History of US motorcycle laws and changes in coverage
Helmet use laws overview | Current US motorcycle and bicycle helmet laws with maps
| Coverage changes with effective dates | Riders covered by current law | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Effective date of original (universal law covering all riders, except as noted) | Repeal | Changes other than repeal | Universal (covers all riders) | Partial (covers only young riders or some adult riders) |
| Alabama | 11/06/67 | no repeal or coverage changes | since 11/06/67 | — | |
| Alaska | 01/01/71 | — | 06/23/76 (reduced coverage to 17 and younger) | — | since 06/23/76: • 17 and younger • passengers • instructional permit holders |
| Arizona | 01/01/69 | — | 05/27/76 (reduced coverage to 17 and younger) | — | 17 and younger since 05/27/76 |
| Arkansas | 06/29/67 | — | 1997 (reduced coverage to 20 and younger) | — | 20 and younger since 1997 |
| California | 01/01/85 (covered ages 15, 6 months or younger) | — | 01/01/92 (expanded to universal coverage) | since 01/01/92 | — |
| Colorado | 07/01/69 | 05/20/77 | 07/01/07 (reinstated coverage for 17 and younger) | 17 and younger and their passengers 17 and younger as of 07/01/07 | |
| Connecticut | 10/01/67 | 06/76 | 01/01/90 (reinstated coverage for 17 and younger) | — | 17 and younger since 01/90 |
| Delaware | 06/21/68 | — | 06/10/78 (reduced coverage to 18 and younger) | — | 18 and younger since 06/10/78 |
| District of Columbia | 02/11/70 | no repeal or coverage changes | since 02/11/70 | — | |
| Florida | 09/13/67 | — | 07/01/00 (reduced coverage to exclude 21 and older with medical insurance) | — | since 07/01/00: • 20 and younger • 21 and older with less than $10,000 in medical insurance |
| Georgia | 07/01/69 | no repeal or coverage changes | since 07/01/69 | — | |
| Hawaii | 06/04/67 | — | 06/07/77 (reduced coverage to 17 and younger) | — | 17 and younger since 06/07/77 |
| Idaho | 01/01/68 | — | 03/29/78 (reduced coverage to 17 and younger) | — | 17 and younger since 03/29/78 |
| Illinois | 07/01/69 | 07/01/70 | — | no motorcycle helmet law since the 07/01/70 repeal | |
| Indiana | 07/26/67 | 08/77 | 01/84 (reinstated coverage for 17 and younger) | — | 17 and younger since 01/84 |
| Iowa | 09/01/75 | 07/01/76 | — | no motorcycle helmet law since the 01/01/76 repeal | |
| Kansas | 07/01/67 | — | 07/01/70 (reduced coverage to 20 and younger); 07/01/72 (reinstated universal coverage); 07/01/76 (reduced coverage to 15 and younger); 07/01/79 (expanded to 17 and younger) | — | 17 and younger since 07/01/79 |
| Kentucky | 06/13/68 | — | 07/15/98 (reduced coverage to 20 and younger) | — | since 07/15/98: • 20 and younger • instruction permit holders and operators licensed less than 1 year |
| Louisiana | 07/31/68 | — | 10/01/76 (reduced coverage to 17 and younger); 01/01/82 (reinstated universal coverage); 08/15/99 (returned to partial coverage by exempting riders 18+ with medical insurance); 08/15/04 (reinstated universal coverage) | since 08/15/04 | — |
| Maine | 10/07/67 | 10/77 | 07/80 (reinstated coverage for ages 14 and younger) 09/09 (increases coverage to ages 17 and younger) |
— | since 07/80: • 14 and younger • instruction permit holders and operators licensed less than 1 year • passengers if operators are covered by the helmet law as of 9/09: • 17 and younger • instruction permit holders and operators licensed less than 1 year • passengers if operators are covered by the helmet law |
| Maryland | 07/01/68 | — | 07/01/79 (reduced coverage to 17 and younger); 10/01/92 (reinstated universal coverage) | since 10/01/92 | — |
| Massachusetts | 05/22/67 | no repeal or coverage changes | since 05/22/67 | — | |
| Michigan | 03/10/67 | 06/12/68 | 07/29/69 (reinstated universal coverage) | since 07/29/69 | — |
| Minnesota | 05/01/68 | — | 04/06/77 (reduced coverage to 17 and younger) | — | since 04/06/77: • 17 and younger • instruction permit holders |
| Mississippi | 03/28/74 | no repeal or coverage changes | since 03/28/74 | — | |
| Missouri | 09/28/67 | no repeal or coverage changes | since 09/28/67 | — | |
| Montana | 07/01/73 | — | 07/01/77 (reduced coverage to 17 and younger) | — | 17 and younger since 07/01/77 |
| Nebraska | 05/29/67 | 09/02/77 | 01/01/89 (reinstated universal coverage) | since 01/01/89 | — |
| Nevada | 01/01/72 | no repeal or coverage changes | since 01/01/72 | — | |
| New Hampshire | 09/05/67 | — | 08/07/77 (reduced coverage to 17 and younger until federal law ceases to require a motorcycle helmet law as a condition for the receipt of federal funds); 9/30/95 (repeal of federal law requiring helmet laws for federal funds voided helmet use requirement in NH) | no motorcycle helmet law since 09/30/95 when federal incentives for helmet laws were eliminated | |
| New Jersey | 01/01/68 | no repeal or coverage changes | since 01/01/68 | — | |
| New Mexico | 06/16/67 | — | 03/31/78 (reduced coverage to 17 and younger) | — | 17 and younger since 03/31/78 |
| New York | 01/01/67 | no repeal or coverage changes | since 01/01/67 | — | |
| North Carolina | 01/01/68 | no repeal or coverage changes | since 01/01/68 | — | |
| North Dakota | 07/01/67 | — | 07/01/77 (reduced coverage to 17 and younger) | — | since 07/01/77: • 17 and younger • passengers if operators are covered by the helmet law |
| Ohio | 01/01/68 | — | 07/10/78 (reduced coverage to 17 and younger) | — | since 07/10/78: • 17 and younger • operators licensed less than 1 year • passengers if operators are covered by the helmet law |
| Oklahoma | 04/27/67 | — | 1969 (reduced coverage to 20 and younger); 1975 (reinstated universal coverage); 05/21/76 (reduced coverage to 17 and younger) | — | 17 and younger since 05/21/76 |
| Oregon | 01/01/68 | — | 10/04/77 (reduced coverage to 17 and younger); 06/16/88 (reinstated universal coverage) | since 06/16/88 | — |
| Pennsylvania | 07/15/68 | — | 09/04/03 (reduced coverage to 20 and younger) | — | since 09/04/03: • 20 and younger • operators 21 and older licensed less than 2 years who have not completed an approved safety course • passengers 21 and older if operators are covered by the helmet law |
| Rhode Island | 04/04/67 | — | 05/21/76 (repealed helmet requirement for motorcycle operators, but not passengers); 07/92 (expanded coverage to operators 20 and younger) | — | since 07/92: • 20 and younger • passengers • operators licensed less than 1 year |
| South Carolina | 07/01/67 | — | 06/16/80 (reduced coverage to 20 and younger) | — | 20 and younger since 06/16/80 |
| South Dakota | 07/01/67 | — | 07/01/77 (reduced coverage to 17 and younger) | — | 17 and younger since 07/01/77 |
| Tennessee | 06/04/67 | no repeal or coverage changes | since 06/04/67 | — | |
| Texas | 01/01/68 | — | 08/29/77 (reduced coverage to 17 and younger); 09/1/89 (reinstated universal coverage); 09/1/97 (reduced coverage by exempting 21+ who either have completed a motorcycle education course or who have medical insurance) | — | since 09/01/97: • 20 and younger • 21 and older with less than $10,000 in medical insurance who have not taken a motorcycle education course |
| Utah | 05/13/69 (covered riders on roads posted for speeds higher than 35 mph) | — | 05/10/77 (reduced coverage to 17 and younger) | — | 17 and younger since 05/10/77 |
| Vermont | 03/06/68 | no repeal or coverage changes | since 03/06/68 | — | |
| Virginia | 06/26/70 | no repeal or coverage changes | since 06/26/70 | — | |
| Washington | 06/08/67 | 09/21/77 | 07/87 (reinstated coverage for 17 and younger); 06/07/90 (reinstated universal coverage) | since 06/07/90 | — |
| West Virginia | 05/25/71 | no repeal or coverage changes | since 05/25/71 | — | |
| Wisconsin | 07/01/68 | — | 03/19/78 (reduced coverage to 17 and younger) | — | since 03/18/78: • 17 and younger • instruction permit holders |
| Wyoming | 05/24/73 | — | 05/27/83 (reduced coverage to 18 and younger) 07/01/93 (reduced coverage to 17 and younger) |
— | 17 and younger since 07/01/93 |