I happen to wear a bicycle helmet every time I ride a bicycle – it seems to me that it’s just good common sense.  But if you ever find yourself in a situation without a bike helmet, here are the rules about who must wear a helmet, by state.  Local governments may have stricter laws than those regulated by the state.

 

 

Bicycle Helmet Laws by State

 

State	Helmet Required by State Law	Comments
Alabama	Yes, for children under 16	Helmets required for cyclists of all ages in some cities and districts (including Montevallo and Homewood)
Alaska	No	Required for those under 18 in some cities and districts (including Anchorage, Bethel, Juneau, Kenai, and Sitka)
Arizona	No	Required for those under 18 in some cities and districts (including Tucson, Flagstaff, and Sierra Vista and Yuma and Pima counties)
Arkansas	No	Required for children 14 and under in some cities and districts (including Bentonville)
California	Yes, for those under 18
Colorado	No
Connecticut	Yes, for children 15 and under	The state government “strongly recommends” every bicycle operator wear a helmet
Delaware	Yes, for those under 18
District of Columbia	Yes, for children under 16
Florida	Yes, for children under 16
Georgia	Yes, for children under 16	Law only applies to riding or being a passenger on a bicycle on a highway, bike path, bicycle lane, or sidewalk.
Hawaii	Yes, for children under 16	Law applies only to those operating a bicycle on a street, bikeway, or other public property
Idaho	No
Illinois	No	Required for children under 17 in some cities and districts (including Barrington, Cicero, Inverness, and Skokie); Required for all cyclists regardless of age in Chicago)
Indiana	No
Iowa	No
Kansas	No	Required for children under 16 in some cities and districts (including Lawrence)
Kentucky	No	Required for those under 18 or all cyclists in some cities and districts (including Louisville).  Initiatives have been started to require all children under 12 to wear a helmet.
Louisiana	Yes, for children under 12
Maine	Yes, for children under 16	Law only applies to public roadways and public bikeways
Maryland	Yes, for children under 16	Required for those under 18 in some cities or districts (including Montgomery County) and for all ages in some cities and districts (including Sykesville)
Massachusetts	Yes, for children 16 and under	Law applies to public right-of-ways
Michigan	No	Required for those under 15 (including Adrian), those under 16 (including Farmington Hills), those under 18 (including East Grand Rapids), and cyclists of all ages (including Kensington Metropark) in some cities and districts
Minnesota	No
Mississippi	No	Some districts and cities require helmets, including Hernando (those under 17) and Jackson and Starkville (all ages)
Missouri	No	Many cities and districts require bicycle helmets for those under 17 or for cyclists of all ages including most municipalities in St. Lewis County, Columbia, and St. Charles.
Montana	No	Required for children under 16 by some cities and districts (including Billings)
Nebraska	No
Nevada	No	Required for children under 17 by some cities and districts (including the Duckwater Indian Reservation and Reno-Sparks Indian Colony)
New Hampshire	Yes, for children under 16
New Jersey	Yes, for children under 17
New Mexico	Yes, for those under 18
New York	Yes, for children under 14	Required for those under 19 in some places (including Eastchester), those under 18 (including Onandaga County, Syracuse, and Suffolk County), and those of all ages (including Erie County, Greenburgh, and Rockland County)
North Carolina	Yes, for children under 16	Required for cyclists of all ages in some cities and districts (including Black Mountain and Boone)
North Dakota	No
Ohio	No	Required for those under 16, under 14, under 18, under 17, under 19, under 13, under 15, under 12, and over 5 in some cities and districts
Oklahoma	No	Required for those under 18 in some cities and districts (including Norman) and for all cyclists in other areas (including Oklahoma City)
Oregon	Yes, for those under 16
Pennsylvania	Yes, for those under 12
Rhode Island	Yes, for those 15 and younger
South Carolina	No
South Dakota	No
Tennessee	Yes, for those under 16	Parents are not allowed to knowingly allow children under 12 to not wear a helmet
Texas	No	Some cities and districts require helmets for those under 18 (including Arlington, Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, and Houston), under 17 (including Benbrook), under 16 (including Bedford), and under 15 (including Coppell and Southlake)
Utah	No
Vermont	No
Virginia	No	Most counties require all children 14 and younger to wear a helmet
Washington	No	Many cities and districts require helmets for cyclists of all ages
West Virginia	Yes, for children under 15	Some cities and districts require helmets for those under 18 (including Clarksburg and South Carleston) or for cyclists of all ages (including Morgantown)
Wisconsin	No	Required for those under 17 in some cities and districts (including Port Washington)
Wyoming	No

 

Of course, it is always better to wear a bicycle helmet whenever you are operating a bicycle.

 

Note that local governments may have ordinances differing from those stated here.  When in doubt, contact the town or district directly for the specific laws governing that region.

 

*Note that this is for information, not legal, purposes only.  I cannot be held responsible for the information provided here.*