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Proposed CA bill would require licenses for some E-bikes
Teenagers ride electric motorcycles along the La Jolla coastline at sunset Dec. 27, 2025, in San Diego.
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Kevin Carter
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Getty Images
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Some electric bikes in California could soon require license plates under a proposed state bill aiming to address the rise in electric bike related injuries.
AB 1942 or the E-bike Accountability Act, would apply exclusively to Class 2 and Class 3 electric bikes.
Class 2 bikes can be operated without peddling until it reaches the speed of 20 mph.
Class 3 bikes reach a max speed of 28 mph; motor assist could only kick in with peddling.
The bill would also require owners to carry proof of ownership and would direct the Department of Motor Vehicles to establish a registration process. It was introduced by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan of Orinda in Contra Costa County earlier this month.
E-bike injuries spiked 18-fold between 2018 and 2023, according to state traffic data.
The bill may be heard in committee March 16.
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