By Matthew Hersh
Among Phil Murphy’s last acts as governor was to sign into law legislation that regulates electric bicycles and updates the regulation, licensing, classification, and training requirements for e-bikes.
The legislation expands the types of bicycles that are regulated as motorized bicycles to cover all forms of e-bikes and extends the classification of motorized bicycles to include pedal bicycles with fully operable pedals and an electric motor that can provide assistance when the rider is pedaling or to exclusively propel the bicycle.
The action comes in the wake of numerous accidents involving electric bikes, including two e-bike operators killed in separate accidents in Scotch Plains and Orange, in addition to multiple other crashes, according to a statement issued at the time of the bill signing on Sunday, January 19.
“It is clear that we are in an age of increasing e-bike use that requires us to take action and update regulations that help prevent tragedies from occurring,” said Murphy.
Princeton is not immune from the downward safety trends, officials said, and clear, state-level guidance will assist in successful local prevention and education initiatives. The Princeton Police Department, in response to a request for comment, said the state’s actions represent “important steps to forming regulations, including licensing, registration, and insurance requirements.”
“These measures are intended to enhance safety for riders, pedestrians, and motorists alike. As we continue to promote responsible and lawful roadway use, the Princeton Police Department supports initiatives that establish clear standards and help reduce preventable crashes and injuries,” the department said in its statement.
The new requirements for e-bike owners and operators would include obtaining motorized bicycle licenses, registration, and insurance. The legislation would require an owner and operator to be at least 17 years old with a valid driver’s license or at least 15 years old with a motorized bicycle license.
In addition, the legislation provides that motor vehicles must use due caution when approaching e-bikes on the road — slowing down, leaving a safe distance, or changing lanes when passing.
Not all cycling advocates are celebrating the bill’s passage, however, with transportation and cycling advocates criticizing the bill’s perceived rigidity for everyday bike commuters, potentially disproportionately harming immigrant and low-income riders who rely on them for work.
“While the bill is framed as a response to legitimate safety concerns, these requirements do nothing to protect people or prevent crashes,” said Zoe Baldwin, vice president of state programs for the Regional Plan Association. Safety on our streets is a real and urgent issue, but requiring paperwork and registration does not prevent crashes. Instead, it creates a penalty-based system that only kicks in after something goes wrong. Real safety comes from better infrastructure and the regulation of high-speed devices that already fall under these rules.”
While the new legislation will likely enhance local safety efforts, local officials recognized that it would likely need additional nuance when it comes to differentiating types of e-bikes.
“This bill lumps all low speed e-bikes with higher speed devices under the term ‘motorized bicycles’ and eliminates the current classifications for different types of e-bikes,” said Princeton Councilman David Cohen, who in 2026 will chair the council’s Code Review Committee and is a member of the Finance and Traffic Safety committees.
“This legislation is not ideal,” said Cohen. “The higher-speed e-bikes should be fully regulated with a license. Whether they should be registered? They should be because you can really check to see whether the bike is a legitimate low-speed e-bike. The technology is changing fast and there are three different classes of e-bikes from a regulatory standpoint.”
Cohen pointed to California’s e-bike law that segments e-bikes into three classifications depending on speed as a good model for any future revisions to New Jersey’s new law.
On the heels of two December webinars hosted by the New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition, a statewide advocacy group that partners with local, county, and state agencies, Cohen said Princeton would continue exploring “what sensible regulation” would look like.
The Princeton Police Department will conduct a full review of the new legislation and will share relevant information and guidance, according to Capt. Thomas Lagomarsino. “We remain committed to bicycle and e-bike safety through education and outreach, including offering courses such as the Vulnerable Road Users Course, which was open to the public this past August, and by hosting our annual All Wheels Rodeo.”
The new law states that e-bike riders have until July 19, 2026 to obtain the appropriate license and registration through the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (NJMVC) to comply with the law. NJMVC procedures for licensing and registration are still under development under the new administration.