The Electric Bicycle
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 301.010 — pedals, a seat, a motor under 750 watts, and three classes
In Missouri, an electric bicycle is a bicycle with fully operable pedals, a saddle or seat for the rider, and an electric motor of less than 750 watts that meets the requirements of one of three classes.
- Class 1: the motor assists only while the rider pedals, and stops assisting at 20 miles per hour.
- Class 2: the motor may propel the bicycle by itself, and cannot assist once the bicycle reaches 20 miles per hour.
- Class 3: the motor assists only while the rider pedals, and stops assisting at 28 miles per hour.
Not a motor vehicle, and not a motorized bicycle. The definition of a motor vehicle excludes electric bicycles, and so does the definition of a motorized bicycle.
A driver's rights and duties. Every person riding a bicycle, electric bicycle or motorized bicycle on a street or highway has all of the rights, and is subject to all of the duties, of the driver of a vehicle under chapter 304, except where the bicycle sections say otherwise or a provision by its nature cannot apply.
The shoulder. A rider going slower than the posted speed or the flow of traffic may ride on the shoulder adjacent to the roadway, and on the roadway or the shoulder rides in the same direction vehicles are required to go.
| The assumption | What the law actually does |
|---|---|
| The assumptionAn e-bike is a motor vehicle | What the law actually doesMissouri's definition of a motor vehicle excludes electric bicycles |
| The assumptionRiding against traffic on the shoulder is safer | What the law actually doesOn the roadway or the shoulder, a bicycle goes in the same direction vehicles are required to drive |
Local ordinances, trail rules and city helmet rules are not all on this page. What a particular situation carries is a question for a licensed Missouri attorney.
Sources for this section (4)
- Mo. Rev. Stat. § 301.010 — Definitions
- Mo. Rev. Stat. § 307.180 — Bicycle and motorized bicycle, defined
- Mo. Rev. Stat. § 307.188 — Rights and duties of bicycle riders
- Mo. Rev. Stat. § 307.191 — Bicycle to operate on the shoulder adjacent to roadway, when — roadway defined
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Missouri attorney.