NRMA members support adoption of e-bike minimum age requirement
A survey of NRMA members has revealed overwhelming support for the adoption of a minimum age requirement for e-bike riders in New South Wales.
In a move which would effectively align NSW with age requirements already enforced in Queensland, the Micromobility 2026 survey of 1451 NRMA members based in NSW found 96 per cent of respondents were in favour of some type of age requirement.
Among respondents, 73 per cent backed a minimum age of 16 years in NSW, while a further 23 per cent supported a minimum age requirement between 10 years and 15 years.
It comes as NSW continues to grapple with e-bike fatalities and serious injuries. On Tuesday, a 38-year-old man was charged after allegedly striking a 15-year-old e-bike rider with an SUV before fleeing the scene in North Curl Curl on Monday.
In March this year, the NSW Government passed legislation that would allow police to confiscate and destroy e-bikes that breach speed and wattage thresholds. That legislation is expected to come into effect by August, and will be enforced with the help of new roadside dynamometer (dyno) units.
The NSW Government has confirmed it is exploring whether a minimum age limit should be introduced for e-bike riders. Currently there are no age restrictions on e-bike or bicycle use – meaning anyone can ride one – in the face of a boom in e-bike sales nationally.
A new proposal “will recommend a legal minimum age between 12 and 16 for riding an e-bike in NSW”. The government plans to consult road safety and child development experts, as well as youth groups and parents, before making a ruling on any age-limit restrictions. The review will also focus on whether it should be legal for e-bike riders to carry passengers or not.
The NRMA has supported increased enforcement for some time, including advocating for a minimum age limited as well as the introduction of a light-touch identification and registration scheme, such as that proposed by the NSW opposition. Various forms of identification and registration schemes already exist in overseas jurisdictions.
The NRMA’s latest Micromobility 2026 survey suggests found 92 per cent of respondents supported the NSW government taking stronger action on e-bike safety.
Furthermore, 88 per cent of respondents supported an online test for road rules knowledge, while 78 per cent supported e-bike riders requiring a valid learner’s licence.
