Kentucky: Do adults have to wear motorcycle helmets?
Kentucky requires helmets for riders and passengers under 21, permit holders, and riders licensed less than one year.
Riders 21 and older who have held a motorcycle license for at least a year may ride without a helmet, and so may passengers 21 and older. Helmets must be worn whenever the motorcycle is moving on a public highway.
Conditions
- Helmet required under 21 (operators and passengers)
- Helmet required for instruction permit holders
- Helmet required in first year of motorcycle license
What the law says
The following persons shall be required to wear protective headgear, in the manner prescribed by the secretary of the Transportation Cabinet, at all times the motorcycles they are riding are in motion on a public highway: (a) A person under the age of twenty-one (21) years who is operating a motorcycle or who is a passenger on a motorcycle or in a sidecar attachment; (b) A person who possesses a motorcycle instruction permit and who is operating a motorcycle; and (c) A person who has held a valid motorcycle operator's license, or combination motor vehicle-motorcycle operator's license, for less than one (1) year and who is operating a motorcycle.
Sources
- KRS 189.285 (Kentucky Legislature) Official · apps.legislature.ky.gov
- KRS 189.285(3) (FindLaw) Mirror of official text · codes.findlaw.com
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- Kentucky Office of Highway Safety (Kentucky Transportation Cabinet)
- Phone
- 502-564-1438
- Website
- transportation.ky.gov
How bordering states compare
- Illinois No helmet lawIllinois has no motorcycle helmet law; riders and passengers must wear eye protection instead.
- Indiana Only some ridersIndiana requires helmets for motorcycle riders and passengers under 18, and for anyone riding on a motorcycle learner's permit.
- Missouri Only some ridersMissouri requires helmets for riders under 26 and for anyone riding on an instruction permit.
- Ohio Only some ridersOhio requires helmets for riders under 18, riders with a novice license or endorsement, and passengers riding with them.
- Tennessee All ridersTennessee requires every motorcycle operator and passenger to wear a helmet, regardless of age.
- Virginia All ridersVirginia requires every motorcycle operator and passenger to wear a helmet, regardless of age.
- West Virginia All ridersWest Virginia requires every motorcycle operator and passenger to wear a helmet, regardless of age.