Cities / New York
Where can I ride in New York City?
E-bikes (Class 1–3) and e-scooters are legal in New York City, but the city caps both at 15 mph, sidewalks are off-limits, and park access depends on the type of path. Golf carts can't be registered for NY roads.
Classes 1, 2 and 3 are legal in NYC. Riders must be 16+, and the citywide e-bike speed limit is 15 mph.1,2,5
Legal on streets and in bike lanes. Riders must be 16+ and follow the same 15 mph city limit.2,5,6
Golf carts can't be registered or driven on NY public roads. Low-speed vehicles (LSVs) can be registered only if they meet federal LSV standards and are on the DMV's approved list.5
Interactive map
Where can you ride in New York City? Map it.
Pick a vehicle to color every bike lane, path, park and major road by what our sources say: allowed, restricted, not allowed or unclear, check locally. Tap any line or pin for the rule and its source.
Layers
Not on the map: sidewalks
Not legal advice. The map doesn't make anything legal. Colors only reflect the rules cited on this page. Gray means our sources don't settle it, so check locally. Posted signs, park and trail rules, and private property rules win. Roads are colored only where OpenStreetMap has a posted speed limit, and map data can be incomplete or out of date.
Bike lanes, paths, parks and roads: © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License, data as of Nov 1, 2026. Basemap: OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles. Map library: MapLibre GL JS (BSD-3).
Where you can ride
A quick guide by place. Posted signs and park or trail rules can be stricter than what's shown here.
| Place | E-bikes | E-scooters | Golf carts / LSVs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Streets | RestrictedStreets with a speed limit of 30 mph or less.1,5 | RestrictedStreets with a speed limit of 30 mph or less.1,5 | Not allowedGolf carts: not allowed. Registered LSVs only.5 |
| Bike lanes | AllowedYes, including on any street.1 | AllowedYes.1 | Not allowedNo. |
| Sidewalks | Not allowedNo. NYC bans riding on sidewalks.1 | Not allowedNo.1,5 | Not allowedNo. |
| Bridges | RestrictedOnly in the bridge bike lanes.1 | RestrictedOnly in the bridge bike lanes.1 | Not allowedNo. |
| Parks | RestrictedNYC Parks pilot: park drives and greenways yes, park paths no (pilot runs through Dec 31, 2026).3 | RestrictedSame as e-bikes under the Parks pilot.3 | Not allowedNo. |
| Hudson River Park | Not allowedNot allowed on the Hudson River Park bikeway and esplanade.4 | Not allowedNot allowed.4 | Not allowedNo. |
The details
The 15 mph speed limit
Since Oct 24, 2025, e-bikes and e-scooters in NYC have a 15 mph speed limit wherever they ride, even if the posted speed limit for cars is higher.2 NYC DOT says this is meant to make bike lanes safer for everyone.1
Helmets and age
New York State requires e-bike and e-scooter riders to be at least 16. Class 3 e-bike riders must wear a helmet at any age, and e-scooter riders who are 16 or 17 must wear one.5,6
Parks and greenways
Under an NYC Parks pilot that runs through Dec 31, 2026, e-bikes and e-scooters are allowed on park drives and greenways but not on other paths inside parks. Check the Parks page for the current status before you ride.3
Hudson River Park is a separate park and doesn't allow e-bikes or e-scooters on its bikeway or esplanade. Watch for the posted signs.4
Registration and licenses
E-bikes that fit the state definition and legal e-scooters don't need to be registered, and you don't need a driver's license to ride one. Mopeds and other faster devices are a different category with their own rules.5
State baseline
New York State: e-bikes come in Classes 1–3. Class 3 (up to 25 mph) is allowed only in cities with a population of 1 million or more, such as NYC. E-scooters top out at 15 mph. Local governments can add their own rules, and sidewalk riding is banned unless a local law allows it.5,7
Not legal advice. This is a summary of public sources, last checked Nov 1, 2026. If anything here doesn't match the official source, the official source wins. Check your local ordinance, park and trail rules, and posted signs before you ride. Not sure? Use our guide to checking your town's rules.
Sources
- E-bikes in NYC — NYC DOT
- Speed limits for e-bikes, e-scooters and pedal-assist commercial bicycles (final rule) — NYC Rules
- E-bikes and e-scooters in parks — NYC Parks
- Park advisories — Hudson River Park Trust
- Electric scooters, bicycles and other unregistered vehicles — NYS DMV
- Attorney General reminds consumers and businesses of e-bike and e-scooter safety laws (2026) — NY Attorney General
- Vehicle & Traffic Law §1242 — NY State Senate
Sources opened and checked on Nov 1, 2026. Where we couldn't confirm a rule from an official source, we say unclear — check locally.