San Marcos to impose limits on e-bikes for children

San Marcos is now the fourth city in San Diego County to ban e-bike riders under age 12 as part of a pilot program created by a new state law.

The San Marcos City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to follow Coronado, Chula Vista, and Poway in implementing the age restriction.

As part of the change, the city plans to work with the San Marcos Unified School District and the Sheriff’s Office on an informational campaign dubbed “Ride Right.” The campaign is expected to kick off in November and will include after-school events, increased enforcement, new signage, and safety training.

Mayor Rebecca Jones called the informational campaign a “four-legged stool,” being supported by the city, school district, law enforcement, and parents.

“We don’t want kids to feel like we don’t want them to have fun,” she explained before the vote. “We do want them to have fun. We do want them to get where they’re going. But we want to make sure that they’re doing it in a safe manner.”

According to data collected by the sheriff’s office between Jan. 1, 2024, and Sept. 25, 2025, nearly 80% of all bicycle collisions in San Marcos were on e-bikes, compared with traditional pedaled bikes.

The new rules go into effect immediately, but citations will not be issued until Feb. 1. This will allow time for the informational campaign and a grace period during which children will receive warnings. Fines will start at $25, but will be waived if parents show proof their children have completed an approved safety course within 120 days of the citation.

Electronic bicycles, commonly known as e-bikes, are similar to traditional bicycles, but powered by both pedals and battery-driven motors.

California Assembly Bill 2234 went into effect in January allowing cities in San Diego County, or the county for unincorporated areas, to prohibit children under the age of 12 from using e-bikes. The pilot program will be in effect until 2029, after which the state will evaluate whether to roll out the new law statewide.

The law applies to class 1 and 2 e-bikes, which have a top speed of 20 mph. Class 3 e-bikes, which reach speeds of up to 28 mph, already have a minimum age of 16 statewide.

Similar age restrictions went into effect in Coronado in January, Chula Vista in September, and were approved in Poway earlier this month. Carlsbad is considering a similar move. Other cities – such as Encinitas, Solana Beach and Del Mar – have passed ordinances that limit where e-bikes are allowed, but don’t include age limits.

The San Marcos City Council approved three components Tuesday: a resolution prohibiting e-bike riders under 12, a resolution earmarking $77,000 from the 2025-26 budget to support implementation and the addition of an e-bike ordinance to the city’s municipal code.

“The purpose of this item is not to imply that e-bikes themselves are a problem,” City Manager Michelle Bender told the City Council. “Instead, we simply want to ensure that everybody stays safe, particularly our young riders.”

Council members said they would like to see restrictions on older children, but acknowledged that state law only allows limits for children younger than 12.

Councilmember María Nuñez approved the item, but said she wanted to revisit the topic to get more details on how deputies will contact children on e-bikes, how parents will be informed of the fines, and what educational resources are available.

Councilmember Danielle LeBlang said her 11-year-old son’s fascination with e-bikes motivated her to ask for the item to come before the City Council.

“I just firmly believe that under 12 years old, the maturity is just not there with regard to decision making, with regard to impulse control, with regard to responsibility,” LeBlang explained.