that does not meet the Federal safety standard 

usually does not have such labeling.

Remember a DOT sticker on the back of the 

helmet and proper inside labeling do not 

necessarily indicate that a helmet meets 

all DOT requirements. Many helmets have 

counterfeit DOT stickers and a limited few also 

have manufacturer’s labeling. But the design 

and weight of a helmet, thickness of the inner 

liner, and the quality of the chin strap and 

rivets are extra clues to help distinguish safe 

helmets from non-complying ones.

Unsafe Helmet Interior

Safe Helmet Interior

DOT HS 807 880

September 2004 (Revised)

Comfort

Liner

Polystyrene

Foam Liner

Hard

Outer Shell

Face

Shield

Face/Chin

Protector

Chin

Strap

Strong

Rivets

Comfort

Liner Outer

Shell

Chin

Strap

No Inner

Liner

Flimsy

Rivets

How to Identify

 Unsafe 

 Motorcycle 

 Helmets
How to Identify

 Unsafe Motorcycle 

 Helmets

I

t’s clear ... Motorcycle helmets save 

lives. To help protect the lives of motorcycle riders, the U.S. Department of 

Transportation (DOT) requires that all 

motorcycle helmets sold in the United 

States meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety 

Standard (FMVSS) 218. This standard defines 

minimum levels of performance that helmets 

must meet to protect the head and brain in 

the event of a crash. Each year, DOT conducts 

compliance testing of a variety of motorcycle 

helmets to determine whether helmets being 

sold in the United States meet the Federal 

safety standard. Because helmets add such a 

critical margin of safety for motorcycle riders, 

many States now have laws requiring use of 

helmets that meet FMVSS 218 requirements. 

Some motorcycle riders are violating these 

State laws by wearing unsafe helmets that do 

not meet FMVSS 218. Most of these helmets 

are sold as novelty items and circumvent 

FMVSS 218’s requirements. In some cases, 

some motorcyclists purchase these helmets in 

the mistaken belief that they offer protection. 

However, many people who wear these novelty 

helmets know that they are unsafe – but wear 

them anyway. This brochure explains how to 

identify unsafe novelty helmets as well as how 

to distinguish unsafe helmets from those that 

meet the Federal safety standard.

Here is What to Check For:

Thick Inner Liner

Helmets meeting the minimum Federal 

safety standard have an inner liner usually 

about one-inch thick of firm polystyrene 

foam. Sometimes the inner liner will not be 

visible, but you should still be able to feel its 

thickness. Unsafe helmets normally contain 

only soft foam padding or a bare plastic shell 

with no padding at all.

Sturdy Chin Strap 

and Rivets

Helmets meeting the DOT safety standard 

have sturdy chinstraps with solid rivets.

Weight of Helmet

Depending on design, unsafe helmets weigh 

only one pound or less. Helmets meeting 

FMVSS 218 generally weigh about three 

pounds. Become familiar with the weight of 

helmets that comply with the Federal safety 

standard. These helmets provide a more 

substantial feel.

Design/Style of Helmet

The DOT safety standard does not allow 

anything to extend further than two-tenths 

of an inch from the surface of a helmet. For 

example, while visor fasteners are allowed, a 

spike or other protruding decorations indicate 

an unsafe helmet.

A design such as the German Army style or 

skullcap style may be a clue to an unsafe helmet. Unsafe helmets are noticeably smaller in 

diameter and thinner than ones meeting the 

DOT standard. However, some German Army 

style helmet may meet Federal requirements. 

You’ll need to check for weight, thickness, 

sturdy chinstraps, as well as the “DOT” and 

manufacturer’s labels to make sure the helmet 

meets the Federal safety standard. Familiarize 

yourself with brand names and designs of 

helmets that comply with DOT requirements. 

For example, a full-face design is a good 

indicator of a safe helmet. To date, we have 

never seen a full-face design novelty helmet.

DOT Sticker

Helmets that meet FMVSS 218 must have 

a sticker on the outside back of the helmet 

with the letters “DOT,” which certifies that the 

helmet meets or exceeds FMVSS 218. It is 

important to note that some novelty helmet 

sellers provide DOT stickers separately for 

motorcyclists to place on non-complying 

helmets. In this case, the DOT sticker is invalid 

and does not certify compliance.

Snell or ANSI Label

In addition to the DOT sticker, labels located 

inside the helmet showing that a helmet 

meets the standards of private, non-profit 

organizations such as Snell or the American 

National Standards Institute (ANSI) are good 

indicators that the helmet also meets the 

Federal safety standard. To date, we have 

never seen a novelty helmet that has a phony 

DOT sticker in addition to a phony Snell or 

ANSI label.

Manufacturer’s Labeling

Manufacturers are required under FMVSS 

218 to place a label on or inside the helmet 

stating the manufacturer’s name, model, size, 

month and year of manufacture, construction 

materials, and owner’s information. A helmet