By: Jacob Kessler
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jacob@thevillagereporter.com
Electric bicycles and electric scooters have become an increasingly common sight throughout Fulton and Williams counties, but the rules governing who can ride them, where they can be operated and how they are treated under the law are not always the same from one community to another.
The Village Reporter reached out to law enforcement agencies throughout our coverage area to better understand both the laws currently in place and how local departments interpret and enforce them.
While many communities largely follow Ohio law, some have adopted additional restrictions.
The type of device being operated also matters, as an electric bicycle, low-speed electric scooter, moped and other motorized device can fall under very different sections of the law even when they may appear similar.
Ohio Law Sets Three E-Bike Classes
Ohio law separates electric bicycles into three classes. A Class 1 electric bicycle has fully operable pedals and an electric motor of less than 750 watts. The motor provides assistance only while the rider is pedaling and stops assisting when the bicycle reaches 20 mph.
A Class 2 electric bicycle also has fully operable pedals and a motor of less than 750 watts, but the motor may provide assistance without the rider pedaling. That assistance must stop when the bicycle reaches 20 mph.
A Class 3 electric bicycle has fully operable pedals and a motor of less than 750 watts. Like a Class 1, the motor assists only while the rider is pedaling, but assistance may continue until the bicycle reaches 28 mph.
Age And Path Rules
One of the biggest differences between the classes involves age. Ohio Revised Code 4511.522 prohibits anyone under 16 from operating a Class 3 electric bicycle.
Someone under 16 may ride as a passenger on a Class 3 e-bike designed to accommodate passengers. Class 3 operators and passengers are also required to wear an approved protective helmet.
Ohio law does not establish a minimum operating age for Class 1 or Class 2 electric bicycles. That means a 12-year-old, for example, is not prohibited by state law from operating a qualifying Class 1 or Class 2 e-bike. Local regulations, however, can create additional restrictions.
State law generally permits Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes on bicycle-only and shared-use paths unless the governmental entity controlling the path prohibits them.
Class 3 e-bikes are more restricted. They generally cannot be operated on a bicycle-only or shared-use path unless the path is within or adjacent to a highway or the governmental entity controlling the path specifically authorizes their use.
Sidewalks And Electric Scooters
Electric bicycles are also subject to traffic laws applicable to bicycles while being operated on roadways.
Sidewalk operation is another area where the distinction between an electric bicycle and an electric scooter becomes important.
Whether the electric motor is engaged can matter when an electric bicycle is ridden on a sidewalk. Local authorities may place additional restrictions on bicycle and e-bike operation within their jurisdictions.
Many electric scooters fall under a separate portion of Ohio law covering what the state calls a low-speed micromobility device.
A low-speed micromobility device is defined as weighing less than 100 pounds, having handlebars, being propelled by an electric motor or human power and having an attainable speed of no more than 20 mph on a paved, level surface when propelled by the electric motor.
Ohio law generally permits those devices on public streets, highways, sidewalks, shared-use paths and portions of roadways reserved for bicycles.
Operators must yield to pedestrians and give an audible signal before overtaking and passing a pedestrian.
When operated at night, the device or rider must have a white light visible from at least 500 feet to the front and a qualifying red reflector to the rear. Low-speed micromobility devices cannot be operated at speeds greater than 20 mph.
The age provision contained in Ohio’s low-speed micromobility law applies specifically to rentals. Someone under 16 cannot rent one of the devices, and another person cannot knowingly rent one on behalf of someone under 16.
The state law does not establish a general minimum age for operating a privately owned low-speed micromobility device.
Local Rules Can Differ
Municipalities, counties and townships are permitted under state law to further regulate or prohibit the devices on roads, sidewalks, shared-use paths and other areas under their jurisdiction. That local authority is where some of the differences begin to emerge.
Archbold Is Stricter Than State Law
Archbold Police Chief Leo Wixom III said the village has adopted regulations that are stricter than Ohio’s statewide rules.
Under Archbold’s ordinance, Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3 electric bicycles are prohibited from bicycle-only and shared-use paths within the village. Archbold also prohibits anyone under 14 from operating any class of electric bicycle.
Someone under 16 may not operate a Class 3 e-bike, while a person under 16 operating a Class 1 or Class 2 e-bike within Archbold is required by the village ordinance to possess a valid motorized bicycle license issued by Ohio or another jurisdiction.
The village also prohibits operators of Class 1 and Class 2 electric bicycles from carrying another person. Wixom said the department actively enforces the village’s regulations, with the decision to issue a warning, citation or take another action depending on the circumstances.
He also confirmed that e-bikes and electric scooters have generated safety concerns and complaints within the village.
“We have our own ordinances that are stricter than the state, for the safety of everyone,” Wixom said.
Wauseon Follows State Law
Wauseon, meanwhile, generally follows the statewide rules. Police Chief Kevin Chittenden said the city’s e-bike ordinances mirror Ohio law, including the prohibition against someone under 16 operating a Class 3 e-bike and the helmet requirement for Class 3 riders and passengers.
Wauseon does have an additional restriction affecting a portion of downtown. The city prohibits bicycles, skateboards, roller blades, roller skates and scooters from being ridden on sidewalks bordering Fulton Street between Chestnut Street and Oak Street.
A violation is a minor misdemeanor, and the ordinance allows police to seize and impound a device used in violation.
Chittenden said he did not find a city ordinance establishing a minimum operating age for privately owned low-speed micromobility devices and noted that the under-16 provision in state law applies to rentals.
Chittenden also explained that enforcing some of the regulations can present difficulties for officers. “It is difficult to enforce speed limits on sidewalks, as that is not a normal place to run radar,” Chittenden said.
He added that officers may also have difficulty determining whether someone riding an e-bike on a sidewalk has the electric motor engaged or is simply pedaling the bicycle.
When complaints are received, Chittenden said officers attempt to locate the riders and explain the rules. Many of those encounters have involved juveniles, with officers generally focusing first on education rather than immediately issuing citations.
Chittenden said he was not aware of any crashes involving e-bikes in Wauseon, but the department has received several complaints.
Safety concerns and questions about how the devices should be regulated have also prompted ongoing discussions within the police department and with city council and the city’s law department.
Chittenden encouraged parents to consider their child’s maturity and riding habits before allowing them to use an e-bike.
“Parents know their kids better than we do, so please take the time to talk to your kids and set a standard of what is and isn’t allowed before allowing kids on e-bikes,” Chittenden said.
“Hold them accountable for their choices and if they are not mature enough to take it seriously, don’t allow it.”
Delta Focuses On Education
Delta Police Chief and Village Administrator Samuel Chappell said Delta does not have additional regulations outside of Ohio law.
Chappell also confirmed the department’s understanding that someone under 16 may operate a privately owned electric scooter if the device meets the legal definition of a low-speed micromobility device.
One of the more complicated situations arises when a device does not fit that definition.
A scooter capable of exceeding 20 mph under electric power does not meet Ohio’s definition of a low-speed micromobility device.
That does not automatically determine what the device is legally considered. Chappell said Delta officers would look at the specific characteristics of the device to determine which laws apply.
That could include whether the device has a seat, whether it meets the legal definition of a moped and whether its tires and construction indicate it was designed for roadway or off-road operation.
That distinction can separate a legal e-bike or low-speed scooter from a moped, dirt bike, minibike, all-purpose vehicle or another type of motorized vehicle governed by different laws.
Chappell said Delta officers actively enforce the applicable laws but generally attempt to begin with education and warnings when circumstances allow.
When juveniles are involved, officers may also contact their parents and use the opportunity to explain the applicable laws and safety concerns. Chappell said these concerns are not uncommon, noting that Delta receives more traffic-related complaints involving e-bike and scooter riders, including riders failing to stop, than it does involving traditional bicycles or pedestrians.
He also identified a common misconception among residents, that all electric bikes and scooters are illegal, when they are not.
To this end, Delta has created a section on the village’s website specifically aimed at helping residents understand the differences between e-bikes, scooters, mopeds, dirt bikes and other motorized devices.
Pioneer Urges Caution On Busy Roads
In Pioneer, Police Chief Timothy Livengood said the village has not adopted additional Class 1, Class 2 or Class 3 e-bike rules beyond those contained in its current codified ordinances.
Livengood said there are also no specific areas of Pioneer where e-bikes or e-scooters are prohibited.
Police do, however, strongly encourage riders to avoid State Street, which carries State Route 15 through the village, as well as U.S. 20 within the village’s jurisdiction.
Livengood cited traffic volume, vehicle speeds and the number of larger vehicles traveling through the area as reasons for that recommendation.
Also, Pioneer police have not yet encountered a situation involving an electric scooter capable of exceeding 20 mph, according to Livengood.
When violations are encountered, though, officers use the same discretion and general procedures used when handling other traffic violations.
Livengood said the department emphasizes education and will also speak with parents when appropriate.
Residents have approached Pioneer police with questions about the laws and with concerns about riders operating e-bikes in ways they believed were unsafe.
In those situations, Livengood said officers monitor the area and address violations if they observe them. “Laws in general can be very confusing and are often misunderstood,” Livengood said.
“Taking the time to simply explain the laws to the best of our ability is important to our citizens and for their well-being.”
County Sheriffs Defer To State Law
County law enforcement agencies reported less direct involvement with the devices. Fulton County Sheriff Roy Miller said his office follows Ohio law and was not aware of additional county regulations involving Class 1, Class 2 or Class 3 electric bicycles.
Miller noted that individual trails may have their own rules, meaning riders should check the regulations for a particular trail before using it.
If deputies encounter someone violating the law, Miller said they would generally begin by educating the person. Continued violations could result in enforcement action.
The complaints the sheriff’s office has received have mainly involved younger children on scooters and e-bikes not paying attention while riding, he said.
Miller also stressed that applicable Ohio traffic laws still apply to riders when they are operating on a roadway.
When asked about the different definitions contained in Ohio law and which section his office relies upon, Miller pointed to Ohio Revised Code 4511.01 and added, “Good luck, clear as mud.”
Williams County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Kyle Miller said his agency has not had much involvement with e-bikes in the county and noted that individual villages have generally had more involvement through their own ordinances.
For e-bike questions, he said the sheriff’s office refers to Ohio Revised Code 4511.522.
What Riders Should Know
The responses from area departments highlight why simply referring to a device as an “e-bike” or “electric scooter” does not necessarily answer whether it can legally be operated in a particular location.
The device’s motor size, maximum assisted speed, whether it has operable pedals, its physical design, the rider’s age and where it is being operated can all affect which laws apply.
Local ordinances can add another layer, meaning a device that can legally be operated one way in one community may be subject to different restrictions after crossing into another.
Not every law enforcement agency within The Village Reporter’s coverage area responded prior to publication.
Anyone with questions about the specific e-bike or e-scooter laws in their community is encouraged to contact their local police department for clarification before operating one of these devices.
State laws and local ordinances can also be amended over time, so riders and parents are encouraged to stay informed and periodically check for changes to the rules that apply where they live and ride.