Riding a fast e-bike in Hawaii could soon be against the law

Lawmakers push new e-bike rules forward

Hawaii is working on its first statewide system for regulating electric bicycles.

House Bill 2021 would sort e-bikes into three classes based on speed, set age limits and helmet rules, and ban high-speed electric devices from public roads.

Rep. Darius Kila of Nanakuli-Maili is leading the effort, and 23 of the state’s 51 House members introduced the bill on Jan. 26. The bill has not yet become law.

Young riders face new age limits

The bill draws clear lines based on age. All riders under 18 would have to wear a helmet on any bicycle or electric foot scooter.

Kids under 16 could not ride higher-speed Class 2 or Class 3 e-bikes without an adult watching. Children under 14 could only ride a Class 2 e-bike with a parent, guardian, or someone 18 or older present.

Class 3 e-bikes would not be allowed on sidewalks, and high-speed electric devices would be banned from all public roads and bike lanes.

Sellers must warn buyers about restrictions

Shops and online retailers would face new rules, too.

Every e-bike sold in Hawaii would need a label showing its top assisted speed and where riders can legally use it.

Sellers would also have to post a sign near the register explaining that e-bike use comes with restrictions. On top of that, buyers would get a booklet on state e-bike laws.

Online sellers shipping to Hawaii would have to follow the same rules. Breaking any of these requirements could mean fines up to $500.

Police could seize illegal e-bikes

Law enforcement across the state would gain the power to impound e-bikes and high-speed electric devices that do not meet the new rules.

The provision targets devices that can hit 40 or even 50 mph, speeds that make them unsafe on public roads.

Any county or state officer could step in, giving police a tool they do not have right now to pull dangerous devices off streets and sidewalks statewide.

Governor vetoed a similar bill last year

This is not the legislature’s first try. Lawmakers passed a nearly identical bill, HB 958, in April 2025.

Gov. Josh Green vetoed it on July 3, saying the bill defined “high-speed electric devices” so broadly it could have accidentally banned electric cars from public roads.

Green warned that language could violate the commerce clause and equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution.

The new bill removes that problem, with help from the state Department of Transportation and the Attorney General.

Traffic deaths hit an 18-year high

The push for regulation comes as Hawaii’s roads grow more dangerous.

Traffic deaths reached about 129 in 2025, the highest total since 2007 and more than a 20% jump over 2024.

Hawaii was one of only six states where road deaths rose compared to the year before, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

About 71% of those killed were pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists. Those figures cover all traffic deaths, not just e-bike crashes.

E-bike injuries more than doubled statewide

E-bike crashes have surged across the islands. The average number of reported incidents more than doubled from about 10 per month in 2022 to 24 per month in 2024.

On Oahu alone, incidents nearly tripled from about seven per month to 19 per month over the same stretch. Oahu accounted for about 75% of all statewide e-bike incidents.

About 65% of injured riders needed EMS transport for further medical care.

At one Honolulu trauma center, e-bike crashes became the top cause of injury among children treated in the second quarter of 2024.

Governor ordered action in Sept. 2025

Before the new bill, Gov. Green took steps on his own.

He signed an executive order on Sept. 18, 2025, directing the Department of Transportation to create uniform rules for e-bikes and high-speed electric devices.

The order also called for mandatory safety classes for people cited for excessive speeding or driving under the influence.

By November, the Department of Education banned electric motorcycles from all public school campuses and banned e-bikes from elementary and middle school campuses.

Honolulu already passed its own law

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi signed Bill 52 on Feb. 18, 2025, creating e-bike rules for Oahu. The law bans e-bikes with motors over 750 watts from public roads, highways, paths, and trails on the island.

It also requires all riders under 18 to wear a helmet. But the law only covers the City and County of Honolulu.

Lawmakers say a statewide framework is still needed so every island plays by the same rules.

Committees backed the bill unanimously

The bill has sailed through committee votes so far. The House Transportation Committee voted unanimously to advance it on Feb. 10.

Then the House Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee recommended passage 8-0 on Feb. 26, with amendments.

Supporters include the state Department of Transportation, Honolulu Department of Transportation Services, Hawaii Bicycling League, AAA Hawaii, Hawaii State Teachers Association, and the Kauai Police Department.

No one filed opposition testimony at either hearing.

States nationwide are writing e-bike rules

Hawaii is not alone in figuring this out. States across the country are creating or updating e-bike regulations as ridership grows.

Many have adopted a three-class system similar to what HB 2021 proposes. No uniform federal standard exists, so states and cities have been left to write their own rules.

Hawaii now defines e-bikes broadly as “low-speed electric bicycles” with no three-class system in state law. This bill would change that.

The bill heads to the full House next

HB 2021 now goes to the full Hawaii House of Representatives for a vote. If it passes, the bill moves to the state Senate for committee hearings and another vote.

The legislative session is expected to wrap up in May.

If the bill clears both chambers and the governor signs it, road use rules would take effect right away. Seller disclosure requirements would kick in 120 days later.

Supporters say the bill addresses the concerns that led to last year’s veto.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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