TestedHelmetsCheck your state. Rules differ by state and city and change often. Read your state's current vehicle code or DMV guidance, and your city's rules, before you ride.
The three e-bike classes
Many states sort e-bikes into three classes, based on model rules that the bike industry has promoted to state lawmakers:
- Class 1. Pedal assist only, up to 20 mph.
- Class 2. Has a throttle, with assist up to 20 mph.
- Class 3. Pedal assist up to 28 mph.
Federal law also defines a low-speed electric bicycle: working pedals, a motor under 750 watts, and a top speed under 20 mph on motor power alone. That law makes these e-bikes consumer products under CPSC's bicycle rules. It covers how the bike is made and sold, not what the rider wears.
How state helmet rules usually work
In the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute's state list, the rules fall into a few groups:
- A helmet for every rider on a Class 3 e-bike, at any age. California, Connecticut, Georgia, Louisiana, Ohio, Tennessee and Virginia do this.
- A helmet for riders under a set age on some or all classes. The age varies by state, and 16 and 18 are both common.
- A helmet for every rider on every class, in Alabama and Massachusetts
- No statewide rule, leaving it to cities, or no rule at all
Many of these laws cover passengers too. Some states also apply their regular bicycle helmet law to e-bikes. Because the details vary this much, we don't cover every state here. The Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute keeps a state-by-state list, built from PeopleForBikes' state fact sheets, that is a good place to start before you check the law itself.
The US helmet standard: CPSC 1203
CPSC's standard, 16 CFR Part 1203, is mandatory for every bicycle helmet made since 1999 and sold in the US. A compliant helmet carries a label inside that says it meets the CPSC standard. CPSC has no separate standard for e-bike helmets.
CPSC's own helmet chart draws a line at 20 mph. For riding under 20 mph the way you'd ride a bicycle, CPSC says a bicycle helmet may be appropriate. For motorized bicycles that can hold 20 mph or more, it lists moped and motorcycle-type standards, including NTA 8776.
What NTA 8776 is
NEN, the Dutch standards body, wrote NTA 8776 for speed pedelecs, e-bikes that assist up to 45 km/h, about 28 mph. It tests at higher impact energy than ordinary bicycle standards and requires more coverage around the head. We didn't find a US law that requires it, but CPSC lists it as an option for faster e-bikes, and a helmet sold in the US still needs the CPSC label.
In Virginia Tech's bicycle ratings, 34 rated models list NTA 8776 in their certifications (1 road, 12 mountain, 14 urban, 7 full-face). See them in the ratings list. Virginia Tech doesn't test to NTA 8776, so a model's STAR score can't tell you how it does at faster e-bike speeds.
Choosing a helmet for your e-bike
If your e-bike holds 20 mph or more, CPSC's chart points to standards like NTA 8776, so look for a helmet that has that certification as well as the CPSC label. Our e-bike helmet picks show lab scores and NTA 8776 listings side by side. Whatever you pick, check the fit with our size and fit guide.