E-bike and e-scooter owners across Ohio would pay a $25 registration fee, wear helmets and follow uniform speed limits under a bill introduced in the Ohio Senate.

Senate Bill 477, introduced in October by state Sen. Bill DeMora, D-Columbus, would require owners to register their devices with the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles and bar anyone younger than 14 from operating them, The Lantern reported. Class 3 e-bike operators need to be at least 16. Upper Arlington's own e-mobility ordinance took effect Nov. 4, adding to the patchwork of local rules DeMora wants to simplify.

DeMora pointed to the tangle of local rules riders face in central Ohio as a key reason for the legislation.

"Right now, Ohio State students, depending on where they are, whether it's on campus, whether it's in the city of Columbus, city of Upper Arlington, city of Grandview or over the township … all those places have different rules and regulations about these things," DeMora told The Lantern. "A student could be legal in one place, yet illegal in another."

What the bill would do

The legislation would set 20 mph street, 10 mph path and 5 mph sidewalk limits to low-speed micro-mobility devices, including qualifying scooters. For e-bikes, the bill specifies 10 mph with the motor engaged on authorized paths. Riders and passengers on e-bikes and low-speed e-scooters would have to wear helmets. Renters would need to be at least 18.

Owners would have six months after the law took effect to register. The $25 fee would be a one-time charge with no renewal required as long as the owner kept the device, NBC4 reported. Riders without a driver's license would need to complete a safety course developed by the Ohio Department of Public Safety.

Riding on public roads without registration would initially be a minor misdemeanor, with escalating penalties for repeat violations, including possible impoundment after two prior convictions, according to NBC4.

Local governments would still have authority to regulate and prohibit devices on their own streets, paths and sidewalks, according to the bill.

UA's ordinance already in effect

Upper Arlington's own e-mobility ordinance took effect Nov. 4. Under the city's rules, riders without a valid driver's license must complete a free safety class and receive a registration sticker for their device, according to Upper Arlington Schools. Helmets are required for all riders under 18.

The city's police division will begin with an education phase, with enforcement expected to start in summer 2027, according to Upper Arlington Schools.

The city can also immobilize or impound a device used in violation of the rules, with a $150 fee to recover it, NBC4 reported in October.

Bike advocates have pushed back. John Robinson, owner of Johnny Velo Bikes and executive secretary for the National Bike Dealers Association, told NBC4 that the ordinance could affect people who ride into Upper Arlington to shop, eat or commute. He said Upper Arlington did not reach out to his organization or other cycling groups for input before passing it.

Safety concerns fuel both efforts

DeMora said he introduced the legislation because of the growing presence of e-scooters and e-bikes in Columbus and related safety concerns. Nationwide Children's Hospital reported a nearly 200% increase in children arriving with e-bike injuries over the past year, according to NBC4.

Akron Children's Hospital said it had surpassed its total 2025 e-bike and scooter injury count by mid-July 2026, according to ABC 6. Doctors reported treating brain injuries, fractures, road rash and internal-organ injuries.

What happens next

The bill has not advanced beyond introduction. DeMora told NBC4 he does not expect it to pass during the lame-duck session and plans to reintroduce it next session. He called the proposal a starting point for negotiations.

State Rep. Eric Synenberg, D-Beachwood, is introducing the legislation alongside DeMora, according to ABC 6.