Is your electric bike illegal in Pennsylvania?

(WHTM) — Electric bicycles and scooters are becoming increasingly more popular in Pennsylvania, and people have been asking about the legality of these devices.

The Swatara Township Police Department has been fielding questions about the parameters of regular bicycles, electric bicycles, and scooters on Pennsylvania streets. PennDOT released a fact sheet detailing those parameters.

According to PennDOT, electric scooters can only be operated on private property. The scooters, like electric skateboards and electric unicycles, cannot be legally operated on public roadways.

Motorized pedalcycles have operable pedals and are designed not to go higher than 25 mph. They cannot be ridden on a sidewalk or in a bike lane.

PennDOT says motor scooters, or motor-driven cycles, cannot exceed five brake horsepower.

E-bikes, or pedalcycles with electric assistance, are not capable of going faster than 20 mph on a level surface. Lighting must be used when operating them between sunset and sunrise.

Bicycles that are solely moved by human-powered pedals must also use lighting when operating between sunrise and sunset.

According to Velotricbike.com, Pennsylvania defines an electric bike as a pedalcycle with electric assist weighing a maximum of 100 pounds with two or three wheels larger than 11 inches in diameter, operable pedals, and an electric motor of no more than 750 watts and a maximum speed of 20 mph on a level surface.

To see the fact sheet with more details on restrictions, click here.