ECE 22.06: the only approval standard that matters when buying a new helmet in the UK
Published 15 September 2026
Last updated 15 September 2026
In this blog, our friends at SHARP discuss what you should look for when buying a new motorcycle helmet.
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What makes a helmet legal?
A motorcycle helmet is legal for use on UK roads when its official compliance label shows that it has been tested and certified to meet specific government regulatory standards for helmet safety performance.
The label is sewn to the chin strap by the manufacturer to prove the helmet is compliant in the UK and offers the protection you need.
The key message for UK riders
UNECE Regulation 22.06, also known as ‘ECE 22.06’ and ‘R22.06’, is the most up-to-date safety approval standard and the current legal requirement for newly manufactured helmets sold in the UK. For a UK rider buying a new helmet to wear for road use, R22.06 is the only relevant safety approval label.
When you’re buying your helmet, look for the markings that confirm it is approved to UNECE Regulation 22.06, shown as initial numbers “06” on the fabric label. Helmets also sometimes have a sticker on the back of the helmet showing “R22.06”. This is an optional label.
To gain ECE 22.06 approval, helmets are tested in a way that reflects a more modern understanding of motorcycle crashes and a wider range of crash scenarios than the previous standards ECE 22.05 and British Standard BS 6658:1985. It includes high- and low-speed impacts and angled impacts that can cause rotational forces linked with concussion and traumatic brain injury.
Standards and comparison schemes
Helmets are often advertised as having other approval standards. ECE 22.06, DOT and Snell are pass/fail standards. Passing confirms that a helmet has met a defined minimum safety requirement.
However, DOT is the US federal legal standard and has not been updated for 50 years. Snell is a voluntary US standard, often valued in motorcycle racing. Neither US label replaces the safety approval needed for UK road use or is acceptable on its own for a helmet sold in the UK.
SHARP is different: it is an independent consumer information scheme that helps buyers compare helmet safety performance beyond the minimum threshold needed for approval. SHARP is designed around UK road conditions and regulations. It extends the testing regime to cover additional common types of crash scenarios, making it highly representative of real-world collisions and injuries. The test results are then conveyed as a simple star rating system.
SHARP provides an additional layer of trustworthy information for buyers to make an informed choice.
Buying a good helmet
Choose a helmet that carries an R22.06 fabric label, fits properly and remains comfortable for the kind of riding you intend to do. Then use SHARP star ratings to compare the relative safety performance of approved helmets. Helmets approved to the legal standard can perform differently in SHARP tests for many reasons, and price alone is not a reliable guide to safety: a low-cost helmet may achieve a high SHARP star rating. It takes only a minute to look up a helmet’s star rating on the SHARP website.
Find out more
Visit SHARP - THE HELMET SAFETY SCHEME for more information.
