ORDINANCE NO. 5164
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHANDLER, ARIZONA, AMENDING CHAPTER 13 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF CHANDLER TO INCLUDE THE REGULATION OF ELECTRIC BICYCLES; PROVIDING FOR PENALTIES; PROVIDING FOR THE REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES; AND PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Chandler, Arizona, as follows:
Section 1.
That Chapter 13 of the Chandler City Code is hereby amended to read as follows (additions in ALL CAPS, deletions in strikeout):
Chapter 13 Bicycles INCLUDING ELECTRIC BICYCLES
13-1. Definitions.
The following definitions shall apply in the interpretation and enforcement of this chapter:
Authorized agent. The Chief of Police/designee, or any person or business granted authority by the Chief of Police to register a bicycle.
Bicycle. A device propelled by human power which any person may ride, having two (2) tandem wheels either of which is more than sixteen (16) inches in diameter or having three (3) wheels in contact with the ground any of which is more than sixteen (16) inches in diameter.
CLASS 1 ELECTRIC BICYCLE. A BICYCLE OR TRICYCLE THAT IS EQUIPPED WITH AN ELECTRIC MOTOR THAT PROVIDES ASSISTANCE ONLY WHEN THE RIDER IS PEDALING AND THAT CEASES TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE WHEN THE BICYCLE OR TRICYCLE REACHES THE SPEED OF TWENTY MILES PER HOUR.
CLASS 2 ELECTRIC BICYCLE. A BICYCLE OR TRICYCLE THAT IS EQUIPPED WITH AN ELECTRIC MOTOR THAT MAY BE USED EXCLUSIVELY TO PROPEL THE BICYCLE OR TRICYCLE AND THAT IS NOT CAPABLE OF PROVIDING ASSISTANCE WHEN THE BICYCLE OR TRICYCLE REACHES THE SPEED OF TWENTY MILES PER HOUR.
CLASS 3 ELECTRIC BICYCLE. A BICYCLE OR TRICYCLE THAT IS EQUIPPED WITH AN ELECTRIC MOTOR THAT PROVIDES ASSISTANCE ONLY WHEN THE RIDER IS PEDALING AND THAT CEASES TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE WHEN THE BICYCLE OR TRICYCLE REACHES THE SPEED OF TWENTY-EIGHT MILES PER HOUR.
ELECTRIC BICYCLE. A BICYCLE OR TRICYCLE THAT IS EQUIPPED WITH FULLY OPERABLE PEDALS AND AN ELECTRIC MOTOR OF LESS THAN SEVEN HUNDRED FIFTY WATTS AND THAT MEETS THE DEFINITION OF “CLASS 1 ELECTRIC BICYCLE,” “CLASS 2 ELECTRIC BICYCLE,” OR “CLASS 3 ELECTRIC BICYCLE” PROVIDED IN THIS CHAPTER.
13-2. Responsibility of parent.
The parent of a child and the guardian of a ward shall not authorize or knowingly permit the child or ward to violate any provisions of this chapter. IF A FINE IS IMPOSED UPON A MINOR WHO IS FOUND TO BE IN VIOLATION OF THIS CHAPTER, THE PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN HAVING CUSTODY OR CONTROL OF THE MINOR SHALL BE JOINTLY AND SEVERALLY LIABLE WITH THE MINOR FOR PAYMENT OF THE FINE WHETHER OR NOT THE PARENT OR GUARDIAN KNEW OF, OR ANTICIPATED, A VIOLATION OF THIS CHAPTER.
13-3. Application of provisions.
EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE EXPRESSLY PROVIDED IN THIS CHAPTER, Tthe regulations of this chapter in their application to bicycles shall apply when a bicycle OR ELECTRIC BICYCLE is operated upon any street, alley, highway, bicycle path or side walk subject to those exceptions stated in this chapter ANYWHERE WITHIN THE CITY OF CHANDLER. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE EXPRESSLY PROVIDED IN THIS CHAPTER, THE REGULATIONS OF THIS CHAPTER THAT APPLY TO THE OPERATION OF BICYCLES IN THE CITY OF CHANDLER SHALL APPLY TO THE OPERATION OF ELECTRIC BICYCLES IN THE CITY OF CHANDLER.
13-4. Registration.
Every owner of a bicycle, before the same shall be operated on any of the streets, alleys, sidewalks or public highways in the City, is encouraged to register the bicycle with an authorized agent of the City.
13-4.1. License decals and registration. The City shall provide the license decals, which shall be affixed to the bicycle and shall remain affixed to the bicycle. The Police Department, or its authorized agent, shall keep a record of the date of issuance of each license, the person to whom issued and the number thereof.
13-4.2. Fees. There shall be no fee charged to register and obtain a license for a bicycle.
13-4.3. Duration. The registration provided for in this chapter shall be valid for the life of the bicycle. All bicycle registrations shall be appurtenant to the specific bicycle for which issued, and no other, and shall not be transferred to or used on any other bicycle.
13-4.4. Dealers of new or secondhand bicycles shall, prior to selling same to anyone residing within the City, inform the purchaser of the provisions of this chapter. This chapter shall in no way interfere with the secondhand dealer's responsibility pursuant to Chapter 15 of this City Code.
13-5. Destruction of identifying numbers prohibited.
No person shall remove, destroy, mutilate or alter any number on the bicycle frame or any license plate, seal, decal or registration card. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the Police Department, or its authorized agent, from stamping identifying symbols, letters or numbers on the frames of bicycles.
13-6. Reserved EQUIPMENT REQUIRED.
A BICYCLE THAT IS USED BETWEEN THE HOURS OF SUNSET AND SUNRISE SHALL HAVE LAMP ON THE FRONT THAT EMITS A WHITE LIGHT VISIBLE FROM A DISTANCE OF AT LEAST 500 FEET TO THE FRONT AND A RED REFLECTOR ON THE REAR OF A TYPE THAT IS APPROVED BY THE ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND THAT IS VISIBLE FROM ALL DISTANCES FROM 50 FEET TO 300 FEET TO THE REAR WHEN THE REFLECTOR IS DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF LAWFUL UPPER BEAMS OF HEAD LAMPS ON A MOTOR VEHICLE. A BICYCLE MAY HAVE A LAMP THAT EMITS A RED LIGHT VISIBLE FROM A DISTANCE OF 500 FEET TO THE REAR IN ADDITION TO THE RED REFLECTOR.
13-7. Report of sales and transfers by owners.
Every person who sells or transfers ownership of any bicycle which is registered with the City should report such sale or transfer to the Police Department. The original license decal, which has no expiration date, shall remain on the bicycle and the number reassigned to the new registered owner.
13-8. Operations.
13-8.1. Pedestrian right-of-way. Whenever any person is riding a bicycle upon a sidewalk OR SHARED USE PATH, where bicycle riding is not prohibited, they shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian. ALL RIDERS SHALL MAINTAIN A SPEED THAT IS REASONABLE AND PRUDENT FOR THE CONDITIONS.
CLASS 1 AND CLASS 2 ELECTRIC BICYCLES SHALL NOT EXCEED A SPEED OF 15 MILES PER HOUR WHILE OPERATING ON A SIDEWALK OR SHARED USE PATH OR WITHIN A CITY PARK. CLASS 1 AND CLASS 2 ELECTRIC BICYCLES SHALL NOT EXCEED A SPEED OF 5 MILES PER HOUR WHEN PASSING A PEDESTRIAN ON A SIDEWALK OR SHARED USE PATH OR WITHIN A CITY PARK.
13-8.2. Parking of bicycles. Bicycles may be parked in or near the public street right-of-way only under the following conditions or circumstances:
A. Upon the roadway against the curb.
B. Upon the sidewalk in a rack to support the bicycle.
C. Against a building.
D. At the curb, out of the roadway, in such a manner as to afford the least obstruction to pedestrian traffic.
13-8.3. APPLICABILITY OF TRAFFIC LAWS. ALL TRAFFIC LAWS SHALL APPLY TO PERSONS OPERATING BICYCLES OR ELECTRIC BICYCLES.
EVERY PERSON OPERATING A BICYCLE OR ELECTRIC BICYCLE UPON A ROADWAY SHALL BE GRANTED ALL OF THE RIGHTS AND SHALL BE SUBJECT TO ALL OF THE DUTIES APPLICABLE TO THE DRIVER OF A VEHICLE BY THE LAWS OF THIS STATE DECLARING RULES OF THE ROAD APPLICABLE TO VEHICLES, OR BY THE TRAFFIC REGULATIONS OF THIS CHAPTER EXCEPT AS TO THOSE PROVISIONS WHICH BY THEIR NATURE CAN HAVE NO APPLICATION.
13-9. OPERATION OF ELECTRIC BICYCLES.
13-9.1. AGE RESTRICTIONS. NO PERSON UNDER THE AGE OF 16 IS PERMITTED TO OPERATE A CLASS 3 ELECTRIC BICYCLE.
13-9.2. HELMET REQUIRED. ALL PERSONS UNDER THE AGE OF 18 MUST WEAR A HELMET WHEN OPERATING AN ELECTRIC BICYCLE. THE HELMET SHALL MEET MINIMUM STANDARDS OF TESTING AND SAFETY INSPECTION AS APPROVED BY THE BICYCLE INDUSTRY.
13-9.3. LOCATION RESTRICTIONS. THE OPERATION OF CLASS 3 ELECTRIC BICYCLES IS PROHIBITED ON SIDEWALKS, IN CITY PARKS, AND ON SHARED-USE PATHS WITHIN THE CITY OF CHANDLER. ALL OPERATORS SHALL OBSERVE POSTED SIGNAGE.
13-10. PENALTIES. ANY PERSON VIOLATING THE PROVISIONS OF THIS CHAPTER SHALL BE SUBJECT TO PENALTIES PURSUANT TO SECTION 1.8-5 OF THIS CODE. HABITUAL OFFENDERS MAY BE PUNISHED AS SET FORTH IN SECTION 1.8-7.B OF THIS CODE.
Section 2. Providing for Repeal of Conflicting Ordinances.
All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with the provisions of this ordinance, or any parts hereof, are hereby repealed.
Section 3. Providing for Severability.
If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or portion of this ordinance is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by the decision of any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions thereof.
INTRODUCED AND TENTATIVELY APPROVED by the City Council of the City of Chandler, Arizona, this 21st day of May, 2026.
ATTEST:
CITY CLERK
MAYOR
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Chandler, Arizona, this 11th day of June, 2026.
ATTEST:
CITY CLERK
MAYOR
CERTIFICATION
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the above and foregoing Ordinance No. 5164 was duly passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of Chandler, Arizona, at a regular meeting held on the 11th day of June, 2026, and that a quorum was present thereat.
CITY CLERK
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
CITY ATTORNEY
Published in the Arizona Republic on:
June 26, 2026 and July 3, 2026.
*REFERENCED EXHIBIT(S) AND/OR ATTACHMENT(S) ON FILE AT THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE.*