Is a helmet required for E-Bikes?

There is no compulsory helmet requirement in Germany for pedelecs up to 25 km/h. The situation is different for S-Pedelecs up to 45 km/h and for E-Bikes that can be ridden without pedaling using a throttle: They are considered motor vehicles, and you must wear a suitable helmet. The ADAC nevertheless recommends wearing a bicycle helmet on every ride, regardless of speed or distance.

The motor determines which category your bike falls into. Below, you’ll find where the limits lie, what applies if you ride without a helmet and have an accident, and when a helmet has reached the end of its service life. The bikes below the text come from our E-Bikes.

Is a helmet compulsory when riding an E-Bike?

Not on a pedelec. A pedelec only provides assistance when you pedal, with a maximum rated continuous power of 250 watts and up to 25 km/h. Legally, the regulations for bicycles apply (§ 1 para. 3 StVG), and there is currently no statutory helmet requirement for cyclists.

Section 21a para. 2 of the German Road Traffic Regulations (StVO) requires riders of motorcycles that are designed to travel faster than 20 km/h to wear a protective helmet. A pedelec is not a motor vehicle. The ADAC states this explicitly: There is no compulsory helmet requirement for pedelecs up to 25 km/h.

Will helmets be compulsory for cyclists in 2026?

No. According to the ADAC page as of July 29, 2026, there is currently no statutory helmet requirement for cyclists in Germany. This applies equally to regular bicycles and pedelecs.

S-Pedelec: a helmet like on a motorcycle

S-Pedelecs provide assistance while pedaling up to 45 km/h. This makes them motor vehicles, and according to the ADAC, you must wear a suitable helmet on one just as you would when riding a motorcycle. Anyone riding an S-Pedelec also needs an AM license and an insurance plate.

E-Bike with a throttle: helmet required for motor vehicles

On a pedelec, the motor may operate without pedaling only as a starting or walking assist up to 6 km/h. If your E-Bike can travel up to 25 km/h without pedaling using a throttle, it is generally classified as a moped according to the ADAC. In that case, wearing a suitable helmet for motor vehicles is compulsory. If it can travel up to 45 km/h without pedaling, it corresponds to a light motorcycle, and a helmet is compulsory here too.

E-Bike or pedelec: how can you tell which rules apply to you?

In everyday language, almost everything is called an E-Bike. Legally, neither E-Bike nor pedelec is clearly defined, the ADAC writes, and in most cases anyone who buys an E-Bike is getting a pedelec that goes up to 25 km/h. Two points matter when it comes to helmets: Does the motor assist without pedaling beyond the 6 km/h starting assist? And up to what speed does it provide assistance? Both details should be included in the product description.

For pedelecs, the ADAC recommends a tested bicycle helmet. To find out whether a particular helmet is considered suitable for an S-Pedelec, it is best to ask the helmet manufacturer before buying.

Involved in an accident without a helmet: are you partly to blame?

Generally not when riding a regular bicycle. Because there is no compulsory helmet requirement, according to the ADAC, someone who is not wearing a helmet is not considered partly responsible for a head injury in an accident.

The situation may be different when riding recreationally, for example on a road bike or mountain bike. According to the ADAC, those affected may be considered partly responsible if they are not wearing a helmet.

You may have read that E-Bike riders who do not wear a helmet share responsibility for an accident. This report comes from Austria: There, on April 17, 2025, the Supreme Court (OGH) ruled that E-Bike riders who are not wearing a helmet must accept partial responsibility for a head injury, even if someone else caused the accident. In Germany, the ADAC position described above applies.

How many pedelec riders wear a helmet?

More than half. In 2025, the helmet-wearing rate among pedelec riders was 54.9 percent, according to the ADAC. Among people riding conventional bicycles, it was 28.9 percent.

And what about children riding in a child seat or trailer? The ADAC recommends that they always wear a bicycle helmet and be strapped in.

When a helmet has reached the end of its service life

TÜV and the ADAC recommend retiring a helmet after five years. After a crash, it must be disposed of and replaced. So a helmet that has been lying in the basement for years is not a good choice for your first ride on your new pedelec.