ACU Approved Motorcycle Helmets

ACU Gold Helmets at BDLA Motorbikes

Over 500 of the helmets we stock carry ACU approval, which is the sticker UK circuits look for at scrutineering. Shoei, Arai, HJC, LS2, Spada and the rest of the range are all here, from club-day lids at the sensible end to full race replicas. Every helmet on this page arrives with the gold sticker already fitted, which matters more than it used to.

What does ACU approved actually mean?

The Auto-Cycle Union is the governing body for motorcycle sport in Britain, and it runs its own helmet testing programme separate from the road legal standards. A helmet that passes gets an ACU Gold sticker, and that sticker is what a technical official checks before letting you out on track. The test looks at impact, fit on the head and a semi-hemispherical impact, and the ACU has been clear that a number of helmets carrying ECE 22.06 approval still fail it.

There used to be a Silver sticker as well, awarded to a lower standard and accepted at some off-road events. In practice, when people say “ACU approved” today they mean Gold.

Do you need an ACU gold sticker for a track day?

Yes. Track days operate to ACU standards on technical matters, so a road legal helmet without the gold sticker can leave you sat in the paddock watching. The same applies to road racing, sprints, drag racing and hill climbs, anything run on tarmac. Turning up and hoping the marshal waves you through is not a plan worth relying on.

The 2026 sticker rule change

This one has caught a lot of riders out. Since 1 January 2026, technical officials can no longer apply an ACU Gold sticker at the event. If your helmet does not already have one, it has to go to the ACU office in Rugby to be checked and stickered, which is not something you can sort out on a Saturday morning.

That makes buying a helmet with the sticker already on it the simplest route. Everything on this page comes that way. If you have had a lid resprayed and lost the sticker in the process, contact the ACU before you book your next session rather than after.

ACU approval and ECE 22.06 are not the same thing

ECE 22.06 is the standard that makes a helmet legal to ride on the road in the UK, and every helmet we sell meets it. ACU approval sits on top of that and is aimed specifically at competition use. One does not get you the other. If you only ride on the road, ECE 22.06 is what you need and the gold sticker is a bonus. If you have a track day booked, check for the sticker first and worry about the graphics second.

Worth knowing: helmets that have passed FIM testing are recognised by the ACU and receive Gold approval automatically.

ACU approved helmet FAQs

Is an ACU approved helmet road legal?

Yes. ACU approval is granted on top of the road standard, not instead of it, so any ACU approved helmet sold here is also legal for road use in the UK.

Can I buy an ACU gold sticker separately?

You should not. The ACU has had thousands of counterfeit stickers taken off the market and a fake will not get you through scrutineering. Approval belongs to the helmet, not the sticker.

What happens if my ACU sticker comes off?

Contact the ACU. If the helmet is on the approved list and has not been materially altered, they can check it and apply a replacement for a small fee. Since January 2026 this has to be done at their office rather than at an event.

Do I need ACU approval for off-road riding?

For ACU-run off-road events the requirements differ from tarmac racing, so check the rules for your specific event. For track days and any road racing, Gold is the answer.