North Carolina sorts e-bikes into three classes from Dec. 1 and lets towns set the rules on paths and sidewalks. Apex plans small changes for a Dec. 17 vote.

Apex plans to update its bicycle rules to cover e-bikes, after a change in North Carolina law that takes effect Dec. 1. The draft changes are due before the Town Council on Thursday, Dec. 17.

The council’s Public Safety Committee asked town staff to draft what it called minor amendments at its meeting Thursday, Nov. 5. The committee’s report goes to the full council Tuesday as an information item. It is in the Nov. 10 council agenda packet, with the slides Assistant Town Attorney Seth Kandl presented to the committee.

Mayor Jacques Gilbert chairs the committee. Council member Edward Gray is its other member.

What the state law changes

From Dec. 1, an e-bike must have working pedals, a motor of no more than 750 watts and fit one of three classes, according to the town’s presentation.

Class How the motor works Motor stops helping at
Class 1 Only while you pedal 20 mph
Class 2 Can move the bike without pedaling 20 mph
Class 3 Only while you pedal 28 mph

The presentation lists these other changes:

  • Helmets on Class 3: every rider or passenger under 18 must wear a helmet that meets federal safety standards.
  • Where you can ride: e-bikes are allowed by default on roads, bike lanes and multiuse paths. Sidewalks are not opened to them statewide.
  • Mopeds: Class 3 e-bikes are no longer regulated as mopeds or motorcycles.
  • Local control: towns can regulate e-bikes on multiuse paths and sidewalks. They can bar one or more classes, set speed limits and require helmets for riders under 18 on Class 1 and Class 2 bikes.

The town’s slides call it both a deregulation bill and a bill that hands authority to local government.

What Apex rules already say

Several town rules already apply to bicycles, according to the presentation:

  • Riders 16 and under must wear a helmet on public property, including roads, greenways and sidewalks.
  • On sidewalks and paths 5 feet wide or less, bicycles are limited to 10 mph and must yield to pedestrians.
  • Motorized vehicles are banned from town parks and greenways unless signs allow them. Current signs set a 10 mph limit.

What the committee chose

Staff gave the committee three options: leave the rules as they are, make minor changes or write a full set of e-bike rules. The committee chose the minor changes. According to its report, the draft would:

  • add a definition of an e-bike
  • make clear that town rules about bicycles cover qualifying e-bikes
  • clarify how the ban on motorized vehicles in parks and greenways applies

The report says this would make the rules clearer while the town watches how the state law works. More measures could follow if needed. The slides list the risk of minor changes as “may omit a needed response.”

At an Oct. 1 meeting, Police Chief Ryan Johansen told the committee that most e-bike riders are minors and may not stop when officers ask them to, according to the draft minutes in the same packet. Gilbert said he hears concerns about e-bikes from residents often.

What neighboring towns do

The presentation compared rules in four other North Carolina towns:

Town Approach, as summarized by Apex staff
Cary, about five miles northeast E-bikes allowed on greenways while partly pedal-powered; 15 mph greenway limit
Holly Springs, about five miles south June 2026 rules allow lower-speed e-bikes on sidewalks and greenways at 15 mph; e-motorcycles excluded
Wake Forest, north of Raleigh January 2026 rules bar them from sidewalks; greenways and multiuse paths at 10 mph; helmets under 16
Huntersville, north of Charlotte September 2026 rules require helmets for riders and passengers under 18, with a $50 citation

What it means for you

  • From Dec. 1, anyone under 18 on a Class 3 e-bike, rider or passenger, must wear a helmet under state law. In Apex, riders 16 and under already need one on any bicycle on public property.
  • Know your e-bike’s class. The state helmet rule, and any town limits, can differ by class.
  • The town’s draft is due at the council meeting Thursday, Dec. 17. You can speak during the public forum at any regular meeting at Town Hall, 73 Hunter St.

Also from the committee: license plate cameras

The committee did not take up the town’s license plate reader cameras Nov. 5. Its report says the current Flock Safety contract expires Jan. 31, 2027. The program returns to the committee Dec. 3, with a possible council work session Dec. 15. Our license plate camera story has the background.

For the town’s greenways, see our parks and trails guide.