CHARLOTTE, NC – November 11, 2026 – PRESSADVANTAGE –
Dewey, Ramsay & Hunt, P.A., a Charlotte personal injury firm, is highlighting changes to North Carolina’s electric bicycle laws taking effect December 1, 2026. Section 19 of Session Law 2026-46, House Bill 1094, establishes Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3 electric assisted bicycle definitions and applies to offenses committed on or after that date.
The session law shows that Governor Josh Stein approved House Bill 1094 on July 7, 2026. The revised definition covers bicycles with two or three wheels, a seat or saddle, fully operable pedals for human propulsion, and an electric motor of no more than 750 watts. Each of the three classes sets the speed at which the motor ceases to assist.
A Class 1 bicycle’s motor provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and ceases to assist once the bicycle reaches 20 miles per hour.
A Class 2 bicycle’s motor may propel the bicycle without pedaling but ceases to assist at 20 miles per hour.
A Class 3 bicycle’s motor provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and ceases to assist at 28 miles per hour.
Under the existing definition, an electric-assisted bicycle’s maximum speed on a level surface when powered solely by its motor cannot exceed 20 miles per hour. Beginning on December 1, bicycles meeting the new Class 3 definition will qualify as electric-assisted bicycles.
New General Statute 20-171.3 requires a person under 18 who operates or rides as a passenger on a Class 3 electric-assisted bicycle to wear a helmet that meets federal safety standards. The University of North Carolina School of Government says violations on or after December 1, 2026, are infractions.
The statute permits electric-assist bicycles on all roadways, bicycle lanes, and multiuse paths, subject to municipal and county authority and to rules of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources for its properties. Cities may regulate e-bike use on multiuse paths and sidewalks within municipal limits, including by restricting classes and setting speed limits, and may require helmets for people under 18 on Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes. Section 19 also directs the state Department of Transportation to develop educational materials on the safe use of electric-assisted bicycles.
Separately, Section 16, effective December 1, 2026, bars a motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more from the leftmost lane of a controlled-access highway with six or more lanes, with exceptions for entering or exiting, avoiding a hazard, or passing, unless the Department of Transportation has adopted an ordinance and installed signage with different restrictions. Section 4 also authorizes the Division of Motor Vehicles to provide an unredacted crash report by secure electronic means to a person directly involved in the crash.
The firm represents injured people in bicycle, e-bike, motorcycle, pedestrian, car, and truck accident cases. Its website identifies Martha L. Ramsay as an attorney and founder and Brian C. Hunt as an attorney. North Carolina generally provides a three-year limitations period for personal injury claims, although exceptions can apply.
This release is based on the text of Session Law 2026-46 and the School of Government’s analysis of Section 19. It provides general information and is not legal advice. The rules applicable to a particular incident depend on the circumstances, the incident date, and local ordinances.
Dewey, Ramsay & Hunt, P.A., represents injured people in e-bike accident matters throughout North Carolina.
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For more information about Dewey, Ramsay & Hunt, PA, contact the company here:
Dewey, Ramsay & Hunt, PA
Martha L. Ramsay
+17043773737
martha@ramsaylawfirm.com
10610 Metromont Parkway Ste. 205 Charlotte, NC 28269
