All e-bikes sold by E-bike Positive brands and retailers are road legal to use in the UK.

To be road legal, an e-bike needs to pass some simple tests:

• It must have working pedals
• It must have a motor power rating of at most 250W
• The motor assist must cut out at 25 km/h (15.5 mph)
• and in almost every case, it must be 'pedal assist' only (i.e. you have to be pedalling for the motor to operate at above walking pace)

If it meets all of these rules, and the rider is at least 14 year of age, you can ride it in the UK just like you can ride any other pedal cycle.

"E-bikes" can sometimes also refer to electrically powered motorcycles or mopeds. If these are properly approved by the DVSA, registered, taxed and insured, then these can be used legally on roads too (but not cycle paths) in accordance with the established rules and regulations for motorcycle use, including holding a suitable licence and wearing an approved motorcycle helmet.

Want more detail?

• Read the official Government guidance about road legal e-bikes (Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles) in summary here and in much more detail here
• Read the Bicycle Association's Guide to e-bike regulations, which includes consideration of "Twist and go" e-bikes and 'edge cases' such as electrically-assisted cycle trailers
• Read Cycling UK's extensive e-bike advice

If your e-bike is not road legal as an Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle (EAPC) or as a fully registered moped/motorbike, and you use it on road, on cycle paths or in a public place, it will be treated by police and other authorities as an unregistered motorbike. So you risk fines and other penalties (such as points on your driving licence), for offences such as riding a motor vehicle without insurance or a proper licence, or riding a motorbike without the proper helmet. Police have also recently been granted powers to seize and swiftly dispose of illegal e-motorbikes, so you may lose the vehicle too.

Potentially even more serious than the legal aspects is the risk of personal liability. If a rider of an illegal (non-EAPC) vehicle were to injure a third party, or damage property, it is highly likely that any insurance cover they may have which covers third party liability will be invalid. The result could be life-changing personal liabilities (e.g. the lifetime cost of medical care for an injured third party).

For all of these reasons we very strongly recommend that riders use only road-legal EAPCs from reputable suppliers - buy E-Bike Positive to be sure.

Just because an e-bike or other mobility device is advertised for sale on a major online marketplace or by a retailer does not mean that it is legal to use it on the road or in public places.

E-Bike Positive and other safety campaigns have argued that the law should be changed to restrict sales of non road legal products. But as it stands, it remains legal to sell vehicles which cannot be legally ridden on road, provided that they are advertised as for use on private land only.

More accurately, this use of non-road-legal e-bikes or e-motorbikes on private land is legally permitted only on private land to which the public do not have unrestricted access, and with the landowner's permission.

Unfortunately, many sellers on online marketplaces and some retailers do not make this restriction clear to purchasers, as they are required to do by law, so purchasers may unknowingly buy a non road legal device.

We recommend purchasing from an E-Bike Positive retailer to be sure that your new e-bike is fully road legal.

E-Bike Positive suppliers carry out extensive testing on e-bikes and e-bike batteries before placing them on the market, testing them to established international standards. The checks we carry out before a supplier is listed as E-Bike Positive provide independent verification that these standards are met.

Aspects tested include mechanical, electrical and electromagnetic compatibility safety, that proper user information is provided, and that proper processes are in place to monitor product quality in production and use.

This extensive testing to ensure quality and safety is then backed up by final pre-delivery checking, usually by an authorised E-Bike Positive retailer, who will use manufacturer-authorised parts and procedures to keep the e-bike in top condition.

• E-bikes are typically tested to the British and European standard EN 15194:2017+A1:2023. This standard has been "designated" by the Government to state that it cover all relevant risks in use and foreseeable misuse (under Machinery regulations)
• Battery packs should be tested to BS EN 50604-1:2016+A1:2021, an established standard for light electric vehicle battery packs.

Want more detail?

• Read more about the Bicycle Association Audit through which e-bike brands can qualify to be called "E-Bike Positive"
• Read a summary of the regulations which apply for e-bikes and with which E-Bike Positive suppliers must comply

There are two main areas of risk

Battery and electrical safety. In properly tested e-bikes, the batteries are very safe, of high quality and tested to the relevant international product safety standard. They are supplied together with a matching charger as a complete system. There is minimal risk with such batteries, used normally and in accordance with the instructions.

But unfortunately there are products on the market which are much less safe - by design, because of poor manufacturing quality or because battery and charger are purchased separately, and may not be compatible.

If one of these batteries catches fire or explodes, the consequences can be very severe indeed, and sadly in some cases such incidents have been fatal. You may have read reports of such incidents in the media. As well as intense fire, toxic fumes can be generated which may impede escape.

So it's essential to follow the advice of the Fire & Rescue Services to purchase e-bike batteries from reputable suppliers only. E-Bike Positive aims to help you identify those reputable brands and retailers, so that you can be confident in the safety of your e-bike and battery.

Mechanical safety. Without proper testing and quality controls, there's a risk that the frame, forks or other structural parts could break under load, or that the brakes might not be up to the job of stopping you. In contrast, properly safety-tested e-bikes (such as E-Bike Positive brands) are designed and tested to international standards to ensure reliable performance.

When you buy an e-bike from an E-Bike Positive brand you do so knowing that the supplier has been given the stamp of approval after a rigorous audit organised by the UK's national cycle industry trade bodies, as a supplier of properly safety-tested and fully road legal e-bikes.

For you that means:

• Confidence that it is a safe product, and that it will come with all of the information you need about its safe use and maintenance
• Peace of mind that you can use your e-bike legally in the UK, wherever it's legal to cycle.
• No problems obtaining insurance (very few insurers will cover non road legal e-bikes)

An E-Bike Positive retailer has stepped up as a responsible supplier and pledged to sell, service and repair only safe and road legal e-bikes in accordance with industry best practice. The UK's national cycle industry trade bodies verify that retailers live up to this pledge through a variety of mechanisms including 'mystery shopper' visits.

When you go to an E-Bike Positive retailer for e-bike purchase, servicing, repair or spare parts, this means:

• You'll be offered only fully road legal e-bikes
• Servicing and repairs will be carried out to manufacturer specifications, keeping your e-bike safe and legal
• Any spare parts provided (including batteries and chargers) will be fully compatible and safe.

The idea of simply adding an electric drive system to an existing pedal cycle to create an e-bike seems initially attractive, but it is not quite that simple. There are a number of potential risks in doing this that we consider customers should be made aware of before any purchase. Unfortunately, most conversion kit suppliers do not provide full information about these risks.

These concerns are summed up in this guidance from the Bicycle Association.

If having read that, you do still wish to buy and fit an e-bike conversion kit, we would urge recommend extreme caution when buying from non-UK suppliers - many battery fire incidents are reported to have involved e-bike conversion kits sourced from overseas via online marketplaces, from suppliers who cannot easily be held accountable by Trading Standards or other authorities if their product proves to be unsafe. We also very strongly recommend buying only complete systems (of battery, charger and drive system) so that these safety-critical parts should all be compatible.

Because E-Bike Positive is a trust mark for complete e-bikes, with E-Bike Positive brands taking full responsibility for all aspects of the e-bike's safety, it is not currently possible for suppliers of components of e-bikes, or e-bike conversion kits, to participate. Nonetheless, we recognise that e-bike conversion kits have become established in the UK market, and that when it comes to the specific issue of fire safety, a complete e-bike conversion kit would include the most fire safety relevant components. We are exploring, in dialogue with the UK product safety regulator OPSS, how suppliers of complete e-bike conversion kits whose products and sales practices meet high legal standards might be included in a future phase of this scheme, so that potential customers can be directed towards conversion kit suppliers whose products are as safe as possible.

The cycle industry is very much aware that cost can be a significant barrier to e-bike ownership. E-Bike Positive retailers do offer e-bikes at a wide range of price points, and there are also some other things that may help:

• Road legal e-bikes are eligible for the Cycle to Work tax break, which offers employees a salary sacrifice arrangement to effectively reduce the cost of purchase.
• Many retailers will offer finance arrangements so that an e-bike can be obtained via more affordable monthly payments, rather than a single sum up front.

The owner manual of your new e-bike contains important safety information, so please do read it through. We'd urge special attention to the sections about battery charging and storage - these are important both for safety and to ensure that your e-bike battery has a long and reliable service life.

Among this info will also be details of registering your bike - please do this both for warranty purposes and also so that if there are any safety alerts or recalls you can be easily contacted.

Part of the safety commitment made by both E-Bike Positive brands and E-Bike Positive retailers is to ensure that the customer - you - is properly informed with all relevant safety information. When you buy E-Bike Positive, you will be equipped with everything you need to know to stay safe and road legal.

The manufacturer of your e-bike may well have a network of authorised retailers who can carry out repairs and servicing, and going to one of those retailers should be your first choice.

Increasingly, E-Bike Positive brands have networks of retailers who are also all E-Bike Positive.

If your brand does not have a local authorised retailer, we recommend choosing an E-Bike Positive retailer. They will only work on your e-bike if they are certain that they are competent and equipped to complete the work and to hand it back in a fully safe and road legal condition, including all aspects of charging and battery safety.

Your original battery and charger provided with an E-Bike Positive brand e-bike will be carefully engineered, thoroughly tested to international standards and designed to work seamlessly together.

If you need a spare or replacement for either battery or charger, the only way to maintain that level of safety and compatibility is to use only spares or replacements authorised by the original manufacturer.

An E-Bike Positive retailer will only sell you properly authorised spares.

• Please be aware that counterfeit batteries are sometimes offered for sale, especially from overseas sellers on online marketplaces. If it looks to good to be true, it probably is.
• We would also advise against buying secondhand batteries (or chargers). It is almost impossible to be sure that a used battery pack is genuine, undamaged and retains its original level of safety. Anecdotal evidence suggests that 'dead' batteries are frequently sold online, partly to avoid the need for proper disposal - so the purchaser may be left with a useless, potentially hazardous battery which they will need to dispose of responsibly ASAP!

The user manual of any e-bike from a responsible supplier will provide clear information about charging and storage of the battery, both for safety and to ensure a long service life.

UK authorities, and fire and rescue services, have also now produced extensive guidance on e-bike battery charging and storage, aiming to reduce the fire risk and the consequences of possible fires. This will be especially relevant to owners of higher risk batteries (such as those purchased via online marketplaces from overseas sellers, especially if not used with a guaranteed compatible charger).

An e-bike from a reputable seller (for example, E-Bike Positive brands) and properly maintained (by e.g. an E-Bike Positive retailer) will have a vanishingly small risk of fire, just like other household items which use rechargeable batteries. But we would still advise following best practice in storage and charging.

• Comprehensive advice is available here from the National Fire Chiefs Council
• London Fire Brigade has extensive guidance here as part of their #ChargeSafe initiative
• The Office for Product Safety and Standards has guidance for consumers on e-bike and e-scooter battery charging, including video safety messages in multiple languages
• The Department for Transport has guidance on battery safety for e-cycle users.

Key messages in official advice include:

• Avoid storing or charging e-bikes or batteries in escape routes or communal areas
• Avoid storage in excessively hot or cold areas
• Follow manufacturer instructions for both charging and storage
• Use only the manufacturer approved charger
• Have working smoke alarms
• Charge batteries only while you are awake and able to respond quickly to any incidents
• Do not cover the battery or charger while charging
• Do not charge near flammable materials
• Do not overcharge
• Do not overload mains sockets or use unsuitable extension leads.
• If there is a fire, get out, stay out, call 999.

A high quality e-bike battery will have a working life of many years - ten years or more is not unusual. In intensive use, the lifespan may well be shorter. But at some point, the battery will reach end of life.

Please do not under any circumstances dispose of e-bike batteries with normal household waste - it may cause dangerous refuse fires when crushed.

There are two main options for the proper disposal of end of life e-bike batteries:

• Return them to where you purchased the e-bike. The importer or distributor of the e-bike has a legal obligation to take back the old battery free of charge, and they will normally have made arrangements for retailers who sell that brand to take back end of life batteries on their behalf. If no such arrangement in place the retailer is entitled to refuse to take back the battery, in which case you should contact the e-bike importer or distributor direct - their details will be on the bike and in the user manual. They must arrange collection of the battery from you free of charge.
• Alternatively, you can take the battery to a municipal waste disposal and recycling centre ("the tip"). They will generally have a disposal point for batteries - please just follow any signs or instructions.
• In some areas there may be kerbside recycling collections for batteries. If so, your local council will provide guidance.

Assuming it meets all of the tests described in "What is a road legal e-bike" above, you can ride it just like any other pedal cycle (except that the rider must be at least 14 years of age). So this means on roads, cycle paths and bridleways. Just as if you were riding any other type of cycling, you'll need to ensure that you ride responsibly in accordance with the Highway Code, and that you use lights at night. For further detail, Cycling UK has an excellent guide to "Cycling within the law".

Children must be at least 14 years of age to ride an e-bike legally on road or in public spaces.

Unfortunately, there have been a significant number of serious fire incidents attributed to e-bikes. These incidents primarily involve, we understand, kit-created e-bikes with parts sourced via online marketplaces, and often used in the gig economy delivery sector.

In contrast, we are not aware of any confirmed fire incidents involving E-Bike Positive brands, and more generally there are very few reports even suggesting the involvement of what we might consider 'reputable' e-bikes from responsible UK sellers (across millions of e-bikes sold in recent decades).

But because there are undeniably dangerous products in the market, and no easy way for a non-expert to determine 'on the spot' whether a particular e-bike is safe or not, the result has been blanket e-bike restrictions.

We are increasingly seeing restrictions on e-bikes entering employer premises, public buildings and on some forms of public transport, and restrictions on keeping e-bikes in residential premises.

These restrictions are driven by risk assessments and legal duties of care which building managers must observe, and also by the insurance sector who have been alarmed by the damage caused by some of these very intense fire incidents.

The real answer to these issues is for the dangerous products to be removed from the UK market entirely. That's a job for Government, and the cycle industry has produced a Stop the Fires Action Plan for Government which details the policies and actions required. But we expect that even in a best case, this will take years.

Meanwhile, E-Bike Positive is a first step towards making it clear to the risk assessors and insurers that not all e-bikes are alike. We are in close dialogue with the insurance industry and others to try to develop the assurance that comes with purchasing an E-Bike Positive e-bike, and maintaining it at a responsible E-Bike Positive retailer, into a formal scheme through which some access restrictions may in future be lifted.

But we must be honest - we are not there yet. If you are facing an e-bike ban, and have done everything right by buying E-Bike Positive, by all means please do stress this to your landlord, employer or insurer, and show them the E-Bike Positive website (where we hope to have specific resources for insurers and premises managers shortly). But we cannot guarantee that they will change their policy.

Nor can we get involved directly. We simply do not have the resources to support e-bike owners' dialogue with particular employers, landlords or other organisations.

But we are working hard with the key stakeholders on this vitally important issue for e-bike owners and the whole e-bike industry, and will let you know ASAP if we have any update.