Amd §1242, Art 34 Art Head, add §§1290, 123-a & 1244, V & T L
Prohibits sellers of bicycles with electric assist, electric scooters, and motor-driven cycles from selling to persons less than sixteen years of age; requires valid proof of age at the point of purchase; establishes licensing requirements for bicycles with electric assist, electric scooters, and motor-driven cycles that can exceed twenty-eight miles per hour.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A9201
SPONSOR: Conrad TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to requiring
all persons less than sixteen years of age to provide proof of age for
the purchase of bicycles with electric assist, electric scooters, and
motor-driven cycles
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill prevents any person, firm, association, or corporation from
selling e-bikes, E-scooters, and/or motor driven cycles to any person
under 16 years of age. To support this prohibition the buyer must
provide proof of age at the point of purchase.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1242 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding two new
subdivisions: Subdivision 14- No person, firm, association, or corpo-
ration can sell e-bikes to any person less than sixteen years of age.
Valid proof of age is required at the point of purchase. Subdivision 15
- No person shall purchase a e-bike that can exceed 28 miles per hour
unless the purchaser is a holder of a valid class D, DJ, M or MJ license
at the point of purchase.
Section 1290 is amended to apply the same provisions to e-scooters. A
new section, 123-a, is added to further define motor-driven cycles. An
additional new section, 1244, is added applies the same proof of age and
licensing requirements to the newly defined motor-driven cycles.
JUSTIFICATION:
Current law requires that operators of E-Bikes and E-Scooters must be at
least 16 years old. Children under 16 should not use e-bikes because
they lack the necessary physical and cognitive maturity to handle the
higher speeds and greater weight, which increases the risk of serious
accidents and injuries. The faster speeds, which can exceed 20 mph, lead
to more severe injuries like head and extremity fractures when accidents
occur, and a higher rate of hospitalization compared to traditional
bikes. Additionally, younger riders may not fully understand traffic
rules, have poor judgment, or possess the required spatial awareness to
navigate safely alongside vehicles and pedestrians. However, a major
loophole exists when purchasing the electric bikes and scooters. There
are no checks in place to prevent kids younger than 16 from making these
purchases. By requiring proof of age at the time of purchase NYS
strengthens the operator requirements by prohibiting the sale of these
e-bikes, e-scooters, and motor-driven cycles to customers under that age
of 16. This bill also stipulates that no person shall purchase an
e-scooter or motor-driven cycle that can exceed 28 miles per hour with-
out holding a current and valid class D, DJ, M or MJ license at the time
of purchase.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall become a
law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any
rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its
effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such
date.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9201
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
November 3, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. CONRAD -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to requiring
all persons less than sixteen years of age to provide proof of age for
the purchase of bicycles with electric assist, electric scooters, and
motor-driven cycles
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 1242 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by
2 adding two new subdivisions 14 and 15 to read as follows:
3 14. No person, firm, association or corporation engaged in the busi-
4 ness of selling bicycles with electric assist shall sell any bicycle
5 with electric assist to any person less than sixteen years of age. Valid
6 proof of age shall be required at the point of purchase.
7 15. No person shall purchase a bicycle with electric assist that can
8 exceed twenty-eight miles per hour unless such purchaser is a holder of
9 a valid class D, DJ, M or MJ license at the point of purchase.
10 § 2. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section
11 1290 to read as follows:
12 § 1290. Additional provisions applicable to electric scooters. 1. No
13 person, firm, association or corporation engaged in the business of
14 selling electric scooters shall sell an electric scooter to any person
15 less than sixteen years of age. Valid proof of age shall be required at
16 the point of purchase.
17 2. No person shall purchase an electric scooter that can exceed twen-
18 ty-eight miles per hour unless such purchaser is a holder of a valid
19 class D, DJ, M or MJ license at the point of purchase.
20 § 3. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section
21 123-a to read as follows:
22 § 123-a. Motor-driven cycle. Every motor-driven cycle having:
23 (a) a seat or saddle for the use of the operator;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13960-01-5
A. 9201 2
1 (b) two or three wheels in contact with the ground;
2 (c) an internal combustion engine, or electric, solar or hybrid motor
3 which will propel the motor-driven cycle unassisted at a maximum speed
4 no greater than thirty miles per hour. If such motor-driven cycle is
5 equipped with an internal combustion engine, such engine's piston or
6 rotor displacement shall not exceed fifty cubic centimeters. A motor-
7 driven cycle shall be a limited use motorcycle or motorcycle when oper-
8 ated at speeds in excess of thirty miles per hour; and
9 (d) a direct or automatic power drive system which requires no clutch
10 or gear shift operation by the operator after the drive system is
11 engaged with the engine or motor.
12 § 4. The article heading of article 34 of the vehicle and traffic law,
13 as amended by chapter 694 of the laws of 1995, is amended and a new
14 section 1244 is added to read as follows:
15 OPERATION OF BICYCLES [AND], PLAY DEVICES
16 AND MOTOR-DRIVEN CYCLES
17 § 1244. Motor-driven cycle provisions. 1. No person, firm, association
18 or corporation engaged in the business of selling motor-driven cycles
19 shall sell a motor-driven cycle to any person less than sixteen years of
20 age. Valid proof of age shall be required at the point of purchase.
21 2. No person shall purchase a motor-driven cycle that can exceed twen-
22 ty-eight miles per hour unless such purchaser is a holder of a valid
23 class D, DJ, M or MJ license at the point of purchase.
24 § 5. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
25 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
26 repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of
27 this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed
28 on or before such date.
