Motorcycle Helmets in India: Choose a BIS-Certified Helmet, Fit It and Fasten It

Cover image: AI-generated editorial illustration, not a real product certification or crash photograph.

Choose a helmet made for a motorcycle

A motorcycle helmet is intended to reduce head-injury risk, not make a crash harmless. Check the applicable Indian standard and certification for the product offered. The Bureau of Indian Standards’ compulsory-certification list identifies IS 4151:2015 for helmets for riders of two-wheeler motor vehicles. Do not substitute a bicycle or industrial helmet because it looks similar.

What the ISI mark and IS 4151 mean

In India a two-wheeler helmet has to meet IS 4151:2015 and carry the ISI mark of the Bureau of Indian Standards. This is not just a good idea. A Quality Control Order under the BIS Act, which has applied since 2021, bars anyone from making or selling a two-wheeler helmet without BIS certification. In July 2025 the Department of Consumer Affairs and BIS asked District Magistrates and Collectors to act against makers and shops selling helmets without it. So a helmet with no ISI mark, however good it looks, is not a legal buy.

The mark is only the start. A genuine helmet also carries the maker’s name or trademark, a batch number, the month and year of manufacture, the size and the weight. An open-face helmet should carry a note that it gives no extra protection to the chin. To check that a maker really holds a licence, use the BIS Care app or the BIS website; you can also report a doubtful helmet there.

Why does the standard matter? The WHO says that wearing a motorcycle helmet properly can cut the risk of death in a crash by more than six times and the risk of brain injury by up to 74%. That is a global estimate and cannot predict what happens in any one crash, but it shows why a certified, well-fitted helmet is worth the money.

Full-face or open-face

A full-face helmet covers the chin and the whole face. An open-face helmet leaves the chin bare. Both can be certified, so choose by how and where you ride, and never pick a helmet only because it is light or cheap. A visor should be clear and free of scratches, so that you can see well at night and in rain.

Fit and fastening matter

Try the helmet on, confirm it sits level and firmly, and fasten the chin strap as designed. It should not shift freely with a gentle check. Choose a size and model that allows clear vision and compatible hearing without loosening the fit. Inspect the shell, liner and strap; replace a helmet after a significant impact or when the manufacturer advises replacement. A sticker alone is not proof of a genuine compliant product; check the seller and product details through official BIS information.

A fit test you can do in the shop

1. Measure your head with a tape just above the eyebrows and ears, and compare it with the maker’s size chart. Sizes differ between brands, so try before you buy.
2. Put the helmet on and fasten the strap. It should feel snug all round, with the cheek pads touching your face and no pressure spot on the forehead.
3. Hold the chin bar or the lower rim and try to roll the helmet forward and backward on your head. Then twist it from side to side. Your skin should move with the helmet. If the helmet slides over your head, it is too big.
4. Fasten the strap so that it is firm under the chin, with no more than a couple of fingers able to slip under it. Check the buckle: a double D-ring or a proper quick-release buckle should lock and not slip.
5. Wear it for five to ten minutes. If it causes a headache or sore spot, try another size or shape.

These steps are common fitting practice from helmet makers and road-safety bodies; they are not part of the BIS test.

When to replace a helmet

Replace a helmet after any crash or hard knock, even if you see no damage, because the foam inside may be crushed. Replace it too if the shell is cracked, the padding has gone flat, the strap is frayed or the buckle does not lock. Many helmet makers also advise a new helmet every three to five years, as the liner and glue age with sun, heat and sweat; check what your maker says. Do not buy a second-hand helmet, because you cannot know what it has been through.

What to check when you buy

• The ISI mark and the batch, size, weight and manufacture-date markings on the helmet.
• The maker’s licence on the BIS Care app or the BIS website.
• A shell with no cracks, a liner that is not loose or crumbling, and stitched straps with a buckle that locks.
• The helmet you try on is the one you get; ask for the bill and keep it.
• Buy from a showroom or an established dealer, not a pavement stall or an unknown online seller with no returns.

Pillion riders and children

Section 129 of the Motor Vehicles Act says every person above four years of age who drives or rides on a motorcycle must wear protective headgear in a public place. It covers the pillion rider as much as the rider. The only exemption is for a Sikh who wears a turban. Riding without a helmet is an offence under Section 194D, which carries a fine and disqualification of the licence, and the rider can be penalised if the pillion has none.

For children below four years the law works differently. Rules notified in February 2022 say that a child between nine months and four years riding pillion must be attached to the rider with a safety harness, wear a helmet that fits, and the motorcycle must not go faster than 40 km an hour. The rules also name bicycle-helmet standards that are accepted for such a young child. Whether your state police enforce this rule or not, the sense behind it is plain. A small child on a two-wheeler is in real danger, so avoid carrying one on long or busy roads and never on the fuel tank or in the rider’s lap.

Pair the helmet with safer riding

Use the helmet on every ride, including short trips, and combine it with appropriate speed, attention, sober riding and other protective measures. The WHO motorcycle-helmet manual supports quality, correct use and enforcement as parts of road safety. After a crash, prioritise scene safety and emergency help. Call 112 in India for serious injury. Do not remove a helmet merely to inspect the rider; tell the emergency operator immediately if the person is unresponsive or not breathing normally and follow their instructions about airway access and CPR. The American Red Cross first-aid guidance advises leaving a helmet in place unless CPR requires its removal; it is a general training reference, not an India-specific emergency protocol.

India emergency number: MHA ERSS confirms 112. Our guide to emergency numbers in India lists the others.

For what the crash data show, read helmet and seat belt use in India. Riders who use flyovers and bridges should read how bikes skid and how to ride safely, and those who share the road with trucks should see blind spots around dumpers and trucks.