Let's be Safer Together, Carlsbad!

The City of Carlsbad uses the three Es of traffic safety -- education, engineering and enforcement -- to help ensure everyone uses local streets safely. Thanks to your support, it's working! Please continue to look out for one another, follow our safety tips and share your commitment publicly so others will do the same.

New e-bike laws effective March 26, 2026 

The Carlsbad City Council formally adopted new e-bike laws at its meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 24. The news laws are in effect as of March 26, 2026, starting with a 60-day warning period.

Here is what to expect: 

  • Anyone operating an e-bike must be at least 12 years old, as allowed by Assembly Bill 2234.
  • When a minor breaks the rules and creates an immediate or substantial public safety risk, their e-bike may be impounded. The minor must complete an in-person safety course to retrieve the e-bike, and a parent or guardian must be present when the e-bike is released. 
  • The Police Department can also impound e-motorcycles, which are not street legal. 
  • E-bikes are prohibited at Poinsettia and Pine Avenue Community Parks. 

Additionally, the city's previously existing laws have been updated to provide additional clarity on safe riding behavior, including:

  • Riders must go at a safe speed for the conditions, factoring in weather, whether pedestrians are present and how quickly other traffic is moving.
  • Riders under 18 years old must wear a properly fitted and fastened helmet.
  • Only e-bikes designed for passengers can carry more than one rider.

  • Parents are responsible for knowingly allowing their children to commit violations. 

E-bike chart with e-motorcycles

More information

E-bike laws overview
View the new ordinance  
Watch a recording of the City Council meeting 

Safety classes

The Carlsbad Police Department hosts quarterly bike and e-bike safety classes. Sign up to be the first to know when new classes are added.

Online resources are also available: 

Proposed e-bike safety measures

Post Date:12/01/2025 8:50 AM

New e-bike safety measures, including adopting a minimum age of 12 for riding e-bikes, will go before the City Council next Tuesday, Dec. 2. The recommendations are coming from staff and the city’s Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission. Here’s the background on each:

Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission recommendations

Cities in San Diego County and the county itself can prohibit children under 12 from riding e-bikes under State Assembly Bill 2234, which passed in 2024. As such, the Carlsbad City Council requested that the Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission hold a meeting to gather community input on the potential minimum age. At that meeting, the commission voted to recommend the City Council:

  • Adopt a minimum age of 12 to operate an e-bike
  • Pursue legislation prohibiting riders under age 16 from riding with passengers
  • Pursue legislation that would allow Carlsbad to join Assembly Bill 1778, a pilot program in Marin County that allows local agencies to prohibit anyone under age 16 from riding a class 2 e-bike, which means it is throttle-assisted.

The city received more than 550 comments from community members before the commission meeting, most expressing support for a minimum age.

Additional staff recommendations

This summer, the City Council directed staff to develop recommendations to enhance enforcement tools to maintain public safety and address aggressive e-bike riding behavior, particularly among youth. 

Staff has returned with those recommendations, which the City Council will also consider at the Dec. 2 meeting. The recommendations are for new rules to strengthen Carlsbad’s approach and adjustments to clarify existing Carlsbad-specific e-bikes laws, including: 

  • Updating the existing local e-bike law to clarify unsafe riding behavior, equipment requirements and the responsibilities of parents and guardians
  • Prohibiting e-bikes at Poinsettia and Pine parks, following review of community feedback and calls for service received at these locations
  • Establishing fees to recover administrative costs related to impounding e-bikes, as allowed by Assembly Bill 875
  • Prohibiting anyone under 16 years of age from operating an e-bike when it’s dark outside

City Council meeting
Tuesday, Dec. 2, 5 p.m.
City Council Chamber
1200 Carlsbad Village Drive

View the staff report for more details.

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