In doing so, the city joined scores of other suburban municipalities — from Highland Parkto Park Ridgeto Oak Lawn— enacting similar legislation in response to resident concerns about safety.
St. Charles officials have indicated that the city’s ordinance reflects current state law, which offers some guidance about where e-bikes can be used and who can ride them, but also gives local municipalities some leeway to make their own rules.
Under Illinois law, e-bikes, which are sometimes referred to as low-speed electric bicycles, are different from an electric motorcycle. An e-bike must have an electric motor of less than 750 watts, and is split into three classes.
Class 1 e-bikes have motors that only provide assistance when the rider is pedaling, whereas Class 2 e-bikes have an electric motor that cuts out when the brake is applied. Class 3 e-bikes, like Class 1, have a motor that stops when its rider stops pedaling. Riders must be 16 years of age or older to use Class 3 e-bikes, according to state law.
State law also indicates that a rider can operate a low-speed electric bicycle on any roadway a traditional bike can use, including in bike lanes. E-bikes can’t be operated on sidewalks, however.
According to the 2025 Illinois Rules of the Road from the Secretary of State’s Office, low-speed electric and gas bicycles may not exceed 20 miles per hour.
But the state’s rules also allow local governments to prohibit some or all classes of e-bikes on bike paths, which has created a patchwork of different laws across Chicago’s suburbs.
At a September St. Charles City Council Government Operations Committee meeting, the city’s Director of Economic Development Derek Conley said there had been a “rise in complaints from residents” about e-bikes on sidewalks, and an increase in the usage of such bikes.
The updated ordinance, which was passed by the St. Charles City Council in October, aims to clarify how they can be used in the city.
Under St. Charles’ regulations, all classes of e-bikes are permitted in bike lanes, side paths and roads, but are prohibited on sidewalks. Low-speed gas bicycles are similarly prohibited on sidewalks but allowed in bike lanes and on side paths and roads.
Electric motorcycles, on the other hand, which Conley said refers to devices with electric motors greater than 750 watts and that can achieve a speed greater than 20 mph without pedaling, and mopeds are only allowed on roadways.
Entry-speed electric scooters, which are only capable of reaching 10 mph, are permitted on sidewalks, bike lanes and side paths, but not on roads, according to the city rules. And low-speed electric scooters are only allowed on roadways.
Per state law, and outlined in St. Charles’ rules, an individual must be at least 18 to operate electric scooters.
In keeping with state law, Class 3 e-bikes can only be used by people 16 or older in St. Charles, but there are no age restrictions for Class 1 and 2 e-bikes, per the city. Individuals must be at least 16 to use mopeds and electric motorcycles.
And non-motorized bikes are permitted to be ridden in all of these areas in St. Charles, including on sidewalks, except in the city’s downtown area, Conley noted, which is indicated via a map on the city’s website.
Conley also noted that all pedal vehicles in St. Charles are required to have a bell.
A breakdown of the city’s definitions for each category of device is available on its website at: https://www.stcharlesil.gov/Resources/Getting-Around/Safety-Regulations-for-Bicycles-E-Bikes-and-Scooters/.
As for violations of the bike rules, the revised city ordinance approved by the City Council also outlines a tiered system of fines. A first offense gets an individual a $25 fine, and a second offense leads to a $50 fine. A third offense leads to a fine of $100-$250 and/or a combination of community service hours. And the parents or guardians of any violator 17 years of age or under would be notified of a violation.
At the Oct. 6 City Council meeting at which the ordinance was approved, St. Charles Police Chief Dan Likens clarified that bikes — including e-bikes, as long as they have pedals and are not solely powered by an engine — do not require insurance.
And Ald. Jayme Muenz asked if, while the city waits for more state legislation and guidance, how they can educate residents on the new rules aside from putting it on the city’s website.
A spokesperson for the city noted that, in addition to the city website, information about the new bike policy has since been publicized on Facebook, and in the city’s November newsletter.
Likens, at the October meeting, suggested the matter be discussed at the schools, as well as at special events, and said that parents need to be informed about the devices their children are using.
The city is also planning to put stickers in the downtown area to indicate where individuals should dismount their bicycles.
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