Jefferson County, WI Mobility & Curb Rules: E-Bike Classes (2026)

Sec. 12-29(c) of the Jefferson County Code defines an electric bicycle (e-bike or e-bicycle) as a bicycle equipped with fully operative pedals for human-powered propulsion and an electric motor of 750 watts or less, matching the state definition at Wis. 01. The county does not split e-bikes into a three-class system; instead it regulates every electric-powered rider on its bike paths under one speed rule. Sec. 12-29(b)(7) restricts e-bicycles, e-scooters and other electric-powered vehicles to 15 miles per hour at all times when they are on a county bike path that allows their use, regardless of the vehicle's top capability.

An e-scooter is separately defined in Sec. 12-29(c) as a device under 100 pounds with handlebars and an electric motor, powered solely by the motor and human power, capable of no more than 20 miles per hour on level pavement under motor power alone, while an electric personal assistive mobility device is a self-balancing two-wheel unit capped at 15 miles per hour by design. Riders of these electric vehicles must also follow the state's electric-vehicle statutes, Wis. 82, while on county bike paths per Sec.

12-29(b)(2). Because bike paths are multiuse and pedestrians retain the right-of-way, an e-bike or e-scooter rider exceeding 15 mph, or otherwise failing to yield, is enforced under the parks article's general penalty in Sec. 12-34, a cash-deposit forfeiture plus costs, with jail time possible on nonpayment.