Who must wear a helmet in New York, the penalties for not wearing one, and the eye-protection rules every rider should know.
New York has a universal motorcycle helmet law. Every motorcycle operator and every passenger must wear an approved helmet that meets the USDOT Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS 218), regardless of age, experience or insurance status (MV-21MC p.2).
To improve a rider's visibility, the DMV recommends a helmet with at least four square inches of reflective material on each side (MV-21MC p.2).
There is no adult exemption in New York. If you are on a motorcycle — operating it or riding as a passenger — you must wear a DOT-approved helmet.
A child of any age may ride as a passenger, but only on a motorcycle built to carry more than one person. The child must wear a DOT-approved motorcycle helmet, sit on a permanent seat, and keep a foot on each foot peg (MV-21MC p.3).
Riding without a required helmet — or carrying a passenger who is not wearing one — violates New York's Vehicle and Traffic Law and can bring a fine plus points or other penalties on your record. Because the law also covers passengers, an operator can be held responsible for an unhelmeted passenger. Confirm current fine amounts with the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles.
Separate from the helmet requirement, every New York motorcycle operator must wear approved eye protection — even if the motorcycle has a windshield, and any windshield must itself be of an approved type (MV-21MC p.2).
Eye protection must conform to the American National Standards Institute standard (ANSI Z87.1). The DMV recommends approved goggles or a face shield for full protection: a face shield guards your whole face, while goggles protect only your eyes (MV-21MC p.2, 5).
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: Test details are confirmed on the official agency page. Confirmed on the official page. Special rule: you must answer at least 2 of the 4 road-sign questions correctly to pass.