Laws by state / West Virginia
West Virginia
What West Virginia's statutes say about riding each kind of personal electric vehicle. Local rules can be stricter.
E-bikes
How the law defines it: Three-class system. 2 or 3 wheels, working pedals, motor under 750 W. Class 1: pedal-assist to 20 mph. Class 2: throttle, to 20 mph. Class 3: pedal-assist to 28 mph. Riders have the rights and duties of vehicle drivers.
Road
Allowed
Same rights and duties as a vehicle driver; Class 1/2 have the same rights as regular bicycles on roads where bicycles are allowed.
Bike lane
Allowed
Bicyclists slower than traffic must use a marked bike lane where one exists.
Sidewalk
Not addressed in statute
Not addressed in statute.
Paths and trails
Allowed with limits
Class 1/2 allowed on trails where regular bicycles are allowed. Class 3 not allowed on bike paths, multiuse or single-use trails unless within a road or the managing agency expressly permits it. No access beyond where regular bicycles may go.
- Helmet
- Required for riders and passengers under 15.
- Minimum age
- None in statute (the age-restriction subsection lists only the helmet rule).
- Speed limit or cap
- 20 mph motor assist (Class 1 and 2), 28 mph (Class 3)
- Motor power cap
- Under 750 W
- License, registration, insurance
- Exempt from registration, title, driver's license and financial responsibility requirements.
- Also worth knowing
- Tampering with speed or motor engagement is prohibited; a modified e-bike that exceeds the limits is no longer an e-bike (except when used only on the owner's property). Class 3 needs a speedometer. No riding under the influence.
Checked October 26, 2026
Statutes: W. Va. Code 17C-1-70; 17C-11-8; 17C-11-5; 17C-11A-4
- W. Va. Code 17C-1-70 (Electric bicycles; definitions)
- W. Va. Code 17C-11-8 (Electric bicycles; requirements; age restrictions)
- W. Va. Code 17C-11-5 (Riding on roadways and bicycle paths)
- W. Va. Code 17C-11A-4 (Helmet requirements, Child Bicycle Safety Act)
E-scooters
Not addressed in statute. We found no West Virginia statute that covers this vehicle by name or by a definition that clearly fits it. That isn't permission: police and cities may treat it under another category. West Virginia has no e-scooter definition. The general 'motor vehicle' definition (17C-1-3) covers every self-propelled vehicle except motorized wheelchairs, but the statute does not say how it applies to stand-up scooters. The EPAMD definition (17C-1-66) covers only self-balancing two-wheel devices.
Checked October 26, 2026
Something wrong in this section? Tell us.Electric boards (incl. Onewheel-style)
Not addressed in statute. We found no West Virginia statute that covers this vehicle by name or by a definition that clearly fits it. That isn't permission: police and cities may treat it under another category.
Checked October 26, 2026
Something wrong in this section? Tell us.Electric unicycles
Not addressed in statute. We found no West Virginia statute that covers this vehicle by name or by a definition that clearly fits it. That isn't permission: police and cities may treat it under another category. The EPAMD definition (17C-1-66) requires two side-by-side wheels, so it does not cover one-wheel devices.