Yes! e-bikes are legal in Australia. The only limitation is where they can be ridden. Bikes that meet national e-bike standards can be used on public roads and bike paths, while non-compliant devices may be restricted to private property.
To be considered legal for on-road use, electric bikes must:
- Be pedal-assisted only — the motor can only activate when the rider is pedalling (pedelec)
- Throttle-only operation is not permitted on public roads only private property unless it does not exceed 6km/h
- Have a maximum continuous output of 250W (some exceptions apply — for example, NSW allows up to 500W for certain classifications)
- Be not capable of an assisted top speed of more than 25km/h — after this, the motor must cut out
- Comply with all general road rules, including helmet use, speed limits and designated bike paths
Most negative media coverage relates to non-compliant or modified devices that exceed these limits or operate more like electric motorcycles.
Devices without pedals, with high-powered motors, or with unrestricted throttles are typically restricted to private property or off-road use unless they are registrable motorcycles.
👉 Laws and enforcement can vary between states and territories, so riders should always check their local road authority for the latest regulations.
Examples of devices that are designed strictly for off road private property use only (unless otherwise road registrable):
- Surron Light Bee X & Hyper Bee
- Surron Ultra bee / Storm Bee (Excluding ADR Road Registrable Models)