Introduction — What Is an eBike and Why Does Safety Matter?

What you’ll learn

• What counts as a legal eBike in NSW
• Why eBike safety matters for you and everyone around you
• What the rules mean if you ride for food-delivery work
• What this course covers

What is an eBike?

An eBike (electric bike) looks like a regular pushbike but has a small electric motor and a rechargeable battery that gives you a boost while you pedal. They’re fast, fun, and increasingly popular — with younger riders, and with people riding for food-delivery work. But that extra speed means everyone needs to know the rules.

Not every “electric bike” you see is legal to ride on NSW roads. Here’s what the law says.

Legal eBikes in NSW

A road-legal eBike in NSW must:

• Have a motor rated at 250 watts (W) maximum continuous power
• Have a motor that automatically stops assisting once you reach 25 km/h
• Have pedals that the rider can actually use to propel the bike

What about 500W bikes? If you or your family purchased a 500W eBike before 1 March 2026, it can still be legally ridden until 1 March 2029. After that date, all eBikes over 250W become illegal on public roads and paths.

If a bike’s motor pushes it beyond 25 km/h without pedalling, or has a throttle that runs the motor without pedalling, the law treats it as a motorbike — not a bicycle. That means it needs registration, a licence, and full road-legal gear to be ridden legally.

State variance: The 250W/25km/h rule is consistent across most Australian states. Queensland allows an additional “power assisted cycle” class with a throttle up to 200W at 6km/h on top of the pedal assist.

Riding for food delivery? Many bikes sold for delivery work have a throttle, or a motor well above 250W. On NSW roads and paths that makes them illegal to ride without registration and a licence. If you ride an illegal bike for work, you are the one who can be fined and have the bike taken away — not the platform you deliver for. Before you start earning, check that your eBike meets the 250W / 25 km/h / working-pedals rule above.

Why does safety matter?

eBikes are faster than regular pushbikes. That extra speed changes everything:

• You cover more ground in less time
• It takes longer to stop
• Drivers and pedestrians may not expect you moving that fast
• A crash at 25 km/h hurts a lot more than one at 15 km/h

In NSW, lithium-ion battery fires from eBikes are also a growing safety issue — there were 193 eBike and e-scooter fires recorded in NSW between 2022 and 2025, and that number is rising every year.

The good news: most accidents and fires are preventable when riders know the rules and take basic precautions. That’s exactly what this course is for.

What this course covers

Across the next nine modules, you’ll learn:

1. Road rules – the laws that apply to eBike riders on NSW roads
2. Intersections – how to give way, turn safely, and handle roundabouts
3. Helmet and gear – what you’re legally required to wear, plus clothing and shoes for every season
4. Pedestrians and passengers – how to share paths safely and who can ride with you
5. Safe charging – how to charge your battery without putting your home at risk
6. Riding at night – the lights the law requires and how to be seen after dark
7. Securing your eBike – locks, batteries, and protecting your bike from theft
8. Putting it all together – real-world scenarios to test your knowledge
9. Maintenance – the 60-second pre-ride check that prevents crashes

Each module ends with a short quiz. Complete all modules to finish the course and earn your certificate.

Quick check

Before moving on, make sure you can answer this:

• Is your bike road-legal? (Motor ≤ 250W, cuts out at 25 km/h, has working pedals)
• If you’re not sure, ask a parent or the retailer before riding on public roads or paths.

Sources and further reading

The facts in this module are drawn from official NSW Government and industry sources. You can verify any claim here: