Eight parts the law requires on every bike, what the fines actually cost, and the separate rules for e-bikes and children.
Two separate regulations, and confusing them is where most of the misunderstanding starts.
The StVZO governs the machine. It lists, part by part, what equipment a bicycle must carry to be allowed on a public road at all. This is the one that catches people out, because a bike can feel perfectly fine to ride and still be non-compliant.
The StVO governs the behaviour — which side you ride on, when you must use a cycle path, what happens at a red light, how much you can drink. It applies to you, not your bike.
You need both. A perfectly equipped bike ridden on the pavement still earns a fine, and a flawless rider on an unlit bike still earns one too.
Under §64a, §65 and §67 StVZO every bicycle on a public road must have all eight. There is no grace period and no exemption for short trips.
Front and rear must work separately. A fixed-gear bike with only a rear brake is not road-legal.
A bell specifically — horns, whistles and electronic sounders do not satisfy the law.
Minimum 10 lux, pointing forward. Dynamo, battery or rechargeable are all legal.
At least 25 cm above the road surface. Flashing-only rear lights are not approved.
Often built into the headlight housing, which is permitted — but check yours has one.
One large-area reflector carrying the capital Z marking. The most commonly missing part.
Front and back of every pedal — four in total. Clipless racing pedals almost never have them.
Two yellow spoke reflectors per wheel, or reflective sidewall tyres, or reflective rim strips.
Pedal reflectors and the Z-marked rear reflector are the two items most often missing — they are the first things removed when a bike is upgraded.
This is where outdated advice does the most damage. For decades German bicycle laws required a dynamo, and battery lights were only tolerated on lightweight racing bikes. Plenty of people still believe that.
It stopped being true in June 2017. Since that amendment to §67 StVZO, front and rear lights may be powered by a dynamo, disposable batteries or a rechargeable pack, on any bicycle. You are also no longer obliged to carry lights during daylight hours — though they must be fitted and working whenever visibility requires it.
The same amendment simplified the rear of the bike: the old requirement for a second, smaller rear reflector was dropped, leaving the single large Z-marked reflector as the standard.
Approved lights carry a German type-approval mark — a wave symbol followed by a K and a number. No marking means not StVZO-approved, however bright the light is.
Cyclists are not exempt from the Bußgeldkatalog. Equipment fines are small; the behavioural ones are not — and anything from €60 up adds a point to your Flensburg record.
| Violation | Fine | Flensburg point |
|---|---|---|
| No working brakes | €10 | No |
| No bell | €15 | No |
| Riding without working lights | €20–€35 | No |
| Riding against the direction of traffic | €20–€35 | No |
| Ignoring a mandatory cycle path | €20–€35 | No |
| Using a mobile phone while riding | €55 | No |
| Riding on the pavement | €55–€100 | From €60 |
| Red light, under 1 second | €60–€120 | Yes |
| Red light, over 1 second | €100–€180 | Yes |
The ranges reflect escalation: the lower figure is the base fine, the higher one applies where the violation obstructed someone, endangered them, or caused a collision.
This is the part with genuinely serious consequences, and it surprises people who assume a bike is a legal free pass after an evening out.
At 1.6 promille cycling stops being a traffic offence and becomes a crime under §316 StGB — a criminal fine or up to a year in prison.
Three Flensburg points and a mandatory MPU assessment. Fail it and you can lose your car licence, despite never having been behind a wheel.
You can still be prosecuted below the threshold if you show signs of impairment or are involved in an accident.
Because the MPU is triggered by the conviction rather than the vehicle, a drunk cycling charge is one of the few ways to lose a car licence without owning a car.
Whether these rules apply to your electric bike depends entirely on one number: the speed at which the motor stops assisting.
| Pedelec (25 km/h) | S-Pedelec (45 km/h) | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal category | Bicycle | Kleinkraftrad (moped) |
| Driving licence | None | Class AM |
| Insurance plate | Not required | Required |
| Helmet | Optional | Mandatory |
| Minimum age | None | 16 |
| Cycle paths | Allowed | Not permitted |
| StVZO equipment list | Applies in full | Moped rules apply |
A standard pedelec — motor capped at 250 watts, assistance cutting out at 25 km/h — is legally a bicycle in every respect. An S-Pedelec is not a bicycle at all, and treating it like one is an expensive mistake. The extra weight and speed also load exactly the components the law cares about; our guide to e-bike maintenance covers the wear points worth checking.
§2 Abs. 5 StVO sets out where children may ride, and the ages are precise.
One catch that trips families up: the pavement exemption belongs to the child who is riding. A child being carried in a seat or trailer does not transfer that right to the adult pedalling.
Wheel the bike into daylight and work through this in order. Anything you cannot tick is something a police check can fine you for.
Three things the law does not require: a helmet (no helmet law exists in Germany for cyclists of any age), high-visibility clothing, or liability insurance for ordinary bicycles and pedelecs.
Buying second-hand? Run the same list before you hand over any money — a seller is not obliged to hand the bike over road-legal. Our guide on what to check before buying a used bike covers the mechanical side, and you can browse listings on the PEDAL24 marketplace. Once it is yours, locking and registering it properly is the next job. If anything on the list failed, a vetted PEDAL24 mechanic can put it right — including bike repair in Berlin and every other major city.
Sources: §64a, §65 and §67 StVZO; §2 and §23 StVO; §316 StGB; current Bußgeldkatalog for cyclists; ADFC on carrying and accompanying children. General information, not legal advice.
No. Germany has no helmet requirement for cyclists of any age, on any type of bicycle or pedelec. Helmets are only legally required on an S-Pedelec, which is classified as a moped rather than a bicycle.
Yes. Since the June 2017 amendment to §67 StVZO, front and rear lights may be powered by a dynamo, batteries or a rechargeable pack on any bicycle. The lights must still carry German type approval — a wave symbol with a K number.
€20 as a standard fine. It rises to €25 if you endangered someone and €35 if an accident resulted. No Flensburg point is added, because the amount stays below the €60 threshold.
Yes. From 1.6 promille, cycling under the influence is a criminal offence carrying three Flensburg points and a mandatory MPU assessment. Failing the MPU can cost you your car driving licence even though the offence happened on a bicycle.
Pedelecs assisting up to 25 km/h with a 250 watt motor are legally bicycles, so the full StVZO equipment list applies. S-Pedelecs assisting to 45 km/h are mopeds: they need an insurance plate, an AM licence, a helmet and a rider aged 16 or over, and may not use cycle paths.
Children under 8 must use the pavement or a separated cycle path. From 8 they may choose, and from 10 they must use the cycle path or road. One accompanying person aged 16 or over may ride on the pavement with a child under 8.
A road-legal check takes a mechanic about ten minutes, and most missing parts cost a few euros. With PEDAL24 a vetted mechanic comes to you — at home, at work, wherever the bike is.
