Amarillo, TX Mobility & Curb Rules: E-Bike Classes (2026)
Key Facts
- Electric motor cap
- 1,000 watts maximum
- Gas motor cap
- 40 cubic centimeters maximum
- Downtown restriction
- Banned on CBD sidewalks and streets
- Where allowed
- Bike lanes/paths on roads 30 mph or less
- Unattended devices
- Impounded as abandoned property
Summary
Amarillo does not sort electric bicycles into Texas's Class 1-3 tiers in its own code; instead it regulates 'motor-assisted devices' capped at a 1,000-watt electric motor, banning them from downtown sidewalks and streets while allowing them in bike lanes and paths posted 30 mph or slower.
(b)No person shall ride a motor-assisted device, as defined herein, upon a sidewalk or street within the Central Business District, also sometimes known as "downtown." ... A person may lawfully operate a motor assisted device in and upon a dedicated bike path or marked bike lane upon a public street with a posted speed limit of thirty (30) miles per hour or lower. ... "motor assisted device" means a self-propelled device (variously configured and sometimes called a "scooter" or a "sedgeway") regardless of name, maker or model, has: (i) at least two (2) wheels in contact with the ground during operation; (ii) a braking system capable of stopping the device under typical operating conditions; (iii) a deck designed to allow one (1) person to sit or stand while operating the device; (iv) either a gas motor with a displacement not exceeding forty (40) cubic centimeters, or an electric motor with a power output not exceeding one thousand (1,000) watts, or a propulsion system powered by compressed gas, air or mechanical energy; and, (v) is also capable of being operated by human power alone.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 81).
Full Breakdown
Amarillo's Traffic Code does not adopt the state's Class 1, 2, and 3 electric-bicycle categories directly; instead Sec. 16-3-330(b) defines and regulates a broader category called a 'motor-assisted device,' covering self-propelled scooters and similar rideables. To qualify, a device needs at least two wheels touching the ground, a working brake, a deck for a rider to stand or sit on, and either a gas motor no larger than 40 cubic centimeters or an electric motor rated no higher than 1,000 watts, or a compressed-gas, air, or mechanical propulsion system, and it must also be capable of running on human power alone; pocket bikes and mini-motorbikes are excluded.
009, or vehicles duly registered and licensed for street use. Outside downtown, a rider may lawfully use a motor-assisted device in a dedicated bike path or a marked bicycle lane on any public street posted at 30 miles per hour or lower. Riders on a sidewalk outside the Central Business District must yield to pedestrians and give an audible signal before passing. Any motor-assisted device found unattended on a public sidewalk, curb, street, or alley is treated as abandoned property and may be impounded by police, with the owner billed for removal, notice, and storage costs before reclaiming it.
Violations & Fines
Riding a motor-assisted device on a downtown sidewalk or street violates Sec. 16-3-330(b) and is punishable under Sec. 16-3-334 per the Code's general penalty section, Sec. 1-1-5. Leaving a device unattended in the public right-of-way lets police impound it as abandoned property, and reclaiming it requires paying the City's removal, notice, and storage costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Amarillo regulate e-bikes by class like Texas law?
Where can I ride an electric scooter or e-bike in Amarillo?
What happens if my e-scooter is left on an Amarillo sidewalk?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Amarillo
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