Motorcycle helmets and rider protection

• UN Regulation No 22.06 for helmets
• Regulation (EU) 2016/425 — PPE for body armour
• Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 — Article 4

Who has to appoint one

Manufacturers and sellers outside the Union placing helmets and rider protective equipment on the EU market. Helmets follow UNECE approval rather than the PPE Regulation; back protectors, jackets and gloves are PPE with type examination.

Thresholds and exemptions

None. Helmets without a valid ECE approval may not be sold for road use in the Union, whatever other certification they hold.

What must appear on the label

The ECE approval label sewn into the strap showing the 22.06 approval number and the country code, plus the manufacturer, size and production date. For PPE items, CE marking with the notified body number, the standard reference and the protection level.

Marketplace fields

Marketplaces remove helmets carrying only DOT or SNELL certification, which have no validity in the Union, and this is one of the clearest bright-line rules in online retail.

Documentation you must hold

The ECE type approval and conformity of production documentation for helmets. For PPE, the EU declaration of conformity, technical documentation and the EU type-examination certificate.

Standards and testing

UN R22.06 impact, penetration, retention and visor testing, including the rotational and low-speed impact tests added in the 22.06 revision. EN 1621 series for impact protectors, EN 17092 for protective garments.

Language requirements

Instructions, care information and the warning on replacement after impact in the language of each member state of sale.

When it applies

Approval before placing on the market. Helmets approved to the older 22.05 could be sold only during the transition, which has closed.

How long records are kept

Approval and production records per the approval, and ten years for PPE documentation.

What happens if you do not comply

Prohibition of sale and seizure. A rider using an unapproved helmet also faces penalties in most member states, which destroys the resale value of non-compliant stock.

Who enforces it

Type approval authorities, market surveillance authorities, notified bodies for PPE and customs.

Where the boundary lies

Helmets sit outside the PPE Regulation and inside the UNECE system, which surprises sellers who assume all protective equipment follows the same route. Novelty helmets sold as fashion items are still treated as road helmets if presented for motorcycle use.

Questions we are asked

Is a DOT helmet legal in Europe?

No. Road use requires an ECE 22.06 approval, and marketplaces remove DOT-only listings.

Are back protectors PPE?

Yes, Category II PPE under EN 1621, requiring EU type-examination by a notified body.