New Motorcycle Laws of 2025

California is one of the most popular states for motorcycles and leads the nation in total motorcycle ownership. Given the high ridership rates, the state has several laws regulating motorcycle ownership and operation. The previous year’s legislative season saw the passage of many new state and local laws and regulations concerning motorcycles that are set to go into effect in 2025. Riders in California need to understand these new regulations if they are to remain in compliance.

SB 1107 – New Motorcycle Insurance Requirements

Senate Bill 1107 went into effect on January 1st, 2025, and raised minimum insurance requirements for motorcycle riders. The new insurance requirements are:

• $30,000 in coverage for bodily injury or death per person
• $60,000 in coverage for bodily injury or death per accident
• $15,000 in property damage coverage per accident

This new law updates the amount of property insurance riders must carry from $5,000 to $15,000.

SB 708 – Off-Highway Event Regulations

Senate Bill 708 (SB 708) was passed in September 2024 and concerns permitting requirements for specific off-road motorcycle events. According to the law, California residents can receive a sanctioned event permit that allows them to operate off-road motorcycles at specific events. This permit only applies to California residents and to motorcycle models from 2022 and later. It also applies to off-road motorcycles that are not eligible for the state’s green/red sticker program.

Sanctioned event permits must be displayed on the left side of any vehicle and visible for inspection. A given sanctioned event permit will also expire at the end of the year it was issued. Even though these requirements don’t go into effect until January 2026, motorcycle owners should still be aware of upcoming changes, especially if they participate in motorcycle events with off-road competition model bikes.

AB 1778 & AB 2234 – E-Bike Safety Program

AB 1778 contains new rules regarding the operation of electric bikes or e-bikes. AB 1778 authorizes authorities in Marin County to pass an ordinance prohibiting the use of Class 2 e-bikes for those under 16 and requiring anyone using a Class 2 e-bike to wear a helmet. The law also includes provisions that could hold parents jointly liable for any violations of e-bike rules by minors. Lastly, the bill outlines acceptable fees for violating any e-bike restriction or helmet ordinances. AB 2234 is similar legislation that would empower San Diego County to make similar ordinances restricting e-bike ridership to those 12 and older.

AB 1978 – Sideshow Vehicle Impoundment

Assembly Bill 1978 is a bill introduced to curb the occurrence of sideshows and street racing in California cities. It empowers law enforcement to impound any vehicle involved in an illegal street race or street takeover, often called sideshows. Specifically, the bill allows police to impound any vehicle participating in a street race or blocking the road for the purpose of a street race without necessarily taking the person into custody. This new law applies to any vehicle behaving in the described manner, including motorcycles. AB 1978 is part of a statewide initiative to crack down on public highway speed contests and street racing.

AB 2111 – License Plate Obstructions

In California, it is illegal to paint over or conceal a vehicle license plate with the intent to avoid electronic capture or law enforcement detection. These laws are meant to reduce the number of toll evasions and evasions of automated traffic enforcement, such as red light cameras or speed cameras. AB 2111 updates the language of the bill to prohibit concealing a license plate, regardless of the intent to conceal it from electronic capture or law enforcement identification.

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