E-bike rules are changing fast in Australia — especially in Queensland and New South Wales. This is a plain-English summary for buyers and sellers. It is not legal advice: check the official sources at the bottom before you buy, sell or ride.
The national basics
- Pedal-assist, not a motorbike. A legal e-bike (a “pedelec”, or EPAC) helps while you pedal. The motor stops helping at 25 km/h.
- 250 watts. In most of Australia the motor’s maximum continuous rated power is 250 W. New South Wales allows up to 500 W for now (see below).
- Throttles only to 6 km/h. A throttle may only move the bike up to 6 km/h — to help you get going. Above that, the motor only assists while you pedal.
- EN 15194. The European standard for e-bikes. A bike certified to it carries a compliance label, and it is becoming the test for “road legal” across Australia.
- Anything faster or stronger — a 1000 W motor, an “unlocked” speed limit, a throttle that goes to 40 km/h — is not a bicycle. It can only be ridden on private land.
Queensland: new laws from 1 July 2026
Queensland passed new e-mobility laws in 2026. The main points for riders, buyers and sellers:
- EN 15194 or the assurance scheme. From 1 July 2026, e-bikes ridden in public must meet EN 15194, or be verified under the state’s E-Bike (EPAC) Assurance Scheme.
- Older bikes get a transition. E-bikes made before 1 July 2026 that are within 250 W and 25 km/h but have no EN 15194 label can keep being ridden until 28 February 2027.
- Label required from 1 March 2027. From then, an e-bike ridden in public needs an EN 15194 compliance label, or a Legacy EPAC label from an approved verifier. The scheme is expected to open on 2 November 2026, with inspections and a label costing up to $70.
- Age and licence from 31 August 2026. Riders must be 16 or older and hold a driver licence (a learner licence counts), with exemptions — for example supervised younger riders and medical exemptions.
- Footpaths: 12 km/h. On shared paths, slow to 12 km/h when passing pedestrians.
- Illegal devices can be seized. Police can seize and destroy high-powered or modified e-bikes, and fines apply.
New South Wales: 500 W now, EN 15194 from 2029
- Today NSW allows an electrically power-assisted cycle with a maximum continuous rated power of up to 500 W, cutting out at 25 km/h.
- The NSW Government announced in February 2026 that it will adopt EN 15194, and that from 1 March 2029 only e-bikes meeting the European standard will be road legal in NSW.
- A minimum riding age (somewhere between 12 and 16) was under review in 2026, along with new lithium battery safety standards and police powers to seize illegal e-bikes.
Victoria, SA, WA, Tasmania, the ACT and the NT
These follow the national pedelec rules: 250 W, assistance to 25 km/h, throttle to 6 km/h. Each state sets its own road rules (helmets, footpath riding, age), so check your state’s transport website.
What’s coming nationally
The federal government has reinstated EN 15194 as the standard for importing and selling e-bikes, and the ACCC is developing a nationally consistent e-bike safety standard under Australian Consumer Law, covering e-bikes, e-scooters and e-skateboards.
If you’re selling an e-bike
- Say whether it has a compliance label — on EbikeMate there is a field for it, and buyers can filter for labelled bikes.
- Only call a bike “road legal” if it is. Don’t sell or offer ways to unlock power or speed.
- In Queensland, don’t sell a powered bike to anyone under 16.
- Record the frame serial number. Buyers check it against the EbikeMate register.
Official sources
- E-bike rules in Queensland — Queensland Government
- E-Bike (EPAC) Assurance Scheme — Queensland Government
- Choosing a legal e-bike — NSW Government
- Minimum age to ride an e-bike — NSW Government, 20 February 2026
This guide explains things in general terms. It is not legal advice. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.