Riders in Millburn and Short Hills who use e-bikes or motorized bicycles must have a license, registration, and in some cases insurance starting Monday, July 20, when the Millburn Police Department begins enforcing New Jersey's new e-bike law.

The Township of Millburn confirmed the enforcement date Friday, July 17, in an official announcement directing residents to its website for details.

The law, signed by then-Gov. Phil Murphy in January 2026, created two classes of electric bikes. Low-speed e-bikes top out at 20 mph with pedal assistance. Motorized bicycles can reach 28 mph using a throttle or pedals. Both require registration with the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Motorized bicycles also require insurance; Velosurance, a bicycle insurer, quotes coverage at roughly $100 per year.

All riders must be at least 15 years old. Riders 17 and older can use a standard driver's license. Riders 15 to 17 must obtain a separate e-bike license through the MVC, which requires passing knowledge, vision, and road tests. The $5 examination fee is waived until January 2027.

The MVC has been processing registrations since Friday, June 26. As of Wednesday, July 16, the commission had issued more than 4,100 registrations and 250 permits statewide, according to NorthJersey.com.

Millburn Police Chief Brian Gilfedder flagged the coming changes at the township's Pedestrian Safety Advisory Board meeting on Monday, February 9. He told the board the department's Community Service Unit would handle education and outreach during the law's six-month grace period, which ends Sunday, July 19.

In an October 2025 safety advisory, the department said it would enforce the state's helmet law for riders under 17 and warned that "particularly egregious or unsafe behavior on a bike or e-mobility bike may result in the issuance of a summons."

The law was prompted in part by the death of a 13-year-old Scotch Plains boy who was struck by a landscaping truck while riding an electric bike. A proposed amendment did not pass before the legislature's summer recess on July 1.

To register, riders need an appointment at an MVC Vehicle Center, Form BA-49EB, six points of ID (or a valid NJ driver's license), and proof of ownership such as a purchase receipt or bill of sale. License plate stickers must be affixed to both sides of the bike's front fork.

Residents can find full requirements and schedule appointments here.