What's happening
This bill requires commercial electric bicycles in New York to be registered and display number plates, with liability for violations extending to businesses and delivery platforms.
Why it matters
Expands oversight and accountability. By requiring registration and number plates for commercial e-bikes, the bill brings them closer to the regulatory standards applied to other motor vehicles, increasing traceability and potential enforcement of traffic laws.
Shifts liability to businesses and delivery platforms. If an e-bike operator working as an employee or independent contractor violates the law, the employer, business owner, or delivery platform arranging the delivery is held liable for fines—this could incentivize companies to ensure better compliance and safer practices among their workers.
Aligns city and state enforcement. The bill amends both state vehicle law and New York City administrative code to reinforce that businesses are responsible for their operators’ legal compliance, facilitating stronger coordinated enforcement and potentially reducing legal ambiguities in oversight.
Potential impact on delivery industry. By introducing new administrative requirements (registration, fees, penalties), the bill may increase operating costs and administrative burdens for businesses relying on commercial e-bike deliveries, which could affect pricing, hiring, or the structure of gig work in the delivery sector.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Register Commercial E-Bikes
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to transportation
Full text
3 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
226
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by Sen. HOYLMAN-SIGAL -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law and the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to registration and commercial operation of electric assist bicycles
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section 1244 to read as follows:
§ 1244. Registration of bicycles with electric assist. 1. Every bicycle with electric assist as defined in section one hundred two-c of this chapter which is used for commercial purposes shall be registered and issued a number plate by the department. No person shall operate a bicycle with electric assist for commercial purposes unless such bicycle with electric assist shall have a distinctive number assigned to it by the commissioner and a number plate issued by the commissioner with a number corresponding to that of the certificate of registration.
2. Such number plates shall be of such material, form, design and dimensions and contain or set forth such distinguishing number or other identification marks as the commissioner shall prescribe, provided, however, that there shall be at all times a marked contrast between the color of the number plates and that of the numerals or letters thereon.
3. Each such number plate shall be conspicuously displayed on the rear of the bicycle, securely fastened so as to prevent the same from swinging.
4. The fee for such number plates shall be determined by the commissioner.
§ 2. Subdivision 5 of section 1242 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new paragraph (c) to read as follows:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00757-01-5
(c) Where there is a violation of this subdivision by an operator of a bicycle with electric assist who is employed or retained as an independent contractor to deliver goods in commerce, while in the course of such commercial use, the employer, or owner of the business whose goods are being delivered, or a third-party delivery platform which arranged such delivery, shall be liable for any fine imposed for such violation.
§ 3. Subdivisions a and g of section 10-157 of the administrative code of the city of New York, subdivision a as amended by local law number 91 of the city of New York for the year 2017 and subdivision g as amended by local law number 151 of the city of New York for the year 2023, are amended to read as follows:
a. For purposes of this section and section 10-157.1, the following terms have the following meanings:
Bicycle. The term "bicycle" has the same meaning as in section 19-176, and also means any wheeled device propelled exclusively by human power as well as any motor-assisted device [that is not capable of being registered by the New York state department of motor vehicles].
Bicycle operator. The term "bicycle operator" means a person who delivers packages, parcels, papers, or articles of any type by bicycle on behalf of a business using a bicycle for commercial purposes and who is paid by such business.
Business using a bicycle for commercial purposes. The term "business using a bicycle for commercial purposes" means a person, firm, partnership, joint venture, association, corporation, or other entity that, either on behalf of itself or others, delivers packages, parcels, papers, or articles of any type by bicycle. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed as applying to persons under the age of sixteen who use a bicycle only to deliver daily newspapers or circulars.
g. A business using a bicycle for commercial purposes shall be responsible for the compliance with the provisions of this section [of] and the provisions of subdivision five of section twelve hundred forty-two of the vehicle and traffic law by its bicycle operators.
(1) Violation of any of the provisions of this section by any such business, or of any of the rules or regulations that may be promulgated pursuant hereto, or the provisions of subdivision five of section twelve hundred forty-two of the vehicle and traffic law by its bicycle operators shall be a violation triable by a judge of the criminal court of the city of New York and upon conviction thereof shall be punishable by a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $250 or imprisonment for not more than 15 days or both such fine and imprisonment.
(2) Any such business that violates any of the provisions of this section or any of the rules promulgated pursuant hereto, except subdivision d of this section and any of the rules promulgated pursuant to such subdivision, or the provisions of subdivision five of section twelve hundred forty-two of the vehicle and traffic law by its bicycle operators shall be subject to a civil penalty of $100. Any such business that violates a provision of this section or rule promulgated pursuant hereto more than 30 days after such business has already violated the same provision or rule shall be subject to an additional civil penalty of $250. Any such business that violates subdivision d of this section or any of the rules promulgated pursuant hereto shall be subject to a civil penalty of $100, except that with respect to first time violations of such subdivision, the commissioner of transportation shall notify such business of such violation and request that action be taken to correct such violation in such a manner within 30 days and shall afford such business an opportunity to contest the commissioner's finding in a manner set forth in the rules of the department of transportation. Civil penalties issued pursuant to this paragraph may be in addition to any criminal penalty imposed, and shall be recoverable against such business in an action or proceeding in any court or tribunal of competent jurisdiction or the environmental control board.
§ 4. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law and the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to registration and commercial operation of electric assist bicycles
Purpose or general idea of bill
This legislation would require the registration and licensure of bicy- cles with electric assist which are used for commercial purposes, and directs the costs of violations relating to riding such bicycle on a sidewalk to the employer of commercial riders.
Summary of provisions
SECTION 1: Amends the vehicle and traffic law by adding a new section 1244, requiring the registration of bicycles with electric assist which are used for commercial purposes. The commissioner shall assign number plates and the placement of plates is set in the legislation.
Sections 2
Amends the vehicle and traffic law by adding a new paragraph to subdivision 5 of section 1242, requiring violations to be the respon- sibility of the employer of the operator, whether the rider is an employee or independent contractor, and whether the employer is the owner of business or a third-party delivery platform.
Section 3
Amends subdivisions a and g of section 10-157 of the adminis- trative code of the city of New York sets the liability of any business in violation.
Section 4
Effective Date.
Justification
The use of e-bikes has greatly increased in recent years, particularly by delivery riders hired by third party delivery platforms. While the use of bicycles and other micro mobility devices is to be encouraged, this bill aims to address the increase in conflicts between delivery riders who are pressured by employers to navigate city streets faster than safely possible and pedestrians and conflicts between delivery riders and pedestrians and other vehicles.
By requiring the registration of e-bikes used for commercial purposes and requiring visible license information, delivery bikes that are involved in dangerous situations would be easily identified. This legis- lation directs all fines and violations related to riding on sidewalks towards the employer of the rider, even when hired as an independent contractor by a third-party delivery platform to ensure that the burden of the results of unsafe riding is placed on the source of the pressure
Prior legislative history
2023-24: S.7587 Referred to Transportation
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.