WA eBike Laws 2026 — the 16+ Rule Almost Nobody Mentions
Western Australia has a legislated minimum age of 16 to ride an eBike with the power assistance engaged, and has had one since December 2021. It is the only long-standing statutory minimum age for eBikes in Australia — and almost no commercial guide states it correctly. If your teenager rides an eBike in WA, this page is the one to read.
Under the Road Traffic Code 2000 (WA) regulation 228(1), "a person who is under 16 years of age must not ride a power assisted pedal cycle with the power assistance engaged". The Road Safety Commission states it plainly: "Riders must be 16 years or older to use an eBike." This is not a proposal or a coming change — it has been law since 2021.
The rules that matter
1. Minimum age 16 — with the motor on
Regulation 228(1) of the Road Traffic Code 2000 prohibits anyone under 16 from riding a power-assisted pedal cycle with the power assistance engaged. Note the precise scope: the rule bites on the motor, not the bike. An under-16 may lawfully ride the same bike with the motor switched off — it is then an ordinary bicycle, and WA has no minimum age for those. For a family with one eBike and a 14-year-old, that distinction is the whole answer.
2. Under-16s cannot use or store an eBike at school
Since 2 February 2026, a WA Department of Education CEO Instruction requires principals to ensure that students under 16 are not permitted to use or store an eRideable or eBike on school premises. Storage and charging for 16+ students is at the principal's discretion. A 15-year-old riding to school in WA is therefore in breach on two counts at once.
3. WA names EN 15194 directly in its regulations
WA prescribes two lawful categories: a "pedalec" meeting EN 15194 with a motor up to 250 W cutting out at 25 km/h, and any other power-assisted pedal cycle at up to 200 W. WA is the jurisdiction where EN 15194 is named in the regulations themselves rather than referenced administratively. The Road Safety Commission advises looking for a sticker showing EN 15194 compliance. Where a bike has more than one motor, the limit applies to the combined total.
4. Footpaths are legal — and there is no 10 km/h cap on eBikes
This is the most commonly mis-stated WA rule. Anyone may ride on a footpath in WA unless otherwise signed, at any age. The 10 km/h footpath cap applies to electric rideable devices, not eBikes — regulation 15 is confined to e-rideables, and regulation 3A(3) expressly excludes "a vehicle with pedals" from that class. The only numeric limit for bicycles is at crossings: 10 km/h, giving way to pedestrians. Ride single file on footpaths; pedestrians and mobility scooter users always have right of way.
5. A non-compliant eBike can be seized and disposed of
The Road Safety Commission states that a non-compliant eBike "may be seized and disposed of by police. You may also be fined $500." WA Police have been running a dedicated taskforce seizing and crushing e-rideables, with those tactics to be rolled out statewide as needed.
What it costs
| Offence | Fine |
|---|---|
| Riding a non-compliant eBike (plus seizure and disposal) | $500 |
| Not wearing a helmet | $50 |
| No effective brake, or no working warning device | $100 |
| Incorrect or absent lighting and reflectors in darkness | $100 |
| Riding more than two abreast | $50 |
| Riding less than 2 m behind a vehicle | $100 |
| Passing on the left of a vehicle turning left | $100 |
The under-16 offence in regulation 228(1) carries a modified penalty of 1 penalty unit. WA does not publish a separate dollar figure for the eBike limb; the Road Safety Commission publishes the equivalent 1 penalty unit offences at $50. Treat $50 as derived on that basis rather than a directly quoted amount. Footpath speeding fines do not apply to WA eBikes, because footpath riding is lawful.
Nothing in the system teaches this
WA sets a minimum age, but there is no test and no licence for an eBike — nothing checks whether a 16-year-old actually knows the road rules before they ride in traffic. That gap is what the eBikeSafe course fills.
The basics, unchanged
- 25 km/h cut-out for pedalecs
- Helmet mandatory on a road or any path, securely fastened, including passengers
- Six accepted helmet standards including EN 1078 — four legacy standards were phased out from 22 September 2025
- No licence, registration or insurance for a compliant eBike
- Footpath riding permitted statewide unless signed otherwise
- Keep to the bicycle side of a separated footpath
Who this affects most
👨👩👧 Parents of 12–15 year olds
This is the group most likely to be unknowingly in breach. Your child cannot legally ride an eBike with the motor engaged anywhere in WA, cannot use or store one at school, and the rule has been in force since 2021. The lawful option today is riding with the power assistance switched off.
🎒 Families who ride to school
Since 2 February 2026 principals must not permit under-16s to use or store an eBike on school premises. If your child has been riding and locking up at school, that arrangement has already ended.
🛒 Anyone buying an eBike in WA
WA is the strictest state on standards: the regulations name EN 15194 directly. Look for the compliance sticker. A bike that does not meet the WA spec is illegal to use on public roads or paths, and can be seized.
📦 Delivery riders
There is no WA road-rule carve-out — the same 16+ minimum and 250 W spec applies. What does apply is WHS law: platforms must provide high-visibility retroreflective PPE and induction training, and must keep records of that training for five years.
Frequently asked questions
Is there really a minimum age for eBikes in WA? +
Yes. Road Traffic Code 2000 regulation 228(1) prohibits anyone under 16 from riding a power-assisted pedal cycle with the power assistance engaged, and the Road Safety Commission states "Riders must be 16 years or older to use an eBike". It has been law since December 2021. Western Australia is the only Australian jurisdiction with a long-standing statutory minimum age for eBikes.
Can my 14-year-old ride the eBike with the motor turned off? +
Yes. The prohibition applies to riding with the power assistance engaged. With the motor off, the bike is an ordinary bicycle and WA has no minimum age for those. Everything else still applies — helmet, lights at night, working brakes and bell.
Is there a 10 km/h speed limit on footpaths in WA? +
Not for eBikes. The 10 km/h footpath cap applies to electric rideable devices such as e-scooters. Regulation 3A(3) expressly excludes vehicles with pedals from that class, so eBikes are governed by the bicycle rules, which have no numeric footpath cap. The one numeric limit is at crossings, where you must not exceed 10 km/h and must give way to pedestrians. This is the most commonly mis-stated WA rule.
Can I ride on the footpath in WA? +
Yes. Anyone of any age may ride on a footpath in Western Australia unless it is signed otherwise. Ride single file, and pedestrians, mobility scooter and motorised wheelchair users always have right of way.
What makes an eBike illegal in WA? +
Exceeding 250 W for a pedalec (or 200 W for any other power-assisted pedal cycle), assistance that does not cut out at 25 km/h, a bike mostly designed to be driven by the motor rather than pedalled, or one without functioning pedals. Where a bike has more than one motor, the limit applies to the combined output. A non-compliant bike may be seized and disposed of by police, and you may be fined $500.
Can my under-16 store their eBike at school? +
No. Since 2 February 2026 a Department of Education CEO Instruction requires principals to ensure students under 16 are not permitted to use or store an eRideable or eBike on school premises. For students 16 and over, storage and charging is at the principal's discretion.
They can ride at 16. The question is whether they are ready.
WA sets an age, but nothing in the system teaches a 16-year-old the road rules before they are riding in traffic — there is no test and no licence for an eBike. eBikeSafe covers being seen, stopping distances, intersections, safe charging, and what makes a bike legal in WA and every other state. Ten modules, must-pass quizzes, and a QR-verified Rider Qualification at the end.
No account needed to buy — the voucher code is emailed to you instantly.
eBikeSafe is a rider education course. It is not a government-accredited qualification and does not replace any licence or registration requirement.
For a full comparison of eBike laws across all eight Australian states and territories, see the Australian eBike laws comparison table. Queensland riders: see the Queensland 2026 changes.
Rules current as at 8 August 2026, checked against Western Australia government sources. This page is general information, not legal advice — for the authoritative position, always check the WA transport authority directly.