At its meeting in December 2025, the City Council directed staff to develop an ordinance (city law) outlining several new e-bike safety rules. As the next step in the process, the Carlsbad City Council will consider the new ordinance at its meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 10.
Carlsbad City Council meeting
Tuesday, Feb. 10, 5 p.m.
City Council Chamber
1200 Carlsbad Village Drive
The agenda and staff report for the Feb. 10 City Council meeting will be available on the city’s website by Friday, Feb. 6.
Proposed safety rules
The new rules, combined with existing state law, could allow the city to:
- Set a minimum age of 12 to operate an e-bike, as allowed by Assembly Bill 2234
- Clarify definitions of unsafe riding behavior, equipment requirements and the responsibilities of parents and guardians
- Impound e-bikes that are being ridden recklessly by minors or e-motorcycles, which are not street legal.
- Prohibit e-bikes at Poinsettia and Pine Avenue Community Parks, based on service calls received by the Police Department and community feedback, and authorize the City Manager to restrict e-bike use at other parks as needed.
Next steps
Before the new rules go into effect, state law requires a few specific steps to be completed. Here’s how that timeline could look:
- Feb. 10: City Council introduces the ordinance
- Feb. 24: City Council considers adopting the ordinance
- Feb. 25: The city would launch a 30-day public information campaign to raise awareness before the new rules take effect
- March 26: New laws could take effect, beginning with a 60-day warning period
- May 25: 60-day warning period ends
Additionally, the team is continuing to explore state legislation that would allow Carlsbad to prohibit riders under age 16 from transporting passengers and join a Marin County pilot program. The pilot program could allow Carlsbad to adopt stricter laws for class 2 e-bikes, which can be ridden without pedaling, including a minimum age of 16 and a helmet requirement for anyone, regardless of age.
The city will continue to share updates throughout this process. Sign up to receive emails with the latest information.
