Costa Mesa, CA Mobility & Curb Rules: E-Bike Classes (2026)
Key Facts
- Motor power cap
- Under 750 watts, all classes
- Class 1 cutoff
- 20 mph, pedal-assist only
- Class 2 cutoff
- 20 mph, throttle allowed
- Class 3 cutoff
- 28 mph, pedal-assist, speedometer required
- Adopted by
- Ordinance No. 2024-08, 7/16/2024
Summary
Costa Mesa's Municipal Code adopts the state's three-tier e-bike system: Class 1 pedal-assist bikes cut off at 20 mph, Class 2 throttle bikes also cap at 20 mph, and Class 3 speed pedal-assist bikes cut off at 28 mph and must carry a speedometer. All must have a motor under 750 watts and fully operable pedals.
An "electric bicycle" is a bicycle equipped with fully operable pedals and an electric motor of less than 750 watts. A "class 1 electric bicycle," or "low-speed pedal-assisted electric bicycle," is a bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling, and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 20 miles per hour. A "class 2 electric bicycle," or "low-speed throttle-assisted electric bicycle," is a bicycle equipped with a motor that may be used exclusively to propel the bicycle, and that is not capable of providing assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 20 miles per hour. A "class 3 electric bicycle," or "speed pedal-assisted electric bicycle," is a bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling, and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 28 miles per hour, and is equipped with a speedometer.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4894290; v9 updated 2025-11-18).
Full Breakdown
Section 4-22(b) of the Costa Mesa Municipal Code defines an "electric bicycle" as a bicycle with fully operable pedals and an electric motor of less than 750 watts, then splits electric bicycles into three classes. A Class 1, or "low-speed pedal-assisted electric bicycle," has a motor that only assists while the rider is pedaling and cuts off once the bike reaches 20 miles per hour. A Class 2, or "low-speed throttle-assisted electric bicycle," can be propelled by the motor alone (no pedaling required) but likewise cannot assist past 20 miles per hour.
A Class 3, or "speed pedal-assisted electric bicycle," only assists while pedaling, cuts off at 28 miles per hour, and must be equipped with a speedometer. These class definitions were added by Ordinance No. 2024-08, adopted July 16, 2024, replacing the city's earlier bicycle-licensing chapter (repealed by Ordinance No. 23-02). Section 4-26(a)(4) folds electric bicycles into the bicycle lane rules, permitting motorized bicycles under Vehicle Code Section 406(a) and electric bicycles defined in Section 4-22(b) to use a bicycle lane at a speed no greater than reasonable or prudent and in a manner that doesn't endanger other cyclists or the rider.
The classification itself doesn't impose separate registration, licensing or minimum-age requirements in the city code; it establishes the speed and power thresholds that other sections, including the bicycle lane rules, then apply.
Violations & Fines
The class definitions in Section 4-22 aren't independently punishable; violations arise when a rider exceeds what a class permits on a given facility, such as riding a throttle-assisted Class 2 bike unsafely in a bicycle lane under Section 4-26. General bicycle chapter violations, unless separately punishable under the California Vehicle Code, are misdemeanors under Section 4-28, referencing the penalty provisions of Section 1-33.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between Class 1, 2 and 3 e-bikes in Costa Mesa?
Can I ride any class of e-bike in a Costa Mesa bicycle lane?
Does Costa Mesa require e-bike licensing or registration?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Costa Mesa
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