Who must wear a helmet in California, the penalties for not wearing one, and the eye-protection rules every rider should know.
California has a universal motorcycle helmet law. Under California Vehicle Code §27803, every motorcycle rider and every passenger must wear a U.S. DOT compliant motorcycle safety helmet, regardless of age or experience (DL 665 p.8).
A compliant helmet must be certified by the manufacturer as meeting the U.S. DOT Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 218. The DOT lettering must be permanently applied to the helmet — not an easily removed stick-on label (DL 665 p.8-9).
There is no adult exemption in California. If you are operating or riding as a passenger on a motorcycle, motor-driven cycle, or motorized bicycle, you must wear a DOT-compliant helmet.
Non-U.S. DOT compliant "novelty" helmets — sometimes called beanies, brain buckets, or loophole lids — have very thin liners and lack the strength and size to protect a rider in a collision. Make sure the genuine DOT certification is on any helmet you buy (DL 665 p.8-9).
Riding without a required DOT-compliant helmet violates California Vehicle Code §27803 and is enforced as a traffic offense; an operator can also be cited for carrying an unhelmeted passenger. Confirm current fine amounts with the California DMV or California Highway Patrol.
California law does not require motorcycle riders to wear eye or face protection. The Motorcycle Handbook lists face and/or eye protection as highly suggested rather than mandatory (DL 665 p.8).
Even though it is not required, the DMV strongly recommends a shatter-resistant face shield or goggles. A face shield protects your whole face from wind, dust, rain, and debris; goggles protect only your eyes; and a windshield is not a substitute for either (DL 665 p.9, 16). Tinted shields should not be worn at night.
A legal motorcycle helmet must meet the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) FMVSS 218 standard. Look for the "DOT" certification label on the back. Helmets that meet stricter Snell or ECE standards offer additional protection. Avoid novelty helmets — they are not legal head protection.
Source: Some test details are confirmed by the state agency; the rest reflect the consensus of major rider-education sources. The motorcycle knowledge test contains 25 questions; you must answer 20 correctly (80%) to pass.