Illinois riders must be at least 15 to operate a Class 1 or Class 2 e-bike starting Jan. 1. The new statewide law formalizes rules Elmhurst and Villa Park have been building on their own after crashes involving children as young as 10.

Gov. JB Pritzker signed Senate Bill 3484 on Aug. 26, creating a statewide framework for e-bikes, e-scooters, electric unicycles and skateboards, Capitol News Illinois reported. Municipalities can still adopt stricter local rules.

Here is what changes for Elmhurst-area residents under the Secretary of State's published rules:

  • Riders of Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes must be at least 15. No statewide age floor existed before.
  • All e-bikes are banned from sidewalks statewide. Elmhurst already enforces a local sidewalk ban.
  • High-speed electric bicycles and e-motos capable of exceeding 28 mph will require a driver's license, title, registration and insurance. They are barred from sidewalks, bike lanes and bike paths.
  • Riders under 18 cannot carry a passenger unless that passenger is a sibling, stepsibling, child or stepchild.
  • Violations can result in fines and device impoundment.

The law, sponsored by state Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago), passed both chambers with bipartisan support on June 1.

Elmhurst already moved

Elmhurst did not wait for Springfield. The City Council unanimously approved its own e-bike rules on March 3, though officials said at the time they expected the state to act, according to Patch.

"Kids ride down the street like their hair is on fire, and they go through a yield sign," Alderman Mike Brennan said at that March meeting. "They don't look either way."

The city's ordinance bans e-bikes from sidewalks, bars devices with motors greater than 750 watts from streets and paths, and requires riders to walk their devices through the City Centre, York & Valette and Spring Road business districts, according to the city's e-bike page. Parents can be cited if a minor rides illegally. Elmhurst also requires e-scooter operators to be at least 18. The new state law sets that minimum at 16, which could effectively lower Elmhurst's floor unless the city maintains its stricter rule.

That parental-responsibility provision was tested on June 6 when the Elmhurst Police Department responded to a crash at St. Charles Road and Villa Avenue. A 10-year-old boy riding an electric mini bike on the sidewalk collided with a Nissan sedan turning into a business driveway, the Elmhurst Police Department said. The mini bike had a throttle, no pedals and was not street-legal. The boy wore a motorcycle helmet and suffered minor injuries. His parent was cited.

In a separate incident, a 14-year-old was accused of crashing an e-bike with a 2,400-watt motor into a woman in the 500 block of South York Street, knocking her to the ground. The teen and his father were charged, Patch reported.

Villa Park tightens up too

Villa Park adopted its own e-scooter ordinance in July 2025, setting the minimum operator age at 18 and fines starting at $100, according to the village's safety page. Under Villa Park's current rules, Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes carry no age requirement. The new state law will impose a minimum age of 15 for those devices.

Statewide injury numbers

Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital treated 41 people for serious e-bike and e-scooter injuries between September 2025 and August 2026, trauma program coordinator Karen Battaglia told Shaw Local. Twenty-one of those patients were 15 or younger. Ninety percent were not wearing helmets.

Injuries included broken bones, skull fractures, brain injuries and organ damage. Battaglia said 10 more emergency visits occurred in September 2026 alone.

Nationally, data company Truveta reported in July 2026 that e-bike and e-scooter emergency visits among children under 18 increased 7.5-fold between 2023 and May 2026. More than a third of those patients had head or neck injuries.

The Illinois Secretary of State's office plans a public awareness campaign called "Ride Safe. Ride Smart. Ride Ready." and will update driver education materials before the Jan. 1 effective date.