E-Bike Laws in Solana Beach, California
Solana Beach approved an e-bike safety ordinance in October 2023. The central provision: Class 3 e-bikes are prohibited on the Solana Beach Coastal Rail Trail, while Class 1 and Class 2 are permitted. Helmets are required under 18, no passengers are allowed on Class 3 (child seats are permitted on other classes), riders must travel with traffic, reflective equipment is required at night, and riders must stop at red lights and stop signs. Every citation for this ordinance is unconfirmed — the city's own "Rules of the Road" page cites Vehicle Code sections rather than any local code section.
The ordinance number, SBMC chapter and section numbers, fine amounts, sidewalk- specific rules and effective date are all unconfirmed. Tellingly, the city's own "Rules of the Road" page cites California Vehicle Code sections rather than any local code section, and a July 2023 staff report noted that municipal code changes were still being developed. A specific trap: "Ordinance 526" in Solana Beach is a sales tax measure, not the e-bike ordinance. Do not cite it.
The rules, line by line
| Subject | Rule | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Coastal Rail Trail | Class 3 e-bikes prohibited; Class 1 and Class 2 permitted. | no citation locatedCitation unconfirmed |
| Helmets | Required under 18. | no citation locatedCitation unconfirmed |
| Class 3 passengers | No passengers on Class 3. Child seats permitted on other classes. | no citation locatedCitation unconfirmed |
| Direction of travel | Ride with traffic. | no citation locatedCitation unconfirmed |
| Night equipment | Reflective equipment required at night. | no citation locatedCitation unconfirmed |
| Traffic controls | Stop at red lights and stop signs. | no citation locatedCitation unconfirmed |
The Coastal Rail Trail rule is the substance
Solana Beach's ordinance does one main thing: it keeps Class 3 off the Coastal Rail Trail while letting Class 1 and Class 2 use it.
That is the most common local e-bike rule in California, and it is worth understanding why it keeps
appearing. Under state law since AB 1909 took effect on January 1, 2023, Class 3 is no longer
banned from bike paths — Veh. Code § 21207.5(a) now reaches only mopeds. Local agencies filled
the vacuum almost immediately, and Solana Beach's October 2023 ordinance is one of the earliest
examples.
The same rule, city by city and agency by agency:
| Jurisdiction | Facility | Class 1 | Class 2 | Class 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solana Beach | Coastal Rail Trail | Allowed | Allowed | Prohibited |
| Santa Monica | Marvin Braude Bike Trail | Allowed | Allowed | Banned |
| Orange County Parks | 75+ mi paved bikeways | Allowed | Allowed | Prohibited |
| Santa Clara County Parks | Paved and dirt trails | Allowed | Allowed | Banned |
| Pacific Grove | Monterey Bay Coastal Rec Trail | Allowed, 12 mph | Allowed, 12 mph | Banned |
| Marin County | Paved pathways | Allowed, 15 mph | Allowed, 15 mph | Banned |
| Sonoma County Parks | Joe Rodota Trail | Allowed | Not permitted | Not allowed |
| EBRPD | Regional trails | Allowed (~850 mi) | 20 listed trails | Banned |
Whether these restrictions are all valid depends on the unresolved question described on the
where you may ride page: § 21207.5(b) lets a local agency
ban e-bikes on an equestrian, hiking or recreational trail, but not on a Class I bikeway. A
paved rail trail is plausibly either.
The Class 3 passenger prohibition
Banning passengers on Class 3 specifically, while permitting child seats on Class 1 and Class 2, is a sensible distinction and not a common one. A 28 mph bike with a child on the back is a meaningfully different proposition from a 20 mph one.
State law requires a separate attached seat on any class (Veh. Code § 21204(b)), with retention and
moving-part protection if the passenger is four or under or weighs 40 pounds or less — and from
January 1, 2027 AB 1614 extends that rule from highways to Class I bikeways. But there is no state
rule barring passengers on Class 3.
Two nearby cities went further in a different direction: Chula Vista and Poway both prohibit anyone under 18 from carrying a passenger on any class.
Why the citations are missing
Solana Beach is a useful illustration of a general problem. The city approved the ordinance in October 2023. As of July 2023 its staff report noted that municipal code changes were still being developed — and the city's public-facing "Rules of the Road" page cites Vehicle Code sections rather than local ones.
That combination suggests the rules may be enforced through Vehicle Code provisions and posted signage rather than through a codified municipal chapter. Which would mean there is no local section number to find.
This site cannot confirm either way, so it records the rule, flags the citation as missing, and names what would resolve it: a request to the Solana Beach City Clerk.
Common questions
Are Class 3 e-bikes allowed on the Solana Beach Coastal Rail Trail?
No. The October 2023 ordinance prohibits Class 3 e-bikes on the Coastal Rail Trail while permitting Class 1 and Class 2. This is the most common local e-bike rule in California — a response to AB 1909 removing the statewide Class 3 bike-path ban in 2023.
Can you carry a child on an e-bike in Solana Beach?
On Class 1 or Class 2, yes — child seats are permitted. On Class 3, no: the ordinance prohibits passengers on Class 3 specifically. State law separately requires a separate attached seat on any class under Veh. Code § 21204(b), with retention provisions for passengers four or under or weighing 40 pounds or less.
What is the fine for an e-bike violation in Solana Beach?
Unconfirmed. No fine amounts could be located, and no local code citation for the ordinance could be found. Note that "Ordinance 526" in Solana Beach is a sales tax measure and is not the e-bike ordinance.