E-Bike Laws in Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica bans riding on any public sidewalk citywide and bans all bicycles and e-bikes entirely from the Beach Promenade (SMMC § 3.12.600). On the Beach Bike- Path — the Marvin Braude Bike Trail — Class 1 and Class 2 are expressly permitted and Class 3 is banned. Speed is capped at 10 mph on the municipal piers and 15 mph on the Third Street Promenade. Santa Monica is unusual in having moved in the permissive direction: the 2022 ordinance affirmatively allowed Class 1 and 2 onto the beach path.
The rules, line by line
| Subject | Rule | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Sidewalks | Riding on any public sidewalk is unlawful — citywide, not limited to commercial districts. | SMMC § 3.12.600(c) |
| Beach Promenade | Bicycles, e-bikes, EPAMDs, electrically motorized boards, low-speed vehicles, motorized scooters and pedicabs are prohibited entirely. The Promenade is defined as the pedestrian-only segments. | SMMC § 3.12.600(a); § 3.12.010(c) |
| Beach Bike-Path | Class 3 e-bikes and motorized bicycles are banned. Class 1 and Class 2 are expressly permitted. Motor-equipped pedicabs excluded entirely. The path is defined as the Marvin Braude Bike Trail. | SMMC § 3.12.600(b); § 3.12.010(b) |
| Parking structures | Riding prohibited in public parking structures. | SMMC § 3.12.600(d) |
| Municipal piers | Maximum 10 mph. | SMMC § 3.12.500 |
| Third Street Promenade | Maximum 15 mph. | SMMC § 3.12.510 |
| Unsafe riding | Reckless riding, extra passengers and clinging to moving vehicles prohibited. | SMMC § 3.12.600(g) |
| Exemptions | Public safety personnel and persons with disabilities. | SMMC § 3.12.600(h)–(i) |
The direction of travel here is unusual
Most California coastal cities have tightened e-bike rules since 2023. Santa Monica loosened them.
The 2018 action (Ord. 2587CCS, adopted September 11, 2018) restricted electric devices on the beach bike path. The 2022 ordinance (Ord. 2711CCS, adopted August 23, 2022) then affirmatively permitted Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes on the Marvin Braude trail, keeping only Class 3 out. That is the current rule.
Enforcement is aimed at illegal devices, not Class 1 and 2 riders
Santa Monica PD impounded 12 e-bikes on July 26, 2025 as non-street-legal. The enforcement emphasis is documented as being on devices exceeding 40 mph, lacking operable pedals, or otherwise failing the Vehicle Code e-bike definition — not on compliant Class 1 and Class 2 riders using the beach path lawfully.
That distinction matters for a rider deciding how much risk they are carrying. The citywide sidewalk ban is real and enforceable, but the devices getting seized are the ones that were never e-bikes.
Common questions
Can you ride an e-bike on the Santa Monica beach bike path?
Class 1 and Class 2, yes — they are expressly permitted under SMMC § 3.12.600(b). Class 3, no. The ordinance names the Marvin Braude Bike Trail specifically. The adjacent Beach Promenade is different: all bicycles and e-bikes are banned there entirely under § 3.12.600(a).
Is it illegal to ride an e-bike on the sidewalk in Santa Monica?
Yes. SMMC § 3.12.600(c) makes riding on any public sidewalk unlawful citywide — not just in business districts, which is how many neighboring cities draft it. There is no age exception.
What is the speed limit for e-bikes in Santa Monica?
10 mph on the municipal piers (SMMC § 3.12.500) and 15 mph on the Third Street Promenade (SMMC § 3.12.510). The ordinance does not set a numeric limit on the Beach Bike-Path itself; the general unsafe-riding provision in § 3.12.600(g) applies there.