Guide · UK Law
Are e-bike conversion kits legal in the UK?
Short answer: yes — if the finished bike meets three rules. Motor rated 250W or less, assistance cuts out at 15.5mph, and the bike has functional pedals. Anything more powerful is off-road only.
250W continuous
Motor's continuous rated power must be 250W or less.
15.5mph cut-off
Motor stops assisting at 15.5mph (25km/h).
Real pedals
Bike must have working pedals — no throttle-only rides.
The EAPC rules in plain English
In the UK, an electric bike is legally called an Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle (EAPC). If your conversion meets the EAPC definition, it's treated exactly like a normal bicycle — no tax, no insurance, no licence, no registration. Ride it on roads, cycle paths and bridleways.
An EAPC must:
- Have pedals that can propel it
- Show either the power output or the manufacturer of the motor
- Show the battery voltage or the maximum speed
- Have a motor with a continuous rated power of 250W or less
- Not provide motor assistance when travelling more than 15.5mph
The rider must be 14 or over. No helmet is legally required, but we strongly recommend one.
- ✓ 250W continuous motor
- ✓ Assistance stops at 15.5mph
- ✓ Functional pedals
- ✓ Rider 14+
- ✓ No tax, insurance or licence required
- 500W, 1000W, 2000W motors
- Motor assists above 15.5mph
- Throttle without pedalling
- = Classed as a motor vehicle
- = Private land only, with permission
Which of our kits are road-legal?
Our 250W kits are built to EAPC spec and are legal on UK roads. Our 500W, 1000W and 2000W kits are sold for off-road, private-land and closed-course use only. If you're unsure which is right for you, we're happy to talk it through before you buy.
FAQs
- Are e-bike conversion kits legal in the UK?
- Yes — a conversion kit is legal on UK roads when the finished bike meets EAPC (Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle) rules: a motor rated 250W or less, assistance that cuts out at 15.5mph (25km/h), functional pedals, and the rider is 14 or over. Kits above 250W (500W, 1000W, 2000W) are legal to buy and fit but the resulting bike is classed as a motor vehicle — it must not be ridden on public roads, cycle paths or bridleways without registration, tax, insurance, MOT and a licence.
- What is the 250W limit exactly?
- EAPC rules cap the motor's continuous rated power at 250W. Peak/burst wattage above 250W is fine as long as the manufacturer's continuous rating is 250W. Our road-legal kits use motors rated 250W continuous.
- What does 'cuts out at 15.5mph' mean?
- The motor must stop providing assistance once the bike reaches 15.5mph. You can still pedal faster than that under your own power — the motor just won't help. Throttles are only allowed if they assist up to 15.5mph and require pedalling (post-2016 rules); pure hand-throttle without pedalling is not EAPC-compliant on public roads.
- Do I need pedals?
- Yes. An EAPC must have functional, usable pedals — that's the 'pedal cycle' part. If the bike can be propelled by the motor alone without pedalling (a twist-and-go throttle with no pedal input), it's not an EAPC and cannot be used on public roads.
- Do I need insurance, tax or a licence for a legal e-bike conversion?
- No. A conversion that meets EAPC rules is treated as a normal bicycle — no registration, no road tax, no insurance requirement, no licence, no helmet requirement (though we always recommend one).
- Can I ride a 1000W or 2000W conversion on the road?
- No. Anything over 250W continuous, or that provides motor power above 15.5mph, is legally a motor vehicle. It can only be ridden on private land with the landowner's permission. We sell higher-power kits (500W–2000W) clearly labelled for off-road / private-land use only.
This guide is a plain-English summary of gov.uk's EAPC rules and is not legal advice. Rules can change — check gov.uk for the current position before making a purchase decision.