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Indiana e-bike and e-trike laws

✓ Last verifiedVerified Sep 2026Every rule links to the statute or state agency page
In short

Yes. Indiana counts a pedal vehicle with any number of wheels as a bicycle, so a Class 1, 2 or 3 e-trike with a motor of 750 watts or less needs no license, plate, title or insurance. Ride it wherever bicycles can go; Class 1 and 2 are allowed on bike paths unless posted otherwise. State law has no helmet or age rule for adults.

Does an e-trike count as an e-bike here? Yes.
License
No driver's license or insurance is needed to ride an electric bicycle.
Registration
No title or registration is required; an electric bicycle is not a motor vehicle.
Helmet
Riders and passengers under 18 on a Class 3 must wear a bicycle helmet; there is no state helmet rule for Class 1/2 or for adults. (Class 3)
Minimum age
You must be at least 15 to operate a Class 3; younger people may ride as a passenger on one designed for passengers. No state minimum age for Class 1/2. (Class 3)
Where you can ride
You may ride an e-bike anywhere bicycles are allowed, with the same rights and duties as a bicyclist.
Three wheels

Does an e-trike count as an e-bike?

Yes
“Bicycle" means any foot-propelled vehicle, irrespective of the number of wheels in contact with the ground.”
Ind. Code § 9-13-2-14; § 9-13-2-49.2 ↗
Classes

The e-bike classes

Class 1
Up to 750WAssist to 20 mphNo throttle
Ind. Code § 9-13-2-26.6 ↗
Class 2
Up to 750WAssist to 20 mphThrottle allowed to 20 mph
Ind. Code § 9-13-2-26.7 ↗
Class 3
Up to 750WAssist to 28 mphNo throttle
Ind. Code § 9-13-2-26.8 ↗
Outside the classes
Treated as a motor vehicle (typically a motorcycle; the 'motor driven cycle' category is defined by 50 cc engine size).
driver's license with motorcycle endorsementtitleregistrationinsurance
A bike over 750 W or not meeting a class is not an 'electric bicycle', so it loses the exemptions in IC 9-21-11-13.1 and is a self-propelled motor vehicle. The motorcycle definition covers vehicles on up to three wheels meeting federal equipment standards; how a non-compliant high-power e-bike is classified in practice was not confirmed.
Trikes in our guide

How the trikes we list are treated in Indiana

136 of the 191 trikes we list fit Indiana's e-bike rules on their published figures. 11 need checking before you buy, and 44 don't publish enough to tell. We check motor power, top speed and the stated class. Not legal advice.

Show the 136 that fit the rules
The rules

Every rule, with its source

License
Registration
Helmet
Minimum age
  • Class 3 You must be at least 15 to operate a Class 3; younger people may ride as a passenger on one designed for passengers. No state minimum age for Class 1/2. Ind. Code § 9-21-11-13.1(k)(3)-(4) ↗
Where you can ride
Bike paths and trails
  • Class 1 Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes may use bike and multipurpose paths where bicycles are allowed unless a statute, rule or local ordinance says otherwise. Ind. Code § 9-21-11-13.1(k)(1) ↗
  • Class 3 Class 3 e-bikes may not use bike or multipurpose paths unless the path is within or next to a road or the managing agency allows them. Ind. Code § 9-21-11-13.1(k)(2) ↗
State parks
  • On natural-surface (dirt) trails designated nonmotorized, the path rules above do not apply and the local authority or state agency (e.g., DNR) decides whether e-bikes are allowed. Ind. Code § 9-21-11-13.1(l) ↗
Labels
  • Manufacturers/distributors must put a permanent label showing class, top assisted speed and motor wattage, and a modified bike must be relabeled; e-bikes must meet federal bicycle safety standards (16 CFR 1512). Ind. Code § 9-21-11-13.1(f)-(h) ↗
Statutes and sources
Indiana Code Title 9 (2026 edition), IGA ↗Ind. Code § 9-21-11-13.1 (electric bicycles) ↗
What we couldn't confirm from official sources (3)
  • No 2025 or 2026 Indiana law changing the e-bike provisions was found: the 2026 Indiana Code shows § 9-21-11-13.1 last amended by P.L.156-2020 and the definitions by P.L.206-2019. The session bill lists were not searched separately.
  • Indiana DNR property rules for e-bikes (312 IAC) were not reviewed.
  • Indiana has no statewide sidewalk rule for bicycles; sidewalk riding is left to local ordinances (not verified city by city).

This page explains the law in plain language. It is not legal advice. Cities, counties and park agencies can add their own rules; check posted signs and confirm with your state before you ride.

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