Michigan
Last updated
Michigan adopted the three-class, 750-watt framework in a three-bill package effective January 28, 2018 and kept the rulebook light: no license, no registration, and no insurance for Class 1, Class 2, or Class 3. Class 1 gives pedal assist up to 20 mph, Class 2 adds a throttle up to 20 mph, and Class 3 gives pedal assist only up to 28 mph. That last one is the Michigan wrinkle worth knowing: a throttle that works past 20 mph puts the bike outside the e-bike definition entirely, into moped or motorcycle rules.
No one under 14 may operate a Class 3, though they may ride as passengers on one built for it, and anyone under 18 who operates or rides as a passenger on a Class 3 wears a CPSC-standard helmet; Class 1 and Class 2 carry no statewide age or helmet rule. All three classes ride roads and bike lanes wherever bicycles ride, and sidewalks are open statewide if you yield to pedestrians and signal before passing, though cities like Grand Rapids restrict their downtowns. On asphalt and crushed-limestone linear trails Class 1 is allowed by default while Class 2 and Class 3 need the local authority to opt in. A DNR order effective August 8, 2024 opened state-managed nonmotorized trails, including natural surface, to Class 1; Class 2 needs a free mobility-disability permit and Class 3 stays off. Our Michigan bicycle and e-bike insurance page pairs these rules with the state's best rides, riding season, and events. The full breakdown is below.
Michigan E-bike Laws
Three classes, no license, no registration, and one wrinkle: Class 3 is pedal assist only. Here is where Michigan stands on e-bikes and its trail rules.
Michigan adopted the three-class, 750-watt framework in a three-bill package effective January 28, 2018, and kept the rulebook light: no license, no registration, no insurance for any compliant class. One Michigan wrinkle worth knowing: a Class 3 here is pedal-assist only — a throttle that works past 20 mph puts the bike outside the e-bike definition entirely.
The motor assists only while the rider is pedaling and cuts off at 20 mph (MCL 257.13e).
The motor may propel the bike to no more than 20 mph whether the rider is pedaling or not, and disengages when the brakes are applied.
Assistance only while pedaling, up to 28 mph — Michigan's Class 3 allows no throttle, unlike many states.
An electric bicycle is not a motor vehicle under Michigan law (MCL 257.33), so no license attaches to any class.
No title, no plate, no Secretary of State visit for a compliant 750-watt e-bike.
Michigan PA 140 of 2017 spells it out: e-bike riders carry no insurance mandate — coverage is on you.
No one under 14 may operate a Class 3 (MCL 257.662a); they may ride as passengers on one built for it. No age floor for Class 1 or Class 2.
Anyone under 18 who operates or rides as a passenger on a Class 3 wears a CPSC-standard helmet (MCL 257.662a); no statewide rule for Class 1 or Class 2.
Where You Can Ride
- Roads & bike lanesAll three classes ride with the rights and duties of vehicle drivers wherever bicycles ride (MCL 257.657).
- Linear trails & rail-trailsClass 1 is allowed by default on asphalt, crushed-limestone, and similar improved trails; Class 2 and Class 3 need the local authority to opt in (MCL 257.662a).
- SidewalksNo statewide ban — yield to pedestrians and signal before passing (MCL 257.660c); cities may restrict, as Grand Rapids does downtown.
- State parks & DNR trailsA DNR order effective August 8, 2024 opened state-managed nonmotorized trails, including natural surface, to Class 1; Class 2 needs a free mobility-disability permit, Class 3 stays off. Game areas and the North Country Trail remain closed, and Mackinac Island requires a state park commission permit.
- Out-of-class e-motosOver 750 watts, no operable pedals, or a throttle past 20 mph means the bike is not an electric bicycle — Michigan moped or motorcycle rules apply, license and registration included.
Effective January 28, 2018 under Michigan PA 138, 139, and 140 of 2017. Statutes: MCL 257.13e, 257.662a, 257.657, 257.660c, 257.33. Cities and park districts can add their own path and trail restrictions — check signage where you ride. Last reviewed July 2026.