Is a helmet mandatory on a fatbike?

No. On a fatbike with pedal assistance up to 25 km/h and a motor with a nominal power of no more than 250 watts, wearing a helmet is not mandatory, regardless of age. However, the government intends to introduce a helmet requirement for everyone under 18 on an e-bike, expected to take effect on 1 September 2027. The House of Representatives and the Senate still need to approve it.

Below, you can read what currently applies, what the plan involves and when a helmet is already mandatory today. At the bottom, you will find models to compare; you can find all models in our fatbikes collection.

What does the law currently say about wearing a helmet on a fatbike?

The same traffic rules apply to an electric bicycle as to an ordinary bicycle, and according to the Dutch government, a fatbike is also an electric bicycle. As the rider, you therefore do not have to wear a helmet. However, the Dutch government recommends it: wearing a helmet reduces the risk of serious head injuries by approximately 60 percent.

This applies as long as your fatbike is legally considered an electric bicycle. The assistance must stop at 25 km/h, and the motor must have a nominal power of no more than 250 watts. The article on helmet requirements in the traffic regulations (Article 60 of the RVV 1990) does mention mopeds, light mopeds and motorcycles, but not bicycles with pedal assistance.

Will helmets become mandatory for fatbikes?

Yes, if the government has its way. It wants to require riders and passengers under 18 to wear a helmet on all electric bicycles and on light electric vehicles such as e-scooters. So not only on a fatbike, but also on an ordinary e-bike or an electric cargo bike.

The reason: according to the Dutch government, based on research by VeiligheidNL, 301 injured fatbike riders visited emergency departments in 2024. More than half of them were between 12 and 18 years old.

When will the helmet requirement take effect?

It is expected to take effect on 1 September 2027. This is stated on the internet consultation page for the plan, which ran from 28 April through 9 June 2026. The helmet requirement will be introduced through an order in council. This will be submitted to the House of Representatives and the Senate in autumn 2026, and then sent to the Council of State for advice.

Is the helmet requirement already final? No. The House of Representatives and the Senate still need to approve it, and the text is still a draft. In 2026, you therefore do not yet have to wear a helmet on an e-bike.

Will a child riding on the back also have to wear a helmet?

Not at the moment. According to the Dutch government, children riding on the back of a bicycle do not have to wear an approved helmet. However, a child under 8 must have a safe seat with sufficient support for their back, hands and feet, such as a child seat. Make sure it has footrests and spoke guards, so that a foot cannot get caught between the spokes.

The planned helmet requirement will change this, as it will also apply to passengers under 18. The draft includes an exception for children under 15 months who are transported lying down in a child restraint system suitable for them.

When is a helmet already mandatory?

On a speed pedelec, a light moped and a moped. A speed pedelec provides pedal assistance up to 45 km/h, has a motor of up to 4,000 watts and is legally classified as a moped. On a light moped, helmets have been mandatory for riders and passengers since 1 January 2023.

This can also apply to a fatbike. If it travels faster than 6 km/h without pedaling when using a throttle, or if the motor also assists above 25 km/h, the bike must be approved as, for example, a moped, light moped or speed pedelec. In that case, a helmet, license plate, driving license and insurance are mandatory. Without approval, it may not be used on public roads at all.

Which helmet do you need?

On a speed pedelec, riders may wear an approved moped helmet or a speed pedelec helmet. You can recognize an approved moped helmet by a circle containing an E, and a speed pedelec helmet by the NTA 8776:2016 marking. A passenger on a speed pedelec must wear a moped helmet. On a light moped, both riders and passengers may also wear a speed pedelec helmet, but not on a moped.

The type of helmet for the planned e-bike helmet requirement has not yet been established. The draft refers to a helmet with a mark to be designated by the minister at a later date, and gives as an example a mark for helmets worn by cyclists, skateboarders and roller skaters. This points more toward a bicycle helmet than a moped helmet.