Orange, CA Mobility & Curb Rules: E-Bike Classes (2026)

10 of the Orange Municipal Code, re-enacted by Ordinance 05-25 on March 25, 2025, defines an electric bicycle as one with fully operable pedals and a motor under 750 watts, split into three classes: Class 1 is pedal-assist with assistance ceasing at 20 mph, Class 2 is throttle-powered with assistance ceasing at 20 mph, and Class 3 is pedal-assist with assistance ceasing at 28 mph and requires a speedometer. 080 draws a hard line for the fastest class: no Class 3 e-bike may operate on a bicycle path or trail, bikeway, bicycle lane, equestrian trail, or hiking or recreational trail anywhere in the city, regardless of Classes 1 and 2 being allowed there.

090 separately governs sidewalks: riding bicycles or e-bikes on sidewalks is prohibited in business districts unless signage explicitly allows it, and where sidewalk riding is permitted the operator must yield to pedestrians, give an audible signal before passing, and cap speed at 10 mph, dropping to 5 mph when pedestrians are present. A conveyance that does not fit within these three classes is no longer legally an electric bicycle and cannot be ridden on the roadway without proper vehicle licensing and registration, and tampering with an e-bike's motor to exceed its class speed is unlawful unless the rider also reclassifies it under the California Vehicle Code.

050 makes bicycle and e-bike registration optional citywide, though the city may run a voluntary theft-recovery registry with fees set by City Council resolution. 110.