County commissioners explore local e-bike regulations

In June, Governor Ron DeSantis vetoed Senate Bill 382, which would have created statewide safety regulations for electric bicycles and scooters. However, the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners is exploring potential ordinance options on the local level. 

Forward Pinellas senior principal planner Kyle Simpson Thursday presented an e-bike report during a Board of County Commissioners work session. Forward Pinellas is Pinellas County’s land use and transportation planning agency.

Simpson explained that e-bike riders currently have the same rights and privileges as bicycle operators. They are not required to have a license, register their vehicle or purchase insurance. 

However, local governments may require e-bike owners to possess a government-issued photo ID, adopt minimum age requirements, restrict the use of e-bikes on certain properties such as beaches and enforce a maximum speed limit of 15 miles per hour on sidewalks and trails. The current speed limit on Pinellas County trails is 20 miles per hour, Simpson added. These options existed prior to the veto of Senate Bill 382. 

He explained that there are three key classes of e-bikes. 

Class one vehicles provide motor assistance up to 20 miles per hour and are pedal assist only, which means “the motor only activates when someone is actively moving the pedals.” Class two bikes provide motor assistance up to 20 miles per hour and are throttle capable, meaning a rider does not necessarily have to be pedaling to use the motor. Class three devices are pedal assist only and provide motor capabilities up to 28 miles per hour.  

Currently, Florida law states that e-bike motors must be 750 watts or less. All devices need to have operable pedals and at least two or three wheels. Additionally, each vehicle needs to have a label on its frame stating its maximum assist speed and motor wattage. 

However, state statute does not define e-moto devices. These are vehicles that are “sold as electrical bicycles but have a speed that is higher than what e-bikes allow or a motor that is more than 750 watts,” Simpson said. 

“Some of our law enforcement agencies have begun to interpret those devices as unregistered motor vehicles,” he added. “There is somewhat of a gray area in statute, and so that is something that could be improved upon in the future.” 

Commission chair Dave Eggers called it “a real problem.” He argued that since many riders are minors, the “parental system” will “have to come into play.” 

Simpson said that there have been some challenges in collecting crash data. There is not a “e-bike or e-scooter vehicle involved checkbox on the standard statewide crash report form.” Some people will elaborate on the document and state that the crash was caused by an e-bike. 

In 2025, there were 11 fatalities in Pinellas County involving electric-assisted vehicles, such as scooters or bicycles. This year, through July 28, three fatal crashes have been reported. 

An e-bike workgroup was formed with members from the Pinellas County, St. Petersburg, Clearwater and Dunedin governments, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, the St. Petersburg Police Department and Forward Pinellas. Additionally, industry stakeholders participated. 

Simpson discussed some of the group’s suggestions. 

One of the key recommendations was to focus on enforcement against reckless operation and non-compliant devices. This could build upon existing education efforts. The group recommended expanding partnerships with Pinellas County Schools and law enforcement agencies as well. 

Some non-compliant devices are frequently sold online. He added that “certain cities and states” around the country have “written stern requests” to the retailers and have “had success with that.” 

Youth-focused considerations were another essential component of the workgroup initiative. 

Simpson explained that some municipal governments around the country have issued class-based restrictions. For example, an individual must be 16 or older to operate a class three e-bike. Additionally, the County could consider issuing helmet requirements beyond existing Florida statute. Currently, children under 16 have to wear a helmet. 

There is an opportunity to work with e-bike rental companies to ensure that customers receive training and guidance. This could give them a “baseline understanding of what they should and should not do,” Simpson said. 

Commissioner Kathleen Peters suggested exploring speed limits and restrictions on where people can ride e-bikes. She said that it could be beneficial to have a conversation with Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri to help determine what can be effectively enforced. 

“I kinda like the government-issued ID,” she added. “There might be some 11 and 12 year olds who are responsible on their electric bikes and their parents might get upset if they can’t drive them. But, if you require them to have a photo ID, that could rein in a lot of kids who are doing this because they may not take the time to get an ID.”