UK Road Legal (EAPC)

What counts as road legal in the UK

An electrically assisted pedal cycle (EAPC) can be ridden on roads and cycle paths with no licence, no tax, no insurance and no registration. To qualify, a bike must meet all three tests:

• A motor rated at 250W continuous or less
• Assistance that cuts out at 15.5mph (25km/h)
• Working pedals that can propel the bike

Any throttle must be walk-assist only, capped at 6km/h. You can ride one from age 14. No helmet is legally required, though we would still wear one.

If a bike exceeds those limits

It stops being a bicycle in law and becomes a motorcycle or moped. That means registration, tax, insurance, the appropriate licence and an approved helmet, and it cannot be ridden on cycle paths. Your cycle insurance will not cover it.

This matters most with high-power conversion kits and imported bikes, which are often sold with power figures well above 250W and a full throttle.

What we have checked

Every bike in this category has been checked against the three tests above. For the full rules, including what happens when a bike does not comply, see our UK e-bike law guide.