain the classification number, top assisted speed, and motor wattage of the electric bicycle and shall be printed in Arial font in at least 9-point type.
(h) A person shall not tamper with or modify an electric bicycle so as to change the motor-powered speed capability or engagement of an electric bicycle unless the label indicating the classification required in subsection (g) of this section is replaced after modification. (Added 2021, No. 40, § 6; amended 2021, No. 40, § 7, eff. Jan. 1, 2022.)
