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State law · Arkansas

Arkansas E-Bike Laws 2026

Arkansas, USAReviewed by John WeeksLast verified

Are e-bikes legal in Arkansas?

Quick answer

Arkansas adopted the federal three-class e-bike framework in 2017 through Act 956 of 2017 (HB 2185), signed by Governor Hutchinson in April 2017, effective 1 August 2017. The Electric Bicycle Act lives at Ark. Code §27-51-1701 through §27-51-1706 — NOT §27-49-103 (which is the general traffic-code definitions chapter and is a common miscite). Motor cap: less than 750 watts. Class 1 (20 mph pedal-assist), Class 2 (20 mph throttle), and Class 3 (28 mph pedal-assist) are all street-legal — no driver license, no registration, no insurance. Arkansas is among the small group of states with a distinctive under-21 Class 3 helmet rule: §27-51-1706 requires every Class 3 operator AND every Class 3 passenger under 21 to wear a CPSC-compliant helmet (most states are 16 or 18 — Arkansas is 21). Class 3 must also carry a speedometer. Class 1 + Class 2 are allowed on bike paths and multi-use paths by default under §27-51-1705; Class 3 is banned from paths unless the path is within or adjacent to a roadway or the local authority expressly allows it. Arkansas State Parks restrict trails to Class 1 only (22 CAR §50-122). The Bentonville–Fayetteville MTB scene (Walton-funded "MTB Capital of the World") runs on Class 1 eMTB by convention; Fayetteville extended that to natural-surface city trails by ordinance in December 2023 (paved Greenway = all classes at 15 mph; soft-surface = Class 1 only).

At-a-glance: Arkansas e-bike rules

Sourced from the Arkansas statute and verified against the PeopleForBikes State Law Tracker.

Three-class systemYes
Class 3 street-legalYes
Class 3 on bike pathsBanned by default
Class 3 minimum age16+ years
Class 3 helmetRequired under 21
Driver license requiredNot required
Registration requiredNot required
Power cap (federal)750 W rated
Arkansas e-bike law lives at Ark. Code §§27-51-1701..1706 (Act 956 of 2017 / HB 2185 — NOT Act 650 of 2019, which is the unrelated stop-as-yield bicycle bill; both miscites are common). The Class 3 helmet rule is unusually broad: §27-51-1706 requires every operator OR passenger UNDER 21 on a Class 3 to wear a CPSC-compliant helmet (16 C.F.R. part 1203). Class 3 also needs a speedometer. Class 3 banned from bike/multi-use paths by default (§27-51-1705) unless the path is adjacent to a roadway. Arkansas State Parks (22 CAR §50-122) limit bike trails to Class 1 only — Class 2 + 3 banned from trails. AGFC owned WMAs (61 of them) are Class 1 only. Bentonville is the MTB Capital of the World and runs on Class 1 eMTB by convention. Fayetteville is stricter than Bentonville: a December 2023 city ordinance restricts Class 2 + 3 from natural-surface trails (Class 1 only on dirt singletrack); paved Greenway remains all-classes at 15 mph. USFS Womble + Syllamo trails authorized all 3 classes by 7 Nov 2024 Decision Notice, effective Jan 2025 (Syllamo Jack's Branch Loop carved out pending river management plan).

The 30-second answer

E-bikes are legal across Arkansas under the federal Class 1/2/3 framework adopted by Act 956 of 2017 (HB 2185), signed by Governor Asa Hutchinson in April 2017 and effective 1 August 2017. The Electric Bicycle Act is at Ark. Code §§27-51-1701 to 27-51-1706 (Title 27, Subtitle 4, Chapter 51, Subchapter 17). Motor cap is less than 750 watts.

Two citation traps to avoid. (1) The statute number: Arkansas's e-bike law lives at §27-51-1701..1706, NOT "§27-49-103" — §27-49 is the general traffic-code definitions chapter and is a common online miscite. (2) The enacting bill: the Electric Bicycle Act was Act 956 of 2017 (HB 2185) sponsored by Reps. Hodges/McCollum/Sabin and Sen. Hester. Act 650 of 2019 (SB 388) is the unrelated "Arkansas stop" / stop-as-yield bicycle bill, also signed by Gov. Hutchinson (on 2 April 2019) — a number of secondary sources conflate the two bills. They are not the same law.

The thing that makes Arkansas unusual: the Class 3 helmet rule covers operators AND passengers under 21, not under 16 or 18. §27-51-1706 verbatim: "A person under twenty-one (21) years of age who is an operator of or a passenger on a Class 3 electric bicycle shall wear a helmet that meets or exceeds the safety standard for bicycle helmets under 16 C.F.R. part 1203." Most three-tier states are at 16; Arkansas is 21. The same section requires Class 3 to carry a speedometer and sets a 16+ minimum operating age for Class 3.

Class 1 and Class 2 may use bike paths and multi-use paths by default under §27-51-1705. Class 3 is banned from paths unless (a) the path is within or adjacent to a roadway, or (b) the local authority expressly permits it. No driver license, no registration, no insurance under §27-51-1703.

Quick reference

Spec Arkansas rule
Framework Federal Class 1/2/3 (adopted 2017, Act 956 / HB 2185, effective 1 August 2017)
Definition statute Ark. Code §27-51-1702
Bicycle treatment §27-51-1703 — e-bikes follow bicycle rules
Equipment + labeling §27-51-1704
Path access §27-51-1705
Class 3 helmet + age + speedometer §27-51-1706
Motor power cap <750 W (§27-51-1702)
Class 1 (pedal-assist, ≤20 mph) ✅ Legal · paths ✅
Class 2 (throttle, ≤20 mph) ✅ Legal · paths ✅
Class 3 (pedal-assist, ≤28 mph) ✅ Legal · paths ❌ by default · under-21 helmet · operator 16+ · speedometer required
Driver license Not required (§27-51-1703)
Registration Not required
Insurance Not required
Minimum age (Class 1 + 2) None statewide
Minimum age (Class 3, operator) 16 — under-16 may ride as a passenger
Statewide helmet (Class 1 + 2) None
Statewide helmet (Class 3) Under-21 — operator OR passenger (§27-51-1706)
Class 1 + 2 on paths ✅ Default-permitted (§27-51-1705); local restriction allowed
Class 3 on paths ❌ Default-banned; allowed only where the path is within/adjacent to a roadway or local authority expressly permits
Razorback Regional Greenway ~40 mi paved Bella Vista → Fayetteville; 15 mph speed limit; Class 1 + 2 OK; Class 3 only where adjacent to a roadway
Arkansas State Parks Class 1 only on bike trails (mountain, multi-use); Class 2 + 3 banned from trails; all 3 classes OK on roads (22 CAR §50-122)
Buffalo National River (NPS) Park roads only; trails closed to all bikes/e-bikes; Class 3 banned even on admin roads (NPS 26 Jun 2020)
Womble Trail (Ouachita NF) + Syllamo Trail (Ozark-St. Francis NF) All three classes authorized since January 2025 (USFS 7 Nov 2024 Decision Notice); Syllamo's Jack's Branch Loop section in the North Sylamore Wild & Scenic corridor is postponed pending river management plan update
AGFC WMAs (61 owned) Class 1 only under current AGFC General WMA Regulations (rule adopted by AGFC Commission, 2020); cooperative WMAs follow cooperator policy
Fayetteville city trails Paved Greenway: all three classes permitted with 15 mph cap (City FAQ #863). Natural-surface / soft-surface trails: Class 1 only under the December 2023 Fayetteville City Council ordinance — Class 2 + 3 banned from dirt singletrack

Two practical reads. First, the under-21 helmet rule on Class 3 is a real statutory requirement, not a copy-paste error. Pack a helmet if you're under 21 and the bike is Class 3 — every operator and every passenger. Second, Arkansas State Parks limit trails to Class 1. The Bentonville / NWA MTB economy is built on Class 1 eMTB; Class 2 throttle and Class 3 28 mph are categorically excluded from state-park trails and from owned-AGFC WMAs.

The three-class system in Arkansas

Arkansas defines an "electric bicycle" at Ark. Code §27-51-1702 as a bicycle with fully operable pedals and an electric motor of less than 750 watts, equipped with the federal three-class framework. The Electric Bicycle Act was enacted by HB 2185 (sponsored by Reps. Hodges, McCollum, and Sabin and Sen. Hester) and signed as Act 956 of 2017 by Governor Hutchinson in April 2017; the law took effect on 1 August 2017. At the time, Arkansas was the fifth US state to adopt the three-class framework.

  • Class 1 — motor provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling, cuts at 20 mph.
  • Class 2 — motor may be used to propel the bicycle, cuts at 20 mph.
  • Class 3 — motor provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling, cuts at 28 mph.

Why some sources mis-cite the statute or the enacting bill

Two common citation errors travel together in retailer and law-firm content:

  1. Wrong statute number. Some sources cite "Ark. Code §27-49-103" as the e-bike law. §27-49 is the general traffic-code definitions chapter; the actual Electric Bicycle Act is Subchapter 17 of Chapter 51 — §§27-51-1701..1706.
  2. Wrong enacting bill. Some sources cite "Act 650 of 2019 (SB 388)" as the enacting bill. Act 650 of 2019 is the Arkansas "stop-as-yield" / Idaho-stop bicycle law, NOT the Electric Bicycle Act. The Electric Bicycle Act is Act 956 of 2017 (HB 2185), signed by Gov. Hutchinson in April 2017, effective 1 August 2017.

Both errors travel together because Gov. Hutchinson signed both bicycle-related Arkansas bills, and casual content tends to credit the wrong one. The actual Electric Bicycle Act has been stable since 2017.

Where you can ride

Roads + bike lanes

Same rights and duties as a regular bicycle under §27-51-1703. All three classes may use roads and bike lanes.

Multi-use paths

Per §27-51-1705:

  • Class 1 and Class 2 — allowed on bicycle paths and multi-use paths where bicycles are permitted, unless a local authority restricts.
  • Class 3 — NOT allowed on bike paths or multi-use paths unless (a) the path is within or adjacent to a roadway, or (b) a local authority expressly permits it.

This is the typical three-tier path rule. The Razorback Regional Greenway — the 36-mile paved Bentonville → Fayetteville spine — runs a 15 mph speed limit for all wheeled users; Class 1 + Class 2 are within scope, Class 3 may use Greenway segments that are adjacent to a roadway.

Sidewalks

No statewide rule — local ordinance controls. Most NWA cities default to bicycles permitted on sidewalks outside designated downtown / business districts; Fayetteville explicitly permits e-bikes and e-scooters on city trails at a 15 mph cap (City FAQ #863).

Bentonville — "MTB Capital of the World"

Bentonville is the highest-search-volume Arkansas cycling destination and the anchor of the NWA MTB economy. The Walton Family Foundation has funded the 550+ mile NWA singletrack network (OZ Trails) since 2007 and the city brands itself "MTB Capital of the World."

The Bentonville rules:

  • City Trail Rules — the official rules page prohibits "Motor vehicles" but does NOT name e-bikes by class. Bentonville defers to state law rather than enacting its own class-by-class ordinance. Practical convention (per BikeNWA Rules of the Road and OZ Trails community): Class 1 eMTB is permitted on singletrack; Class 2 throttle and Class 3 28 mph stay on roads.
  • Bentonville E-Bike Rebate Program — the city runs Arkansas's only municipal e-bike rebate, available to Bentonville residents. The rebate is class-agnostic for compliant low-speed electric bicycles.
  • Coler Mountain Bike Preserve + Slaughter Pen Trail System — managed by Peel Compton Foundation / City of Bentonville. No published class-by-class e-bike policy in primary sources; community convention is Class 1 eMTB on singletrack, Class 2 + 3 on roads. Confirm at each trailhead sign.

Fayetteville

Fayetteville is the most regulated NWA city for e-bike use on trails — and the rule splits by surface.

Paved trails (Razorback Greenway, Tsa-La-Gi Trail, hillside connectors around the University of Arkansas campus). The official City FAQ #863 verbatim:

"Yes, Electric bicycles (E-Bikes), electric scooters (E-Scooters), and all forms of motorized wheelchairs are permitted on trails."

The FAQ adds a 15 mph speed limit applies to all forms of mobility devices on city trails, and prohibits gas vehicles and golf carts.

Natural-surface / soft-surface trails (dirt singletrack — Mount Kessler, Centennial Park network, Lake Sequoyah connectors). The Fayetteville City Council passed an ordinance in December 2023 restricting Class 2 and Class 3 e-bikes from natural-surface trails — soft-surface trails are Class 1 pedal-assist only. The split is now: paved Greenway and connectors = all classes at 15 mph; dirt singletrack = Class 1 only. FAQ #863 alone overstates the open access; the December 2023 ordinance is the binding rule for dirt.

Arkansas State Parks — Class 1 only on trails

The single most consequential trail rule in Arkansas for e-bikes is 22 CAR §50-122, the State Parks e-bike regulation. The rule verbatim limits trail access:

  • Class 1 — pedal-assist only — allowed on ALL state-park trails designated for bicycles (mountain bike, paved + unpaved multi-use, ATV/off-road motorcycle).
  • Class 2 (throttle) — PROHIBITED on mountain bike trails and paved/unpaved multi-use trails.
  • Class 3 (28 mph) — PROHIBITED on mountain bike trails and paved/unpaved multi-use trails.
  • All three classes — allowed on park roads open to vehicles.

Notable Arkansas State Parks for cycling: Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area, Petit Jean SP, Devil's Den SP, Pinnacle Mountain SP, Mount Magazine SP. All are Class 1 only for bicycle-designated trails.

Federal lands

Buffalo National River (NPS)

Per the NPS Buffalo National River e-bike policy (Superintendent's order, 26 June 2020 under DOI Secretary's Order 3376):

  • E-bikes allowed on park roads only. Trails closed to all bicycles and e-bikes.
  • Class 3 e-bikes are NOT allowed on administrative roads — only Class 1 and Class 2.
  • Motor may only assist pedaling except on roads open to public motor-vehicle traffic.

This is one of the strictest NPS-area policies in the country. Many retailer blogs miss the Class 3 admin-road exclusion.

Womble Trail + Syllamo Trail — all three classes authorized (Jan 2025)

On 7 November 2024, the USFS released a final EA / Decision Notice authorizing all three classes of e-bikes on:

  • Womble Trail — ~38 miles on the Ouachita National Forest.
  • Syllamo Trail System — ~51 miles on the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest.

Effective January 2025. This is a trail-by-trail authorization, not a forest-wide rule. Elsewhere on Ouachita / Ozark-St. Francis NFs, default USFS policy applies: e-bikes only on routes open to motorized use per the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM).

One Syllamo caveat: the Jack's Branch Loop section, which crosses into the North Sylamore Wild & Scenic corridor, is postponed pending the river management plan update — that segment is not currently included in the e-bike authorization.

Arkansas Game & Fish Commission WMAs

Per the current AGFC General WMA Regulations (rule adopted by the AGFC Commission in 2020): only Class 1 e-bikes are allowed on the 61 AGFC-owned WMAs — anywhere a traditional bicycle may be used. Class 2 and Class 3 are treated as motorized vehicles. The rule does NOT apply to the 78 cooperatively-managed WMAs (which follow the cooperator's policy).

Razorback Regional Greenway

The Razorback Regional Greenway is the marquee NWA paved trail — ~40 miles linking Bella Vista north of Bentonville south through Rogers, Springdale, and Fayetteville to Kessler Mountain (NWARPC: 40 mi). The official rules page sets a 15 mph speed limit for all wheeled users and references "cycling, skating, scooting" without enumerating e-bike classes. Per §27-51-1705 default:

  • Class 1 + Class 2 — permitted as the Greenway is a multi-use path.
  • Class 3 — permitted only where the segment is within or adjacent to a roadway (which is most of the urban portions through Rogers, Springdale, and Fayetteville); banned on isolated path segments away from a roadway.

Helmet, age, license, registration

Topic Arkansas rule
Driver license Not required (§27-51-1703)
Registration Not required
Insurance Not required (liability still exists at common law)
Statewide helmet (Class 1 + 2) None
Statewide helmet (Class 3) Required for any operator OR passenger under 21 (§27-51-1706) — must meet 16 C.F.R. part 1203
Statewide minimum age (Class 1 + 2) None
Statewide minimum age (Class 3) 16 to operate; passengers may be younger (§27-51-1706)
Class 3 speedometer Required (§27-51-1706)

Pending + recent legislation

No 2023 (regular or special), 2024, or 2025 General Assembly bill amending §27-51-1701..1706 surfaced in the Arkansas Legislature bill search. The Electric Bicycle Act has been stable since Act 956 of 2017.

Current law remains: §27-51-1701..1706 + 22 CAR §50-122 for State Parks + the AGFC 2020 rule for owned WMAs + the November 2024 USFS Decision Notice (effective January 2025) for Womble + Syllamo + the December 2023 Fayetteville City Council ordinance for natural-surface city trails.

Sources

E-bikes that fit Arkansas's rules

Filtered from our review catalog by class eligibility under Arkansas statute. Spec-matched, not popularity-ranked.

Eligibility is class-based — picks shown here are legal to own and operate on roads in Arkansas. Local jurisdictions (state parks, beach paths, individual cities) may add further restrictions; see the body above for the specifics.

Frequently asked questions

Are e-bikes legal in Arkansas?

Yes. Arkansas adopted the federal Class 1/2/3 framework via Act 956 of 2017 (HB 2185), signed by Gov. Hutchinson in April 2017 and effective 1 August 2017. The Electric Bicycle Act lives at Ark. Code §27-51-1701 through §27-51-1706 — NOT §27-49-103 (a common online miscite). Motor cap: less than 750 W. All three classes are street-legal; no driver license, registration, or insurance required under §27-51-1703. A separate Arkansas bicycle bill — Act 650 of 2019 (SB 388) — is the "stop-as-yield" / Idaho-stop law and is often conflated with the Electric Bicycle Act in retailer content; they are different laws.

Does Arkansas have a Class 3 helmet rule?

Yes, and it covers under-21 — operators AND passengers. §27-51-1706 verbatim: "A person under twenty-one (21) years of age who is an operator of or a passenger on a Class 3 electric bicycle shall wear a helmet that meets or exceeds the safety standard for bicycle helmets under 16 C.F.R. part 1203." This is unusually broad — most three-tier states are at 16 (most common) or 18. Arkansas is at 21, and it covers passengers as well as operators.

Are Class 3 e-bikes allowed on bike paths in Arkansas?

Only conditionally. §27-51-1705 bans Class 3 from bicycle paths and multi-use paths unless (a) the path is within or adjacent to a roadway, or (b) a local authority expressly permits it. Class 1 and Class 2 are permitted on paths by default. The Razorback Regional Greenway runs through urban Bentonville/Rogers/Springdale/Fayetteville where most segments are adjacent to a roadway — those segments are Class-3 permitted; isolated path segments are not.

Are e-bikes allowed in Arkansas State Parks?

Only Class 1 on bike-designated trails. 22 CAR §50-122 — the State Parks regulation — limits trails (mountain bike, paved + unpaved multi-use) to Class 1 pedal-assist e-bikes only. Class 2 (throttle) and Class 3 (28 mph) are prohibited on bike trails. All three classes are permitted on park roads open to motor vehicles. Notable affected parks: Hobbs SP, Petit Jean SP, Devil's Den SP, Pinnacle Mountain SP.

Can I ride an e-bike on the Bentonville MTB trails?

Class 1 eMTB by convention — but check each trailhead sign. The City of Bentonville Trail Rules prohibits "Motor vehicles" but does NOT name e-bikes by class; the city defers to state law. Practical NWA convention (per BikeNWA Rules of the Road and the OZ Trails community) is Class 1 eMTB permitted on singletrack; Class 2 throttle and Class 3 28 mph stay on roads. Coler Mountain Bike Preserve and Slaughter Pen Trail System (Peel Compton Foundation / City of Bentonville) follow this convention without a published class-by-class ordinance — confirm at each trailhead. Note that Fayetteville is stricter than Bentonville on natural-surface trails as of December 2023: Class 1 only on dirt singletrack city-wide.

Can I ride an e-bike at Buffalo National River?

Park roads only — and Class 3 is banned even on admin roads. Per the NPS Buffalo National River policy (26 June 2020 superintendent's order under DOI SO 3376): e-bikes allowed on park roads only, trails closed to all bikes/e-bikes, and Class 3 e-bikes are NOT allowed on administrative roads — only Class 1 and Class 2. The motor may only assist pedaling except on roads open to public motor-vehicle traffic.

Can I ride an e-bike on the Womble Trail or Syllamo Trail?

Yes — all three classes, as of January 2025. The USFS released a final EA/Decision Notice on 7 November 2024 authorizing Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3 e-bikes on the Womble Trail (~38 mi on the Ouachita NF) and the Syllamo Trail System (~51 mi on the Ozark-St. Francis NF). These are trail-by-trail authorizations, not forest-wide. One Syllamo carve-out: the Jack's Branch Loop section, which crosses into the North Sylamore Wild & Scenic corridor, is postponed pending the river management plan update. On other Ouachita / Ozark-St. Francis NF trails, default USFS rules apply: e-bikes only on routes open to motorized use per the MVUM.

What is the motor power limit for e-bikes in Arkansas?

Less than 750 W under Ark. Code §27-51-1702. A bike with a higher-output motor falls outside the Electric Bicycle Act and is regulated as a moped or motorcycle. Note: this is "less than 750 W" (strict inequality), not the federal CPSC "750 W or less" language at 15 U.S.C. §2085.

E-bike laws in other states

Compare Arkansas's rules with states that share a similar framework.

Compare all 50 states + DC →

Reviewed by

John Weeks
Founder and editor
Reviewed May 29, 2026Updated May 31, 2026

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