New Mexico Electric Bike Laws

Three-class law · State parks: Varies by park

Senate Bill 69 adopted the three-class system in 2023, effective July 1, 2023. An e-bike has operable pedals and a motor of 750 watts or less, is exempt from registration and titling, and is not a motor vehicle. Riders must be 16 or older to operate a Class 3 e-bike; a younger rider may be a passenger on one built for passengers. The Child Helmet Safety Act covers e-bikes, so riders under 18 must wear a helmet.

E-bike classes
Three
E-bike license
No
Class 3 minimum age
16
E-bike helmet
Under 18
State parks
Varies by park
Moped registration
No

By vehicle

Rules for E-Bikes, Stand-Up E-Scooters and Mopeds in New Mexico

New Mexico rules by vehicle
VehicleDefinitionMinimum ageLicenseRegistrationInsuranceHelmetSidewalksTrails
E-bike, Class 1Class 1, 750 W maxNoneNoNoNoUnder 18No state rulePaths where bicycles allowed
E-bike, Class 2Class 2, 750 W maxNoneNoNoNoUnder 18No state ruleOnly if path is in a street or city permits
E-bike, Class 3Class 3, 750 W max16NoNoNoUnder 18No state ruleOnly if path is in a street or city permits
Stand-up e-scooterNo state categoryNo state ruleNo state ruleNoNoNo state ruleNo state ruleNo state rule
Seated e-scooter (moped)Moped: under 50 cc, 30 mph max13YesNoNoNo state ruleNoNo

Where to ride

Where Each Vehicle May Ride

  • E-bike, Class 1. City may ban from its paths
  • E-bike, Class 2. Roads and bike lanes
  • E-bike, Class 3. Speedometer required; under 16 as passenger only
  • Stand-up e-scooter. Cities regulate; Albuquerque allows on paved trails
  • Seated e-scooter (moped). Roads

Equipment

Equipment Rules for E-Bikes

Permanent label showing class, top assisted speed and motor wattage in Arial type of at least nine points; relabel after any speed or motor change; must meet federal bicycle standards (16 CFR 1512); Class 2 motor cuts out when brakes are applied; Class 1 and 3 motor cuts out when pedaling stops; speedometer on Class 3.

City rules

What Cities and Counties Can Change

A city or county may ban Class 1 e-bikes from paths it controls and may open its paths to Class 2 and Class 3, which are otherwise barred from paths outside a street. Albuquerque Ordinance O-24-14 (2024) allows all three classes on paved city trails and Open Space trails unless signs say otherwise, with a 20 mph trail speed limit.

Parks and trails

State Parks, Federal Lands and Rail Trails in New Mexico

SB 69 lets state agencies and local governments regulate e-bikes on natural-surface trails closed to motor vehicles, and those trails stay closed to e-bikes until the managing agency opens them. New Mexico State Parks, a division of the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, sets access park by park.

Record

Sources

E-bike, Class 1
NMSA 66-1-4.5; 66-3-709; SB 69 (2023)
E-bike, Class 2
NMSA 66-1-4.5; 66-3-709(B); SB 69 (2023)
E-bike, Class 3
NMSA 66-3-708; 66-3-709(C); SB 69 (2023)
Stand-up e-scooter
none found
Seated e-scooter (moped)
NMSA 66-1-4.11; 66-3-1(A)(8); 66-5-5
Status
Partly verified
Open items
No statewide New Mexico State Parks e-bike rule found; helmet duty rests on the Child Helmet Safety Act definition change and the Act's operative text was not read; moped helmet, insurance and minimum age taken from a federal research summary; no state stand-up e-scooter category found; whether SB 73 (2025) stop-as-yield covers e-bikes not confirmed
Last verified
Q4 2026