Helmet law · as of 26 October 2026
Helmet law in India and the ISI mark
Two pieces of law decide what goes on your head: section 129 of the Motor Vehicles Act says who must wear a helmet and how, and a 2020 quality control order sets the standard and certification mark that helmets must carry. Here is what each actually says, in plain words, with the official text linked.
What section 129 requires
The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 replaced section 129 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 with a new text. Read closely, it sets five things:
- Who: every person above four years of age who is driving, riding or being carried on a motorcycle of any class or description. A pillion rider is covered exactly as the rider is.
- Where: while in a public place. There is no exception for short trips or slow roads.
- What: protective headgear conforming to the standards the Central Government prescribes.
- How: the Act defines protective headgear as a helmet that, by its shape, material and construction, could reasonably be expected to protect the wearer in an accident, and that is securely fastened to the head by its straps or other fastenings. An unbuckled helmet does not meet that definition.
- Exceptions and children: the section does not apply to a Sikh wearing a turban while driving or riding. For children below four, the Central Government may make separate safety rules.
Source: The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 (No. 32 of 2019), Gazette of India Extraordinary, 9 August 2019 (Ministry of Law and Justice (Legislative Department), via PRS Legislative Research), checked 26 October 2026. The Act text is the Gazette publication of Act 32 of 2019; individual provisions came into force on dates the Central Government notified separately.
The penalty, and why fines differ by state
Section 194D, added in 2019, punishes driving a motorcycle, or causing or allowing one to be driven, in breach of section 129 with a fine of ₹1,000 and disqualification from holding a licence for 3 months. Note who is liable: the person driving, or the person who causes or allows the motorcycle to be driven. Delhi Traffic Police, for example, lists the section 194D offence as riding without a helmet by the rider or the pillion rider. Section 206(4) lets an authorised officer seize the driving licence for a section 194D offence and forward it for disqualification proceedings.
Two other provisions explain why the amount you see on a challan can differ from that figure. Section 200 lets state governments compound certain offences, including section 194D. Section 210A lets each state notify a multiplier of between one and ten that applies to fines under the Act in that state.
Source: The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 (No. 32 of 2019), Gazette of India Extraordinary, 9 August 2019 (Ministry of Law and Justice (Legislative Department), via PRS Legislative Research), checked 26 October 2026.
One state's published schedule: Delhi
As an example only, Delhi Traffic Police publishes these amounts. Check your own state's traffic police or transport department for the amounts that apply where you ride.
| Offence | Section | First offence | Subsequent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riding without a helmet (rider or pillion) | 194D | ₹1,000 | ₹1,000 |
| Carrying more than one pillion (triple riding) | 194C | ₹1,000 | ₹1,000 |
| Riding without a driving licence | 3/181 | ₹5,000 | ₹5,000 |
| Riding without insurance | 146/196 | ₹2,000 | ₹4,000 |
| Riding without a PUC certificate | CMVR 115 / 190(2) | ₹10,000 | ₹10,000 |
| Using a hand-held communication device while driving | 184 | ₹5,000 | ₹10,000 |
Source: Traffic violations & penalties (Delhi Traffic Police), checked 26 October 2026.
The IS 4151 order and the ISI mark
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways issued the Helmet for riders of Two Wheeler Motor Vehicles (Quality Control) Order, 2020 as S.O. 4252(E) on 26 November 2020, under the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016. It has applied from 1 June 2021. It says three things that matter to a buyer:
- Helmets for riders of two-wheeler motor vehicles must conform to IS 4151:2015, titled Protective Helmet for Two Wheeler Riders.
- They must bear the BIS Standard Mark (the ISI mark) under a licence from BIS.
- BIS is the certifying and enforcing authority. Only goods meant for export are left out.
The order also says the latest version of the standard, including amendments BIS notifies, applies from the date of notification. BIS lists the order on its register of products under compulsory certification.
Sources: Helmet for riders of Two Wheeler Motor Vehicles (Quality Control) Order, 2020 — S.O. 4252(E), 26 November 2020 (Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, hosted by the Bureau of Indian Standards); Products under compulsory certification — Scheme I (ISI Mark) (Bureau of Indian Standards), checked 26 October 2026.
BIS treats use of the Standard Mark without a valid licence, or an imitation of it, as misuse under section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016. Its complaint categories include misuse of the Standard Mark and violation of a quality control order, and it accepts complaints online, by post, by email and through its app.
Source: For consumers — FAQ (Bureau of Indian Standards), checked 26 October 2026.
Checking a helmet before you pay
- Find the mark. Look for the ISI mark and the number IS 4151 on the label or moulded into the shell. A helmet without them should not be on sale for road use in India.
- Look up the licence. If the label shows a BIS licence number, you can search it on BIS's Manak Online licence search.
- Be wary of the words around it. Listings that call a helmet a "dummy", "for decoration" or "not for road use" are telling you it is not road headgear.
- Then check fit. A certified helmet only protects as designed if it is the right size and fastened. Use our fit guide.
- Report a suspect helmet. If a shop sells helmets without the mark, BIS takes complaints about quality control order violations.
Sources: Manak Online — licence search (Bureau of Indian Standards); For consumers — FAQ (Bureau of Indian Standards), checked 26 October 2026.
Common questions
Does the pillion need a helmet too?
Yes. Section 129 covers every person above four years of age who is "being carried" on a motorcycle, and section 194D penalises the person who drives or allows the motorcycle to be driven in breach of it.
Does an unfastened helmet count?
No. The Act's definition of protective headgear includes being securely fastened to the wearer's head by the helmet's straps or other fastenings.
What about children below four?
Section 129 itself applies to people above four. It lets the Central Government make separate rules for the safety of younger children riding or being carried on a motorcycle. Check the current Central Motor Vehicles Rules before carrying a child that young; we have not summarised those rules here.
Is the ISI mark enough to make a helmet safe?
The mark is the legal baseline for sale. Whether the helmet protects you also depends on fit, fastening and condition: a certified helmet that is too big, unbuckled or already crashed protects less. See when to replace a helmet.
Are helmets with other certifications accepted?
The order requires helmets sold in India for two-wheeler riders to conform to IS 4151 and carry the ISI mark. A helmet may carry other certifications as well; the order does not say that another certification replaces the ISI mark.