Villa Park Moves Forward on New E-Bike Law: What Riders and Parents Need to Know

Villa Park has its own local rules for bicycles, e-bikes and scooters, and they sit on top of California’s statewide e-bike laws. This guide explains what the city’s rules say, who they affect, the penalties, how they compare with state law, and where you can ride. It will be updated as the rules change.

What the Villa Park E-Bike Ordinance Says

Villa Park’s bicycle and e-bike rules are in Article 5-7 of the Villa Park Municipal Code. Ordinance No. 2026-640 was brought forward by Councilmembers Jones and Miles. According to the staff report, it also includes recommendations from the city’s insurer, the California Joint Powers Insurance Agency (CJPIA), and the city’s Law Enforcement Advisory Committee supported it unanimously. The main changes in the ordinance text are:

• Class 3 age limit (Sec. 5-7.6): No one under 16 may operate a Class 3 e-bike. This matches state law.
• Modified e-bikes and scooters (Sec. 5-7.24): It is unlawful to tamper with or modify an e-bike or motorized scooter so it goes faster or has more motor power than its manufacturer classification label allows, unless the label is updated. A device modified beyond the state e-bike definition is treated as a motor-driven cycle, motorcycle or other motor vehicle, with the registration, licensing and equipment requirements that come with it. The ordinance also says no one may operate a modified e-bike or modified electric scooter in the city.
• Parent responsibility (Sec. 5-7.25): A parent or legal guardian with custody or control of a minor is jointly and severally liable with the minor for any fees, fines or penalties for violating the article.
• Number of riders (Sec. 5-7.9): No one operating a bicycle, e-bike or motorized scooter may carry more people than the vehicle is designed and equipped for.
• Off-highway electric motorcycles (Sec. 5-7.3): Electric dirt bikes built for off-highway use and sold without pedals may not be ridden on any public street, sidewalk, parkway, bicycle facility, park, recreational area or other public property in Villa Park, even if registered.
• Retailer and rental disclosures (Sec. 5-7.26): Businesses that sell or rent these vehicles to Villa Park customers, including online sales delivered to a Villa Park address, must give buyers a copy of Article 5-7 and a written notice of the vehicle’s legal classification. They must also get a signed acknowledgment (from a parent if the buyer is a minor) and keep it for at least three years.
• Impound authority (Sec. 5-7.27): To the extent state law allows, a peace officer may impound a vehicle when the rider lacks a license the Vehicle Code requires, or when a Class 3 e-bike is being ridden by someone under 16. To get it back, the city may require a personal appearance, proof that the rider (and a parent, if the rider is a minor) completed a CHP-approved e-bike safety course, and payment of towing, storage and administrative fees.

Several rules already in Article 5-7 from an earlier update (Ordinance No. 2025-633) stay in place:

• No bicycles, e-bikes, scooters, skateboards or similar devices in any city park or city facility.
• Riders under 18, including passengers, must wear a properly fitted and fastened helmet on a bicycle or e-bike.
• A headlight and a red taillight or reflector are required when riding from 30 minutes after sunset until 30 minutes before sunrise.
• Bicycles and e-bikes are not allowed on sidewalks, except on certain school-route sidewalks at 5 mph or less (listed in the FAQ below).
• No riding on sidewalks in a commercial or business center or in parking lots of city-owned or city-operated property.
• No riding more than two abreast, no hitching rides on vehicles, and riders must use a bike lane where one is available, unless it is unsafe to do so.

Who the E-Bike Rules Affect

• Kids and teens: Riders under 18 must wear a helmet. Riders under 16 may not operate a Class 3 e-bike, and doing so can lead to the bike being impounded.
• Parents and guardians: You can be held jointly responsible for fines and fees your child receives under Article 5-7. If a bike is impounded, you may be asked to appear in person and to complete a CHP-approved e-bike safety course with your child.
• Owners of modified or “unlocked” e-bikes: Modified e-bikes and scooters may not be ridden in Villa Park, and a bike modified beyond the state definition is treated as a motor vehicle.
• Sellers and rental businesses: They have new disclosure and recordkeeping duties for sales and rentals to Villa Park customers.

Penalties for Violating Villa Park’s E-Bike Rules

At the Aug. 25, 2026 meeting, City Attorney Todd Litfin said a violation is a misdemeanor, with a maximum fine of $1,000 and up to six months of incarceration per violation (Aug. 25 minutes).

• Parents or guardians can be jointly liable for fines and fees assessed against a minor (Sec. 5-7.25).
• A retailer or rental operator that does not follow the disclosure rules commits an infraction. A third or later violation within 12 months is a misdemeanor (Sec. 5-7.26).
• Vehicles can be impounded in the situations described above (Sec. 5-7.27).
• Separately, state law makes riding without a required helmet under Vehicle Code 21212 an infraction with a fine of up to $25, and parents are jointly liable for that fine.

How Villa Park’s Rules Relate to California E-Bike Law

Villa Park’s ordinance uses the state’s e-bike definitions. Under California Vehicle Code 312.5, an electric bicycle has fully operable pedals and a motor of no more than 750 watts. There are three classes:

• Class 1: The motor assists only while you pedal and stops assisting at 20 mph.
• Class 2: The motor can propel the bike on its own (throttle) and stops assisting at 20 mph.
• Class 3: The motor assists only while you pedal and stops assisting at 28 mph. These bikes must have a speedometer.

State law also requires manufacturers to put a label on each e-bike showing its class, top assisted speed and motor wattage. A vehicle modified to go faster than 20 mph on motor power alone, to exceed 750 watts, or to remove its pedals is not an e-bike under state law.

Under Vehicle Code 21213, no one under 16 may operate a Class 3 e-bike, and every Class 3 rider and passenger must wear a helmet. Under Vehicle Code 21212, riders under 18 must wear a helmet on a bicycle, and state law applies the bicycle rules of the road to e-bike riders. Villa Park’s ordinance repeats these rules locally and adds the tampering, parent-liability, retailer and impound provisions.

Where to Ride E-Bikes in and Around Villa Park

In Villa Park, e-bikes belong on streets and in bike lanes, following the same rules of the road as other vehicles. City code requires using a bike lane where one is available, unless it is unsafe to do so. Sidewalk riding is limited to the school-route sidewalks listed below, and riding is not allowed in city parks or city facilities.

For recreational rides, the Santiago Creek Bike Trail runs through Orange and Santa Ana near Villa Park. Rules on regional trails are set by the agency that manages each section, so check posted signs before riding an e-bike there. For more ideas, see Things to Do in Villa Park.

Villa Park E-Bike FAQ

Can a 14- or 15-year-old ride a Class 3 e-bike in Villa Park?

No. State law and the Villa Park ordinance both prohibit anyone under 16 from operating a Class 3 e-bike. Under the ordinance, the bike can also be impounded.

Is there an age limit for Class 1 or Class 2 e-bikes?

The state’s under-16 limit applies only to Class 3 e-bikes, and Villa Park’s ordinance does not add a separate age limit for Class 1 or Class 2. Riders under 18 must still wear a helmet.

Can my child ride on the sidewalk?

Generally no. Bicycles and e-bikes may ride at 5 mph or less only on these school-route sidewalks: Taft Avenue between Santiago Blvd. and Center Dr.; Nichols Avenue between Taft Avenue and Serrano Avenue; Serrano Avenue between Nichols Avenue and Santiago Blvd.; Center Dr. between Villa Park Road and Lincoln St.; Lincoln St. between Center St. and Miller Circle; and Santiago Blvd. between Center St. and Santiago Blvd./Wanda. Riders on a sidewalk must yield to pedestrians and give an audible signal before passing.

What counts as a “modified” e-bike?

Any change, including aftermarket parts or software, that makes an e-bike or motorized scooter faster or more powerful than its manufacturer label allows, unless the label is updated. The ordinance prohibits operating a modified e-bike or modified electric scooter in the city.

Are parents responsible for their child’s e-bike tickets?

Yes. Under Sec. 5-7.25, a parent or guardian with custody or control of a minor is jointly and severally liable for fees, fines or penalties under Article 5-7.

Can I carry a passenger on my e-bike?

Only if the e-bike is designed and equipped to carry that many people. Every Class 3 passenger must wear a helmet, as must every passenger under 18 on any bicycle or e-bike.

Can I ride an e-bike in a Villa Park park?

No. City code prohibits bicycles, e-bikes, scooters, skateboards and similar devices in any city park or city facility. You may walk a bike through.

When do the new rules take effect?

This is still pending. The ordinance passed its first reading on Aug. 25, 2026, and adoption was on the Sept. 22, 2026 agenda. The city says ordinances generally take effect 30 days after adoption. This page will be updated once adoption is confirmed.

Sources

• City of Villa Park, Aug. 25, 2026 City Council Action Minutes (Item 3)
• City of Villa Park, Aug. 25, 2026 City Council Agenda
• City of Villa Park, Sept. 22, 2026 City Council Agenda
• Sept. 22, 2026 staff report, Draft Ordinance No. 2026-640 and red-lined Article 5-7
• City of Villa Park, City Council page (how ordinances are adopted and take effect)
• California Vehicle Code Section 312.5 (e-bike definitions and classes)
• California Vehicle Code Section 21213 (Class 3 age limit and helmets)
• California Vehicle Code Section 21212 (helmets for riders under 18)

This page is general information, not legal advice. Check the current Villa Park Municipal Code and California Vehicle Code for the official text.