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Maryland e-bike and e-trike laws

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

Yes. Maryland law counts an e-bike with two or three wheels and a motor of 750 watts or less as a bicycle, so a pedal e-trike needs no license, plate or insurance. Ride it on roads (not in the lanes of roads over 50 mph) and in bike lanes, on most bike paths, and even on sidewalks unless your town bans it. A 28-mph Class 3 model is kept off most separate paths.

Does an e-trike count as an e-bike here? Yes.
License
No driver's license is needed for a Class 1, 2 or 3 e-bike; e-bikes are excluded from the definition of motor vehicle, and only motor vehicles require a license.
Registration
No registration, title or insurance is required for an e-bike; titling excludes bicycles (other than mopeds) and registration applies to motor vehicles.
Helmet
Riders and passengers under 16 must wear a bicycle helmet (applies to e-bikes because an e-bike is a 'bicycle'); enforced by warning only. No helmet requirement for adults.
Minimum age
You must be 16 or older to operate a Class 3 e-bike on a public highway; younger riders may be passengers on one built for passengers. No state minimum age for Class 1 or 2. (Class 3)
Where you can ride
E-bikes may go wherever bicycles may go, including bike lanes; where a smooth bike lane exists you must generally use it.
Sidewalks
Since Oct 1, 2025, you may ride a bicycle (including an e-bike, but not a moped) on sidewalks unless a local ordinance prohibits it; you must yield to pedestrians.
Three wheels

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

Yes
““Electric bicycle” means a vehicle that: ... (3) Has two or three wheels; (4) Has a motor with a rating of 750 watts or less”
Md. Code, Transp. § 11-117.1(a) ↗
Classes

The e-bike classes

Class 1
Up to 750WAssist to 20 mphNo throttle
Md. Code, Transp. § 11-117.1(b)(1) ↗
Class 2
Up to 750WAssist to 20 mphThrottle allowed to 20 mph
Md. Code, Transp. § 11-117.1(b)(2) ↗
Class 3
Up to 750WAssist to 28 mphNo throttle
Md. Code, Transp. § 11-117.1(b)(3) ↗
Outside the classes
Treated as a moped (pedal bike with motor of 1.5 brake horsepower or less); anything more powerful or faster is a motor vehicle/motorcycle.
driver's license or moped operator's permittitleinsurance (carry proof)
A pedal-equipped 2- or 3-wheeler with a motor over 750 W but no more than 1.5 bhp (about 1,119 W) is a 'moped' (§ 11-134.1). Moped riders must carry a driver's license (any class) or a moped operator's permit (§ 16-101(b)); mopeds are not exempt from titling (§ 13-102(7)); riders must carry proof of insurance (§ 17-104.1). Mopeds may not be ridden on sidewalks (§ 21-1103(b)(1)). Whether mopeds must also be registered/plated was not confirmed from statute text.
Trikes in our guide

How the trikes we list are treated in Maryland

136 of the 191 trikes we list fit Maryland'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 16 or older to operate a Class 3 e-bike on a public highway; younger riders may be passengers on one built for passengers. No state minimum age for Class 1 or 2. Md. Code, Transp. § 21-1205.2(b) ↗
Where you can ride
Sidewalks
Bike paths and trails
State parks
Passengers
Also good to know
Changes and local rules

What's new, and what cities add

Statutes and sources
Md. Code, Transp. § 11-117.1 (electric bicycle definition) ↗Md. Code, Transp. § 21-1205.2 (where e-bikes may ride; Class 3 age) ↗Md. Code, Transp. § 21-1103 (sidewalks) ↗2025 Md. Laws ch. 558 (HB 375) enrolled text ↗Md. Code, Transp. § 11-134.1 (moped) ↗
What we couldn't confirm from official sources (3)
  • Whether mopeds (the category for pedal bikes over 750 W) must also be registered and plated by MVA was not confirmed from statute text; MVA web pages could not be loaded.
  • Maryland DNR state-park e-bike policy (which trails allow which classes) was not reviewed.
  • Whether a moped rider must wear a helmet in Maryland was not confirmed.

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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