New Jersey severely cracks down on e-bikes, requiring licenses and insurance; must be 15 or older to use one.

If there's an electric bike in your garage, you need to understand New Jersey's crackdown no matter who has been riding it.

Gov. Phil Murphy signed the new law before leaving office and after the state Senate voted 27-11 in favor and the Assembly voted 52-10 for the bill.

Who can now operate any form of motorized bicycle? 

Someone older than 17 with a valid basic driver's license, or someone who is 15 or 16 who possesses one of the state's new motorized bicycle licenses, according to a summary of the law. The operator also must obtain insurance for the e-bike.

"No person who is under 15 years of age shall be permitted to operate a low-speed electric bicycle or motorized bicycle," the law states. The license requires an examination to test the operator's knowledge of the bicycle and its use on the roads.

The law also requires the e-bike owner to register the vehicle with the state.

"It is clear that we are in an age of increasing e-bike use that requires us to take action and update regulations that help prevent tragedies from occurring," Murphy said in a statement.

A motorized bicycle means "a pedal bicycle with fully operable pedals and an electric motor that can provide assistance when the rider is pedaling or that, through the use of a throttle, can be used to exclusively propel the bicycle," according to the summary.

"Under the bill, a person has six months following the bill's effective date to register, insure, and become licensed to operate a motorized bicycle," according to the law. All motorized bicycle examination, registration and licensing fees are waived for the first year.

While the law allows operating a low-speed electric bicycle or electric scooter on bicycle paths, it forbids them from being used on trails designated for non-motorized traffic if the trail has a natural surface. Local governments, however, can choose to permit them on trails or forbid them from bike paths under the law.

While the bill addresses the use of the electric scooters, the scooter operator is not required to register it or have a driver license.

Law enforcement officers investigating an accident involving an e-bike now must report the accident to the state Department of Transportation and the Motor Vehicle Commission.