TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A new law went into effect on Wednesday (Nov. 30) requiring owners of e-bikes to obtain a license plate and buy insurance before hitting the road, with the new rules largely affecting migrant workers.
Revisions to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (道路交通管理處罰) went into force on Wednesday. Among the new regulations is a requirement for electric bikes to have a license plate and for the owner to purchase liability insurance.
The new amendments also included a changing of the name "e-bike" to “mini electric two-wheel vehicle." Violations of these rules are punishable with fines ranging from NT$1,200 (US$38.40) and NT$3,600.
According to the Financial Supervisory Commission’s draft proposal, the liability insurance rates are NT$539 for one year, NT$929 for two years, NT$1,300 for three years, NT$1,652 for four years, and NT$1,990 for five years. Owners of new vehicles must have three years of liability insurance, while previously purchased vehicles require shorter-term insurance coverage.
In addition, a crash helmet is mandatory, riders must be aged 14 or over, the vehicle may not exceed 25 kph, passengers are not allowed, and riders must give way to the visually impaired. Making the license plate unreadable, driving while under the influence of alcohol, and unauthorized alterations to the electronic controller or original vehicle specifications are forbidden.
E-bike owners who purchased their vehicles before Nov. 1, 2022, have a grace period of two years to register their vehicle and buy insurance. In addition, existing e-bike owners are exempt from the NT$450 fee if they get their license plates within the grace period.
Ko Chun-pin (柯俊斌), chairman of the Taiwan Transportation Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association’s motorcycle manufacturing division, was cited by CNA as saying that there are 650,000 mini electric two-wheel vehicles in Taiwan, with approximately 80,000 to 100,000 sold per year. Ko stated that about 80% of the owners are migrant workers and most of the bikes they ride are illegally imported from China, "The price is cheap, but for the vehicle owners, the quality is not guaranteed."
For more information on the regulations for mini electric two-wheel vehicles, please visit the Workforce Development Agency's website.
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