Motorized Bike Driver’s License?
Question
Jeffery asked: I do not have a driver’s license and I wanted to buy a motorized bicycle and ride it to and from work. Can I do this legally?
Answer
If it is a bicycle with an electric assist motor, it may be legal. If it has a gas assist motor, it would not be legal. See this post and the incorporated link for the laws and details about the eBike.
Please describe what “motorized bicycle”, you are speaking of….
That is a general term and not descriptive of exactly what you are looking at…
I have learned that people like to be general when they don’t really want to know the answer, because that answer is not what they want to hear…
It works this way….
Bicycle with an electric motor and with OPERABLE AND ATTACHED pedals which doesn’t allow speeds greater than 20mph via motor power alone is the only “legal motorized bicycle” to be used AS a bicycle…
Every other type of “motorized bicycle” either needs to be registered as a MOPED (via FL DMV procedure RS-68) and REQUIRES a DRIVERS license OR they are the type that are not legal for road use….
Thanks for the response specialx. Would you say a bicycle with a gas assist motor capable of traveling up to 30mph would be considered a moped? And in response to “the type that are not legal for road use”: If a bicycle has a gas assist motor and isn’t considered a moped, is there any place that it would be considered “legal for use”? I’m assuming since it does not fall under the definition of “bicycle” that it can’t be on the sidewalk or bike lane. If not the sidewalk or road, where could you ride something like this?
And what of a gas powered bicycle that can go a maximum of 15-20mph? Would it fall under moped?
Chris,
Unless it is registered as a moped, you may only legally operate it on private property.
Chris,
It might be a moped if it has the required equipment. You can find the definition of “moped” and other information here:
http://flbikelaw.org/2011/06/mopeds-3/