Cities / Pennsylvania
Where can I ride in Philadelphia?
Pennsylvania law treats e-bikes that assist only while you pedal, up to 20 mph, as bicycles. Philadelphia's parks allow those e-bikes on designated trails, but faster or throttle-type "motorized bicycles" are banned from park paths. Personal e-scooters aren't legal on Pennsylvania roads or sidewalks.
Legal if the bike is 100 lb or less, has a motor of 750 W or less, and is assisted up to 20 mph. Riders must be 16+, and no license or registration is needed.1,2
PennDOT says e-scooters can't be titled or registered and can't be ridden on Pennsylvania roads or sidewalks.3
Interactive map
Where can you ride in Philadelphia? 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 Roads are colored only where OpenStreetMap has a posted speed limit, and map data can be incomplete or out of date.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 | AllowedYes, but not freeways.1 | Not allowedNo.3 | RestrictedLSVs: roads posted 25 mph or less (up to 35 where allowed). Golf carts: no.4,5 |
| Bike lanes | AllowedYes.1 | Not allowedNo.3 | Not allowedNo. |
| Sidewalks | Not allowedNo, except riders under 12 outside business districts or where signs allow it (Phila. Code §12-808).6 | Not allowedNo.3 | Not allowedNo. |
| Park trails | RestrictedPedal-assist e-bikes up to 20 mph on designated trails, with a 7 mph trail limit.7 | Not allowedNo.3 | Not allowedNo. |
| Schuylkill Banks / Kelly Dr paths / Forbidden Dr | RestrictedPedal-assist e-bikes only. "Motorized bicycles" are banned.7 | Not allowedNo.3,7 | Not allowedNo. |
The details
Philadelphia parks rules
Philadelphia Parks & Recreation defines an "E-Bicycle" as a bike whose motor engages only when you pedal and stops helping at 20 mph. These are allowed on the park roads, paths and trails designated for bikes. A "motorized bicycle," meaning one that goes faster or can run without pedaling, is banned on park paths, including Schuylkill Banks, the Kelly Drive and MLK Drive paths, and Forbidden Drive. Trails have a 7 mph limit, and there's no riding from 10 PM to 6 AM.7
The same rules ban bikes on Lincoln Drive at all times and limit bikes on Kelly Drive during weekday rush hours. Check the current signs.7
Why e-scooters are different
Pennsylvania has no legal category for personal e-scooters, so PennDOT can't title or register them, and they can't be ridden on public roads or sidewalks.3 Bills to legalize them have been proposed, but none had passed as of our last check.
State baseline
Pennsylvania: an e-bike is a "pedalcycle with electric assist": 100 lb or less, a motor of 750 W or less, and assisted up to 20 mph. Riders must be 16+, and no license, registration or insurance is needed. Riders under 12 must wear a helmet. E-bikes can't use freeways. Trail owners decide whether e-bikes are allowed.1,2,8
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
- Pub 944: Pedalcycles with electric assist (PDF) — PennDOT
- 75 Pa.C.S. §3514 (pedalcycles) — PA General Assembly
- Fact sheet: motor-driven cycles and e-scooters (PDF) — PennDOT
- 75 Pa.C.S. Chapter 77A (golf carts) — PA General Assembly
- 75 Pa.C.S. §3593 (neighborhood electric vehicles) — PA General Assembly
- Philadelphia Code §12-808 (riding on sidewalks) — City of Philadelphia
- Parks & Recreation regulations update (PDF) — Philadelphia Parks & Recreation
- E-bike policy for state parks and forests — PA DCNR
Sources opened and checked on Nov 1, 2026. Where we couldn't confirm a rule from an official source, we say unclear — check locally.