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UK motorcycle helmet law

What the law says about motorcycle helmets, visors and goggles, from the Regulations and the Road Traffic Act on legislation.gov.uk, GOV.UK and the Highway Code. This is a summary of those sources, not legal advice: each point is numbered so you can read the original.

At a glance

  • Riders and pillion passengers on a motorcycle, scooter or moped must wear a protective helmet, fastened securely (Highway Code rule 83).[1]
  • GOV.UK lists those who don't have to wear one as a passenger in a sidecar, a Sikh who is wearing a turban, and someone pushing the motorcycle on foot.[2]
  • GOV.UK lists the standards a helmet can meet: British Standard BS 6658:1985 (with the Kitemark), UNECE Regulation 22.05, UNECE Regulation 22.06, or an equivalent standard of a European Economic Area member. For wearing, the law also accepts other helmets made for motorcyclists that give similar or greater protection.[3][4]
  • GOV.UK says visors that let through less than 50% of visible light can't legally be used on the road.[2]

Who must wear one

Riders and pillion passengers on a motorcycle, scooter or moped must wear a helmet, fastened securely; sidecar passengers, a Sikh wearing a turban and someone pushing the bike on foot don't have to.[1][2]

More detail (6 points)
  • Highway Code rule 83: "On all journeys, the rider and pillion passenger on a motorcycle, scooter or moped MUST wear a protective helmet." Helmets "MUST be fastened securely".[1]
  • The Regulations say "every person driving or riding (otherwise than in a side-car) on a motor bicycle when on a road shall wear protective headgear". A motor bicycle is "a two-wheeled motor cycle, whether or not having a side-car attached", and the headgear must be fastened with its straps.[4]
  • The Regulations don't apply to a mowing machine, a motor bicycle being pushed by someone on foot, or an electric scooter used in a trial.[4]
  • GOV.UK lists those who don't have to wear one as a passenger in a sidecar, a Sikh who is wearing a turban, and someone pushing the motorcycle on foot.[2]
  • The Highway Code says riders and passengers of motor tricycles and quadricycles (quad bikes) "should also wear a protective helmet".[1]
  • Riding without one is an offence. Only the person not wearing a helmet is guilty of it, unless that person is a child under 16, when someone else can be too.[5]

The Sikh turban exemption

The Road Traffic Act says the helmet rules don't apply to "any follower of the Sikh religion while he is wearing a turban".[5][1]

More detail (2 points)
  • Road Traffic Act 1988, section 16(2): "A requirement imposed by regulations under this section shall not apply to any follower of the Sikh religion while he is wearing a turban."[5]
  • The Highway Code repeats it in rule 83: "This does not apply to a follower of the Sikh religion while wearing a turban."[1]

Which helmets are legal

GOV.UK lists BS 6658:1985 (with the Kitemark), UNECE Regulation 22.05 or 22.06, or an equivalent European Economic Area standard; for wearing, the Regulations also accept other helmets made for motorcyclists that give similar or greater protection.[3][4]

More detail (5 points)
  • GOV.UK says a helmet must meet one of: British Standard BS 6658:1985 with the BSI Kitemark; UNECE Regulation 22.05; UNECE Regulation 22.06; or a standard of a European Economic Area member offering at least the same protection as BS 6658:1985, with a mark equivalent to the Kitemark.[3]
  • The Regulations as published on legislation.gov.uk name BS 6658:1985, an accepted EEA equivalent and "ECE Regulation 22.05" (added in 2000). They don't mention 22.06, and legislation.gov.uk lists no outstanding changes to them. GOV.UK and SHARP both say 22.06 helmets meet the law in the UK.[6][7][8][3][9]
  • For wearing, the Regulations also accept a helmet made for motorcyclists that, by its shape, material and construction, "could reasonably be expected to afford to the wearer a degree of protection from accidental injury similar to or greater than that provided by a helmet of a type prescribed by regulation 5" (regulation 4(3)(a)(ii)). GOV.UK's visor page says you can wear other helmets "which could reasonably be expected to give an equivalent level of protection".[4][2]
  • GOV.UK lists helmets made to older British Standards (BS 2001, 1869, 2495 and 5361, various years) as "may be worn only", and BS 6658:1985 as "may be sold and worn".[2]
  • Selling or offering for sale (including hiring out) a helmet "as a helmet for affording such protection" that isn't of a prescribed or authorised type is an offence, unless the seller proves it was sold or offered for export from Great Britain.[10]

Visors and goggles

You don't have to wear a visor or goggles, but if you do they must meet a standard, and GOV.UK says one letting through less than 50% of light can't legally be used on the road.[1][2]

More detail (3 points)
  • Highway Code rule 84: "It is also advisable to wear eye protectors, which MUST comply with the Regulations." You don't have to wear them, but if you do, they must meet a standard.[1]
  • The Eye Protectors Regulations include British Standard BS 4110 grades, an EEA equivalent, and protectors that conform with ECE Regulation 22.05. GOV.UK also lists UNECE Regulation 22.06.[11][3]
  • GOV.UK: "Visors that transmit less than 50% of visible light do not fully comply with any of the standards above and cannot legally be used on the road." SHARP says the same. GOV.UK adds that visors marked "Daytime Use Only" should only be used in daytime.[2][12]

Penalties

Riding without a helmet is an offence with a maximum fine of level 2 on the standard scale; selling a helmet that isn't of a prescribed type is level 3.[13]

More detail (2 points)
  • Riding without a helmet, and breaking the eye protector rules, are each summary offences with a maximum fine of level 2 on the standard scale. Selling a helmet that isn't of a prescribed type is level 3.[13]
  • There's no law about other protective clothing, though GOV.UK says specialised motorcycle gear is highly recommended.[3]

Sources

  1. [1] GOV.UK: The Highway Code, rules for motorcyclists (83 to 88), checked 10 Oct 2026
  2. [2] GOV.UK: Motorcycle helmets, visors and goggles (updated 22 Jul 2025), checked 10 Oct 2026
  3. [3] GOV.UK: Motorcycle helmets and safety equipment, checked 10 Oct 2026
  4. [4] legislation.gov.uk: The Motor Cycles (Protective Helmets) Regulations 1998, regulation 4, checked 10 Oct 2026
  5. [5] legislation.gov.uk: Road Traffic Act 1988, section 16, checked 10 Oct 2026
  6. [6] legislation.gov.uk: The Motor Cycles (Protective Helmets) Regulations 1998, regulation 5, checked 10 Oct 2026
  7. [7] legislation.gov.uk: The Motor Cycles (Protective Helmets) Regulations 1998, regulation 3, checked 10 Oct 2026
  8. [8] legislation.gov.uk: changes affecting the Motor Cycles (Protective Helmets) Regulations 1998, checked 10 Oct 2026
  9. [9] SHARP: ECE R22-06: what you need to know about the new helmet standard (4 Sep 2024), checked 10 Oct 2026
  10. [10] legislation.gov.uk: Road Traffic Act 1988, section 17, checked 10 Oct 2026
  11. [11] legislation.gov.uk: The Motor Cycles (Eye Protectors) Regulations 1999, regulation 4, checked 10 Oct 2026
  12. [12] SHARP: Helmet care, checked 10 Oct 2026
  13. [13] legislation.gov.uk: Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988, Schedule 2, Part I, checked 10 Oct 2026

GOV.UK, legislation.gov.uk and SHARP content is published under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Quotes are exact; other points are summaries of the source. Each source shows the date we last checked it.

Safety ratings and test results: SHARP, Department for Transport. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Helmet Scout isn’t connected to or endorsed by SHARP or the Department for Transport.