Motorcycle Helmet Standards & Laws Explained: What Do the Stickers Mean?

To be legally worn on Australian roads, a motorcycle helmet must carry an ECE 22.05, ECE 22.06 or AS/NZS 1698 certification sticker or label. Helmets that only feature other certifications (DOT, Snell, FIM) are illegal for use on Australian public roads. Along with providing lower levels of protection, non-compliant lids can result in heavy fines, demerit points and voided insurance.

The 6 main motorcycle helmet standards:

• ECE 22.06: The modern and rigorous European standard used in Australia.
• ECE 22.05: The older European standard that is still road legal in Australia.
• AS/NZS 1698: The Australian and New Zealand compliance baseline.
• DOT: The American self-certified system (non-compliant in Australia).
• Snell: An independent testing standard for racers (non-compliant in Australia).
• FIM: The standard required for most professional racing (non-compliant on Australian public roads).

Your noggin is valuable. And it's never more exposed than when you're perched on two wheels and tearing down the highway or around the track.

Motorcycle helmets are given quite the task: 99.99% of the time they need to be as comfortable and unobtrusive as possible. But they also need to provide maximum protection if the worst were to occur.

It's a challenging balance to strike, particularly with motorcycle helmet laws and standards that mandate the level of protection a lid must deliver.

At Bikebiz, Sydney's #1 motorcycle dealer, we've spent the last quarter century exclusively selling approved helmets, as well as testing which offer the best riding experience. In this guide we'll tell you all you need to know about Australian motorcycle helmet laws, and how to work out whether your chosen lid has been given the tick.

Australian motorcycle helmet laws: what is legal?

Good news: while Australian motorcycle helmet laws used to be a state-by-state mess, the entire nation is now holding hands and singing kumbaya. To ride legally on an Australian public road, your lid must carry a permanent compliance label or sticker proving that it adheres to one of three standards:

• ECE 22.06: The newest, most rigorous European standard. Because it's so strict, manufacturers have adopted it as the global benchmark.
• ECE 22.05: The older version of the European rules, established in the late 90s, which remains legal on Australian roads.
• AS/NZS 1698:2006: We've whipped up our own standard that forms the baseline for local motorcycle helmet laws. But with major brands using European standards, you'll struggle to find a lid that has AS/NZS 1698:2006 compliance but not ECE.

If your helmet doesn't tick any of these boxes, you're in strife. The fines, demerit points and voided insurance claims are one thing, the safety risks of illegal motorcycle helmets are quite another.

ECE 22.06 vs. ECE 22.05: the new standard in safety

Europeans have high standards. Maybe that's a stereotype, but in the case of motorcycle helmet laws, it's true. The benchmarks set by the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) are world-leading across the board, so whatever Europe does, the rest of us tend to follow.

A few years ago, ECE 22.05 was updated to ECE 22.06. Let's dig into the details of new versus old.

ECE 22.06

The newest, most rigorous European standard is also recognised as the proxy global standard, and is the rating you should be looking for when you're shopping for a brain case. ECE 22.06 pokes and prods helmets in 22 different spots, and even twists and rotates them to replicate all the different forces that a slide can impart. There's no higher bar that a helmet can clear – and your scone deserves nothing less.

ECE 22.05

Before the current European benchmark, there was the ECE 22.05 standard, which was the world's go-to for 20-odd years. While still rated for Australian roads, ECE 22.05 is becoming a rarer sight on store shelves, and anyone with their head screwed on (and appropriately covered) would buy a 22.06 certified helmet over a 22.05.

What about DOT, Snell and FIM?

"Hang on a minute," you say, "what are these other letters I'm seeing?" Standards like DOT, Snell or FIM aren't legal for use on Australian roads, at least in and of themselves, but these markings do tell you a little bit more about the safety chops of your chosen lid – as long as they're paired with one of the legal standards listed above.

DOT (Department of Transportation)

This is the official American standard, and to be honest it's hardly worth the paper it's written on. DOT is an honour system where manufacturers self-certify their own products – "we think we did great!" they tell themselves before slapping on a sticker. Are DOT helmets legal in Australia? Absolutely not (if that's the helmet's only rating), so as a rule you shouldn't buy cheap lids from US sites.

Snell

Managed by the Snell Memorial Foundation, this is a highly respected, independent testing standard primarily used by American racers to cover for the failings of DOT. While the standards subject helmets to extreme forces, Snell compliance has no legal weight in Australia. It's just a nice bonus on top of the mandatory ECE or AS/NZS ratings.

FIM

Mandated by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme for professional track competitions like MotoGP and WorldSBK, this is the gold standard for high speed protection. FIM-rated helmets almost always carry standard ECE certification as well, so they're usually fully legal for both the street and the track.

How to check your helmet's certification

Hunting for proof that a lid has what it takes? There are two places you should look for confirmation:

• External sticker: Check the bottom back of the helmet shell for a permanent compliance sticker. If it's got an AS/NZS 1698:2006 rating this is most likely where you'll find it. Some purely ECE-approved helmets may not feature an external graphic, so you need to look inside.
• Internal tag: For ECE helmets, look for the rating on a fabric label, usually sewn directly onto the chin strap. It should also feature a number indicating the test country (e.g. E1 for Germany, E3 for Italy). The AS/NZS rating might be placed on a tag inside the liner – hunt for the red and white 'five ticks' mark.

When is it time to replace your helmet?

Helmets aren't forever – to maintain the level of protection that your head deserves, you need to replace it every once in a while. There are two key reasons to swap out your lid:

• It experiences an impact: In terms of taking a hit, your helmet is a single use item. The EPS compresses to absorb an impact, and like the crumple zone of a car, it doesn't bounce back. If you take a spill you need a new one – no exceptions, no excuses – and the same goes for dropping it from anything above handlebar height.
• You've had it for five years: Even if you never have a spill, your helmet will gradually degrade through exposure to UV, hair oils and sweat, which make it brittle and less effective. Major manufacturers offer five-year warranties for a reason: that's how long they can guarantee structural integrity. We recommend you replace yours at that point.

FAQs: motorcycle helmet laws

Can I still wear my ECE 22.05 helmet in Australia?

You sure can. While the newer ECE 22.06 is now the standard, ECE 22.05 lids are still completely legal for road use across Australia. As long as your current lid is in good condition and the official approval label is visible, you're good to go. But if the helmet is more than five years old, it's probably worth upgrading.

Can a pillion passenger wear a novelty or non-approved helmet?

No, you definitely can't wear an unapproved helmet – the same laws apply no matter where you sit on the bike, and if you're caught, both the passenger and the rider can wear the consequences. If you buy a novelty lid, like one with fur or ears, you need to make sure it's AS/NZS or ECE approved.

Does painting my motorcycle helmet void its safety certification?

Probably, unless you follow very specific manufacturer guidelines. The chemicals in paints and thinners can weaken the helmet shell and void its safety rating, so if you're desperate for a custom look, stick to paints approved by the manufacturer or get your helmet professionally wrapped.

Can I attach a GoPro or Bluetooth unit to my helmet legally?

Yep, you can legally attach comms systems, cameras and other helmet accessories, but only if doing so doesn't damage or weaken the shell. Drilling holes into your helmet is illegal and dangerous (especially if you're wearing it at the time).

Are imported helmets from the US legal in Australia?

Not if they're only DOT- or Snell-compliant, because these ratings mean nothing in Australia. If you import a helmet from the US, it MUST be ECE compliant (or AS/NZS 1698, but that's a long shot).

Place your head in a legal lid at Bikebiz

The motorcycle helmet laws in Australia are perfectly, perhaps even surprisingly, clear: ECE 22.05/6 or AS/NZS 1698:2006 compliance is non-negotiable. And as proud upholders of the law, at Bikebiz we sell nothing but 100% compliant full face, open face, modular and dirt bike lids from the world's best and biggest brands.

Browse our massive range of premium road helmets online today, or ride down to our Parramatta or Granville showrooms to chat with our in-store experts, slide a few options on and find your perfect fit.