Exemptions from vehicle registration

Find out which vehicles are exempt from registration and where you can legally use them.

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Which vehicles are exempt

Some vehicles are exempt from registration like motorised wheelchairs or bicycles that use an electric motor and meet specific speed restrictions.

Whether they're registered or not, road and pedestrian rules apply to all vehicles used on a road or road-related area.

Motorised wheelchairs

Motorised wheelchairs and other types of conveyance for people with disability are exempt from registration, provided they are:

  • solely for the conveyance of a person with disability that substantially impairs their mobility
  • unable to travel at more than 10 km/h.

Find out more about motorised wheelchairs.

Motorised wheelchair users are considered to be pedestrians and must not travel on roads or cause traffic hazards by moving into the path of drivers. You don't need a driver licence to use a motorised wheelchair.

Power-assisted pedal cycles

A power-assisted pedal cycle is an electric bicycle with a motor power output of less than 200 watts. The motor must only start up after the rider pedals.

Power-assisted (electric) pedal cycles are exempt from registration if they:

  • don't exceed 200 watts, whether or not the motor is on
  • can be powered primarily by pedalling.

See the vehicle standard for .

Motor assisted cycle

Motor assisted pedal cycle – exempt from registration

Pedalecs

A pedalec is an electric bicycle with a motor power output of less than 250 watts. The motor must only activate when the rider pedals or uses a low-speed start-up mode (up to 6km/h).

Pedalecs are exempt from registration if they:

  • comply with European Standards
  • don't exceed 250 watts measured at the wheel
  • cut-off automatically above 25km/h, or sooner if the rider stops pedalling
  • display certification from the manufacturer and a label stating they comply with EN 15194. The label must include the manufacturer’s name, the motor’s cut-off speed in km/h, and its continuous rated power in watts.

It's illegal to use a petrol-powered bicycle on NSW roads and road-related areas, including footpaths, shared paths, cycle ways and cycle paths. See prohibited vehicles.

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