Newport News, VA Mobility & Curb Rules: E-Bike Classes (2026)
Key Facts
- Motor cap
- 750 watts
- Class 1 & 2 cutoff
- 20 mph
- Class 3 cutoff
- 28 mph
- Sidewalk riding
- banned for any class
- Helmet required
- riders 14 and under
Summary
Newport News sorts electric power-assisted bicycles into three classes by motor behavior and top assisted speed, then applies the same roadway, sidewalk and helmet rules regardless of which class you ride.
Electric power-assisted bicycle means a vehicle that travels on not more than three (3) wheels in contact with the ground and is equipped with (i) pedals that allow propulsion by human power, (ii) a seat for the use of the rider, and (iii) an electric motor with an input of no more than seven hundred fifty (750) watts... "Class one" means an electric power-assisted bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches a speed of twenty (20) miles per hour.
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
City Code § 10-1 defines an electric power-assisted bicycle as a pedal bike with a motor of no more than 750 watts, then splits it into three classes: Class one and two cut off motor assistance at 20 mph (Class two can be throttle-only), while Class three cuts off at 28 mph. All three classes are barred from city sidewalks under § 10-20(a) and are otherwise treated like a bicycle on the roadway under § 10-12, the code doesn't set separate riding zones by class.
Violations & Fines
Riding an e-bike of any class on a city sidewalk violates § 10-20(a); riders 14 or younger must also wear a CPSC- or ASTM-rated helmet or face a $25 fine under § 10-23.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Class 3 e-bike ride on Newport News sidewalks?
Do the three classes face different helmet rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Newport News
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