Florida’s Game-Changing E-Bike Proposal: What You Must Know Now!

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – New legislation introduced in Florida seeks to establish a set of regulations for E-Bikes and similar modes of transport.

House Bill 243, put forward last Wednesday by State Representative Yvette Benarroch of Marco Island, was developed in collaboration with Representative Kim Kendall from St. Augustine.

If passed, the bill would mandate that operators of certain E-Bikes possess a valid driver’s license and carry it while riding.

The proposed requirement specifically targets Class 3 E-Bikes, which are designed to cease pedal assistance once they reach a speed of 28 miles per hour.

[WATCH: News 6 explores the implications of HB 243]

Any violations of this rule could result in a citation, though it’s not the only rule laid out in HB 243. Other proposed regulations are as follows:

• Learner Driver’s License: Driver education courses must include content on sharing the road with bicycles, such as E-Bikes and motorized scooters.

• Park Paths: Anyone using an E-Bike on a pathway in a park or recreational area must yield to pedestrians or audibly signal before passing pedestrians.

• Crash Data: Florida Traffic Crash Reports must include whether the crash involved a motorized scooter, E-Bike or electric motorcycle.

• Modifying E-Bikes: Anyone caught purposefully modifying an E-Bike to change its motor-powered speed may be met with fines of up to $100. Subsequent violations could see fines of up to $250.

However, these rules will only become law if the bill is approved during the next Legislative session.

If it gets approved and signed into law, the bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2027.

Meanwhile, other sets of bills filed recently include the following: