Helmet Law States

Helmet Requirement Law
Helmet Requirement Law
AlabamaAlabamaall riders
AlaskaAlaska17 and younger
ArizonaArizona17 and younger
ArkansasArkansas20 and younger
CaliforniaCaliforniaall riders
ColoradoColorado17 and younger (inc. passengers)
ConnecticutConnecticut17 and younger
DelawareDelaware18 and younger (inc. passengers); novice riders & passengers for two years after endorsement
District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbiaall riders
FloridaFlorida20 and younger
GeorgiaGeorgiaall riders
HawaiiHawaii17 and younger
IdahoIdaho17 and younger
IllinoisIllinoisno law
IndianaIndiana17 and younger
IowaIowano law
KansasKansas17 and younger
KentuckyKentucky20 and younger
LouisianaLouisianaall riders
MaineMaine17 and younger
MarylandMarylandall riders
MassachusettsMassachusettsall riders
MichiganMichigan20 and younger
MinnesotaMinnesota17 and younger
MississippiMississippiall riders
MissouriMissouri25 and younger
MontanaMontana17 and younger
NebraskaNebraska20 and younger (effective 01/01/2024)
NevadaNevadaall riders
New HampshireNew Hampshireno law
New JerseyNew Jerseyall riders
New MexicoNew Mexico17 and younger
New YorkNew Yorkall riders
North CarolinaNorth Carolinaall riders
North DakotaNorth Dakota17 and younger
OhioOhio17 and younger
OklahomaOklahoma17 and younger
OregonOregonall riders
PennsylvaniaPennsylvania20 and younger
Rhode IslandRhode Island20 and younger
South CarolinaSouth Carolina20 and younger
South DakotaSouth Dakota17 and younger
TennesseeTennesseeall riders
TexasTexas20 and younger
UtahUtah20 and younger
VermontVermontall riders
VirginiaVirginiaall riders
WashingtonWashingtonall riders
West VirginiaWest Virginiaall riders
WisconsinWisconsin17 and younger
WyomingWyoming17 and younger
Rankings
>
Miscellaneous

Introduction

With a surge in popularity of biking and motorcycling in recent years, helmet laws have become a salient issue. In light of the fact that there is no uniform federal law, it’s imperative that bikers know the differing helmet laws for each state. The laws range from states with no helmet requirement at all to those mandating head protection for all riders to those in between requiring helmets for certain age groups. Such variability exists because each state has the power to regulate its own road safety laws.

  • Three states, Illinois, Iowa, and New Hampshire, currently have no laws requiring helmet usage.
  • Nineteen states have laws mandating all riders, regardless of age, to wear helmets.
  • A sizable contingent of eighteen states have laws requiring only riders 17 and younger to wear helmets.
  • Missouri and Delaware have policies requiring helmets for riders 25 and younger and 18 and younger, respectively.
  • While Nebraska has a policy similar to many states requiring helmets for riders 20 or younger, it’s worth noting that the age limit will increase to 20 effective January 1, 2024.

By Region

Alabama

See Less
Alabama

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

all riders

Alaska

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Alaska

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

17 and younger

Arizona

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Arizona

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

17 and younger

Arkansas

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Arkansas

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

20 and younger

California

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California

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

all riders

Colorado

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Colorado

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

17 and younger (inc. passengers)

Connecticut

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Connecticut

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

17 and younger

Delaware

See More
Delaware

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

18 and younger (inc. passengers); novice riders & passengers for two years after endorsement

District of Columbia

See More
District of Columbia

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

all riders

Florida

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Florida

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

20 and younger

Georgia

See More
Georgia

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

all riders

Hawaii

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Hawaii

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

17 and younger

Idaho

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Idaho

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

17 and younger

Illinois

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Illinois

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

no law

Indiana

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Indiana

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

17 and younger

Iowa

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Iowa

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

no law

Kansas

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Kansas

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

17 and younger

Kentucky

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Kentucky

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

20 and younger

Louisiana

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Louisiana

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

all riders

Maine

See More
Maine

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

17 and younger

Maryland

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Maryland

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

all riders

Massachusetts

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Massachusetts

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

all riders

Michigan

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Michigan

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

20 and younger

Minnesota

See More
Minnesota

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

17 and younger

Mississippi

See More
Mississippi

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

all riders

Missouri

See More
Missouri

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

25 and younger

Montana

See More
Montana

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

17 and younger

Nebraska

See More
Nebraska

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

20 and younger (effective 01/01/2024)

Nevada

See More
Nevada

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

all riders

New Hampshire

See More
New Hampshire

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

no law

New Jersey

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New Jersey

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

all riders

New Mexico

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New Mexico

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

17 and younger

New York

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New York

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

all riders

North Carolina

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North Carolina

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

all riders

North Dakota

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North Dakota

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

17 and younger

Ohio

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Ohio

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

17 and younger

Oklahoma

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Oklahoma

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

17 and younger

Oregon

See More
Oregon

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

all riders

Pennsylvania

See More
Pennsylvania

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

20 and younger

Rhode Island

See More
Rhode Island

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

20 and younger

South Carolina

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South Carolina

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

20 and younger

South Dakota

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South Dakota

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

17 and younger

Tennessee

See More
Tennessee

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

all riders

Texas

See More
Texas

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

20 and younger

Utah

See More
Utah

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

20 and younger

Vermont

See More
Vermont

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

all riders

Virginia

See More
Virginia

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

all riders

Washington

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Washington

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

all riders

West Virginia

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West Virginia

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

all riders

Wisconsin

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Wisconsin

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

17 and younger

Wyoming

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Wyoming

Metric

Value

Rank

Helmet Requirement Law

17 and younger

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