State guide

Minnesota

Minnesota has a statewide three-class electric-assisted bicycle system and gives e-bikes most of the same operating rights as bicycles. Minnesota also has a single statewide minimum operator age of 15, while trail access depends heavily on whether the facility is a bicycle path, shared-use path, or natural-surface nonmotorized trail and on which local authority or state agency controls it.

Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.

Try a ZIP like 30303, “Travis County” or “Columbus, OH”

Three-class system: Yes. Minnesota uses the three-class system; the class definitions appear in Minn. Stat. § 169.011 and were added in the 2021 First Special Session, Chapter 5.
Minimum age: Minnesota has one statewide minimum operator age for electric-assisted bicycles: a person under 15 must not operate any class.
Helmet rule: No statewide e-bike helmet requirement was located in the current statutes or agency pages searched.
Where e-bikes may ride: Electric-assisted bicycles may operate like bicycles on shoulders, bicycle lanes, and bicycle routes; class 1 and class 2 may use bicycle paths, bicycle trails, and shared-use paths unless prohibited under the cited statutes, class 3 may use those facilities unless the local authority or state agency with jurisdiction prohibits it, and the jurisdiction over a natural-surface nonmotorized trail or bike park may regulate e-bike use.
License or registration: Minnesota excludes electric-assisted bicycles from the Chapter 168 definition of motor vehicle, so no motor-vehicle registration requirement appears there; no separate operator-license or insurance requirement was located on the official pages searched.
Law: Minn. Stat. §§ 169.011, subds. 15a, 15b, 15c, 27; 169.222, subd. 6a; 168.002, subd. 18; 2021 1st Spec. Sess. ch. 5.

Official resources in Minnesota

Minnesota Statutes, Section 169.011

Official definitions for electric-assisted bicycles and classes 1, 2, and 3.

Minnesota Statutes, Section 169.222

Official riding-rules statute covering paths, trails, shared-use paths, and the statewide minimum age.

Minnesota DNR - E-bikes, Segways and other uses on state trails

Official DNR page telling riders where e-bikes may be used on Minnesota state trails.

Minnesota Statutes, Section 168.002

Official statute showing that an electric-assisted bicycle is not a motor vehicle for Chapter 168 registration purposes.

Chapter 5 - 2021 First Special Session

Official session-law page showing the 2021 class-based e-bike amendments to Minnesota bicycle law.

Key facts for Minnesota

Minnesota adopted class-based e-bike rules in the 2021 First Special Session, Chapter 5.
Minnesota defines class 1, class 2, and class 3 electric-assisted bicycles in Section 169.011.
A person under age 15 must not operate an electric-assisted bicycle.
Class 1 and class 2 e-bikes may use bicycle paths, bicycle trails, and shared-use paths unless a cited state or local authority prohibition applies.
Class 3 e-bikes may use bicycle paths, bicycle trails, and shared-use paths unless the local authority or state agency with jurisdiction prohibits them.
An electric-assisted bicycle is excluded from the Chapter 168 definition of motor vehicle.

City e-bike rules in Minnesota

City	city	phone	Details
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Ramsey	Saint Paul	Not published*	Official state-trail page says e-bikes are allowed on state trails wherever normal bicycles are allowed if they meet the statutory definition.
Bicycle Riding Hennepin	Minneapolis	Not published*	Official Minneapolis bike-riding page explains sidewalk-riding rules and restricted sidewalk areas for bicycles.
Shared Scooters & Bikes Ramsey	Saint Paul	651-266-6100	Saint Paul's shared micromobility page says scooters and bikes are only permitted on city streets, bike lanes, and bike trails and should never be used on sidewalks except briefly entering or exiting from the boulevard.
Biking, Walking & Rolling Olmsted	Rochester	Not published*	Rochester's shared micromobility page says scooters and e-bikes cannot be used on public sidewalks and must be used in the roadway, bike lane, or multi-use trail.
Biking Safety Olmsted	Rochester	Not published*	Rochester's bike-safety page explains downtown sidewalk restrictions and notes Minnesota has no statewide bicycle helmet mandate.
Engineering Department Hennepin	Bloomington	Not published*	Bloomington's page summarizes local information on e-bikes and electric scooters and includes classification and riding-rule references.

* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.

What to do next

If you are under 15, do not operate an e-bike on Minnesota public ways or trails.
For paths and trails, check who controls the facility before riding: city, county, park board, or state agency rules may differ.
Minnesota DNR state-trail rules are separate from city shared-micromobility program rules, so review both when using a rented e-bike.

Not seeing your city or county?

We list a city only when an official government page publishes its rules. If yours isn't in the table above, it may not publish them online yet. Here's what to use instead, in order:

General Start with the statewide information above. It applies across Minnesota, but cities and counties can add their own steps, fees or deadlines.
Closest verified Nearest places where we have verified local data outside this state (distance from Minnesota's population center, for comparison only):
- Broadway Bicycle/Pedestrian Safety Zone, North Dakota · about 192 miles
- Downtown Fargo Safety, North Dakota · about 192 miles
- Bike Safety, North Dakota · about 192 miles
Call to confirm Ask the official office. They have the current local rule, fee and form.
Minnesota DNR - E-bikes, Segways and other uses on state trails
Website →
Phone: (888) 646-6367 (as listed on that page, checked Oct 4, 2026)
Your city or county office: Local governments →
Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the Minnesota page on USA.gov can point you to the right office.
Know the current info? Tell us and include a link to the official page. We check every tip before it goes up.

Helpful guides

E-bike rule check →

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