Helmet Laws By State


State	Motorcycle helmets	Does the motorcycle helmet law cover all low-power cycles?
Alabama	all riders	yes
Alaska	17 and younger¹	yes
Arizona	17 and younger	all low-power cycles with an engine displacement greater than 50cc, brake horsepower greater than 1 1/2, or can attain speeds greater than 25 mph are covered by the motorcycle helmet law
Arkansas	20 and younger	yes
California	all riders	yes
Colorado	17 and younger and passengers 17 and younger	yes
Connecticut	17 and younger	yes
Delaware	18 and younger²	all low-power cycles defined as a moped or triped if the operator is 15 or younger; bicycle helmet acceptable for motorized scooter
District of Columbia	all riders	all low-power cycles with an engine displacement greater than 50cc, brake horsepower greater than 1 1/2, or can attain speeds greater than 30 mph are covered by the motorcycle helmet law
Florida	20 and younger³	all low-power cycles with an engine displacement greater than 50cc, brake horsepower greater than 2, or can attain speeds greater than 30 mph and all low-power cycles operated by those 15 and younger are covered by the motorcycle helmet law
Georgia	all riders	all low-power cycles are covered by the motorcycle helmet law except bicycle helmets are acceptable for electric assisted bicycles
Hawaii	17 and younger	all low-power cycles with an engine displacement greater than 50cc, brake horsepower greater than 2, or can attain speeds greater than 30 mph are covered by the motorcycle helmet law
Idaho	17 and younger	all low-power cycles with an engine displacement greater than 50cc, brake horsepower greater than 5, or can attain speeds greater than 30 mph are covered by the motorcycle helmet law
Illinois	no law	no law
Indiana	17 and younger	yes
Iowa	no law	no law
Kansas	17 and younger	all low-power cycles except electric assisted bicycles are covered by the motorcycle helmet law
Kentucky	20 and younger⁴	all low-power cycles with an engine displacement greater than 50cc, brake horsepower greater than 2, or can attain speeds greater than 30 mph are covered by the motorcycle helmet law
Louisiana	all riders	yes
Maine	17 and younger⁵	all low-power cycles with an engine displacement greater than 50cc or more than 1,500 watts are covered by the motorcycle helmet law
Maryland	all riders	yes all low-power cycles designed to travel at speeds exceeding 35 mph, scooters with with engine displacement greater than 50cc or brake horsepower greater than 2.7 and mopeds with an engine displacement greater than 50cc or brake horsepower greater than 1.5 are covered by the motorcycle helmet law
Massachusetts	all riders	yes
Michigan	20 and younger⁶	all low-power cycles with an engine displacement greater than 50cc or can attain speeds greater than 30 mph and all low-power cycles operated by those 18 and younger are covered by the motorcycle helmet law
Minnesota	17 and younger⁷	yes
Mississippi	all riders	yes
Missouri	all riders	all low-power cycles with an engine displacement greater than 50cc, brake horsepower greater than 3, or can attain speeds greater than 30 mph are covered by the motorcycle helmet law
Montana	17 and younger	all low-power cycles with an engine displacement greater than 50cc, brake horsepower greater than 2, or can attain speeds greater than 30 mph are covered by the motorcycle helmet law
Nebraska	all riders	yes
Nevada	all riders	all low-power cycles with an engine displacement greater than 50cc, brake horsepower greater than 2, or can attain speeds greater than 30 mph are covered by the motorcycle helmet law
New Hampshire	no law	no law
New Jersey	all riders	yes
New Mexico	17 and younger	all low-power cycles with an engine displacement greater than 50cc or can attain speeds greater than 30 mph are covered by the motorcycle helmet law
New York	all riders	all low-power cycles designed to travel at speeds of 20 mph or greater are covered by the motorcycle helmet law
North Carolina	all riders	yes
North Dakota	17 and younger⁸	yes
Ohio	17 and younger⁹	yes
Oklahoma	17 and younger	all low-power cycles are covered by the motorcycle helmet law except bicycle helmets are acceptable for electric assisted bicycles operated by those 18 and younger
Oregon	all riders	yes
Pennsylvania	20 and younger¹⁰	all low-power cycles with an engine displacement greater than 50cc, brake horsepower greater than 1 1/2, or can attain speeds greater than 25 mph are covered by the motorcycle helmet law
Rhode Island	20 and younger¹¹	all low-power cycles with an engine displacement greater than 50cc, brake horsepower greater than 4.9 or can attain speeds greater than 30 mph are covered by the motorcycle helmet law
South Carolina	20 and younger	yes
South Dakota	17 and younger	yes
Tennessee	all riders	yes
Texas	20 and younger¹²	all low-power cycles, except motor assisted scooters with an engine displacement less than than 40cc, are covered by the motorcycle helmet law
Utah	20 and younger	yes
Vermont	all riders	all low-power cycles with an engine displacement greater than 50cc, brake horsepower greater than 2, or can attain speeds greater than 30 mph are covered by the motorcycle helmet law
Virginia	all riders	all low-power cycles operated at speeds greater than 35 mph or with an engine displacement greater than 50cc are covered by the motorcycle helmet law
Washington	all riders	yes
West Virginia	all riders	all low-power cycles with an engine displacement greater than 50cc, brake horsepower greater than 2, or can attain speeds greater than 30 mph are covered by the motorcycle helmet law
Wisconsin	17 and younger¹³	all low-power cycles designed to travel at speeds exceeding 30 mph or a Type 1 motorcycle with an automatic transmission with an engine displacement greater than 50cc are covered by the motorcycle helmet law
Wyoming	17 and younger	all low-power cycles with an engine displacement greater than 50cc, brake horsepower greater than 2, or can attain speeds greater than 30 mph are covered by the motorcycle helmet law

¹Alaska's motorcycle helmet use law covers passengers of all ages, operators younger than 18, and operators with instructional permits.

²In Delaware, every motorcycle operator or rider age 19 and older must carry an approved helmet.

³In Florida, the law requires that all riders younger than 21 years wear helmets, without exception. Those 21 years and older may ride without helmets only if they can show proof that they are covered by a medical insurance policy.

⁴In Kentucky, the law requires that all riders younger than 21 years wear helmets, without exception. Those 21 and older may ride without helmets only if they can show proof that they are covered by a medical insurance policy. Motorcycle helmet laws in Kentucky also cover operators with instructional/learner's permits.

⁵Motorcycle helmet laws in Maine cover operators with instructional/learner's permits and operators in their first year of licensure. Maine's motorcycle helmet use law also covers passengers 17 and younger and passengers riding with operators who are required to wear a helmet.

⁶In Michigan, the law requires that all riders younger than 21 wear helmets, without exception. Those 21 and older may ride without helmets only if they carry additional insurance and have passed a motorcycle safety course or have had their motorcycle endorsement for at least two years. Motorcycle passengers who want to exercise this option also must be 21 or older and carry additional insurance.

⁷Motorcycle helmet laws in Minnesota cover operators with instructional/learner's permits.

⁸North Dakota's motorcycle helmet use law covers all passengers traveling with operators who are covered by the law.

⁹Ohio's motorcycle helmet use law covers all operators during the first year of licensure and all passengers of operators who are covered by the law.

¹⁰Pennsylvania's motorcycle helmet use law covers all operators during the first two years of licensure unless the operator has completed the safety course approved by PennDOT or the Motorcycle Safety Foundation.

¹¹Rhode Island's motorcycle helmet use law covers all passengers (regardless of age) and all operators during the first year of licensure (regardless of age).

¹²Texas exempts riders 21 or older if they can either show proof of successfully completing a motorcycle operator training and safety course or can show proof of having a medical insurance policy. A peace officer may not stop or detain a person who is the operator of or a passenger on a motorcycle for the sole purpose of determining whether the person has successfully completed the motorcycle operator training and safety course or is covered by a health insurance plan.

¹³Motorcycle helmet laws in Wisconsin cover operators with instructional/learner's permits.