UK Road Legal Guide
What counts as road legal in the UK
In the UK an electric bike can be ridden on public roads, cycle lanes and cycle paths with no licence, no tax, no insurance and no registration only if it meets the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle rules. There are four conditions.
It has working pedals that can propel the bike.
The motor is rated no higher than 250W continuous.
Motor assistance cuts out at 15.5mph (25km/h).
The rider is 14 or over.
A throttle is allowed only as a walk assist up to 3.7mph. A throttle that drives the bike up to full speed without pedalling takes the bike outside the rules.
If it meets all four, it is treated as a bicycle in law. You can ride it anywhere a normal bike can go.
What happens above 250W
Anything rated above 250W, or that assists above 15.5mph, or that runs on throttle alone beyond walking pace, is not an electric bike in law. It is a motor vehicle. To use one on a public road, cycle path, pavement, park or any other public place you would need all of the following.
DVLA registration and a number plate.
Vehicle tax.
Motor vehicle insurance.
A driving licence covering that vehicle class, which normally means at least a CBT certificate.
An approved motorcycle helmet.
L plates unless you hold a full motorcycle licence.
Without those, riding one on a public road means riding uninsured, unlicensed and unregistered. Police can seize the bike and you can be prosecuted.
Where you can ride a high power kit
Private land, with the permission of the landowner. That is it. Private land does not mean a car park, a canal towpath, a park, a bridleway or a field you do not own. If the public can get to it, it is not private land for these purposes.
Which of our products is which
Our 250W pedal assist kits are built to the road legal specification and can be ridden on UK roads.
Our 500W, 750W, 1000W, 1500W, 2000W and higher kits and bundles are sold for private land and off road use only. We do not supply registration, type approval or insurance documents for them and they cannot be made road legal by us.
It is your responsibility to use what you buy lawfully. If you are not sure which you need, email us before you order and we will point you to the right one.
What is changing
A bill is currently going through Parliament that would ban the sale and supply of e-bikes and conversion kits that fall outside the legal class. It has not become law. If it does, we will tell our customers what it means for them. Nothing on this page is legal advice.
Battery safety
Use only the charger supplied with your battery. Do not charge unattended, overnight, or anywhere that would block your way out of a building. Store batteries somewhere cool and dry. Stop using any battery that is damaged, swollen, smells odd or has taken a hard impact, and contact us.