Motorcycle helmets — wearing duty and SS9 labelling
Road Traffic Act s 74 requires riders and pillion passengers to wear an approved helmet securely. From 1 November 2025 Traffic Police publish SS9 labelling colours and test-number conventions for approved motorcycle helmets.
Primary source: https://www.police.gov.sg/Knowledge-Hub/Traffic/Traffic-Matters/Labelling-Requirements-for-Motorcycle-Helmets
Every person who drives or is carried on a motor cycle must wear securely on his or her head a protective helmet of a type approved by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (SSO, Road Traffic Act 1961 s 74(1)).
The rider must not drive the motor cycle with a pillion unless that pillion is also wearing such a helmet securely (SSO, Road Traffic Act 1961 s 74(1A)).
A person must not import, sell, offer for sale, or have in possession for sale any protective helmet that is not of a type so approved (SSO, Road Traffic Act 1961 s 74(2)).
Conviction penalties in the Act
A person who contravenes s 74(1) or (1A) is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $1,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or both, and, if a repeat offender, to a fine not exceeding $2,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or both (SSO, Road Traffic Act 1961 s 74(3)).
A person is a repeat offender for that purpose if, before the current conviction or finding of guilt, the person has on at least one earlier occasion been convicted or found guilty of the same offence of contravening s 74(1) or (1A), whether before, on or after 30 June 2021 (SSO, Road Traffic Act 1961 s 74(3A)).
Contravening the sale/import rule in s 74(2) carries a fine not exceeding $1,000 or imprisonment not exceeding 3 months or both, and on a second or subsequent conviction a fine not exceeding $2,000 or imprisonment not exceeding 6 months or both (SSO, Road Traffic Act 1961 s 74(4)).
Composition and demerit points as published
Traffic Police’s live composition table lists “rider failing to wear a helmet or wearing a helmet insecurely” as 3 demerit points with a composition fine of $150 (light vehicle) / $200 (heavy vehicle) (SPF, Penalties for Traffic Offences). The official Basic Theory of Driving handbook uses the same 3-point / $150 / $200 figures for that offence (SPF, Basic Theory of Driving).
SS9 labels from 1 November 2025
From 1 November 2025, retailers may approach any of the Singapore Standards 9: 2014 (till 18 November 2026) or Singapore Standards 9: 2024 accredited laboratories listed on the Singapore Accreditation Council’s website to conduct SS9 testing. Approval for helmets that meet the SS9 specifications is tagged to the sale of the specific model, and for five years from the date of testing (SPF, Labelling Requirements for Motorcycle Helmets).
SS9 approved helmets must be labelled with (SPF, Labelling Requirements for Motorcycle Helmets):
- A clearly visible, tamper-evident and weatherproof sticker affixed to the back of the helmet, in these colours:
- Silver for SS9: 2014 certified helmets;
- Red for SS9: 2024 certified helmets.
- An “SS9” logo.
- A test number in this convention: test lab number; year of test; type of helmet (K – open face, G – modular, F – full face); and the test number accorded by the lab (for example, the first test of the year = 001).
The live SPF page illustrates required label dimensions (Figure 1) and numbering conventions (Figure 2). Those figures are not reproduced here.
Coverage debt
- The live SPF labelling page fetched on 2026-09-12 does not restate the s 74 wearing duty or composition amounts; those come from the Act and the penalties page / handbook.
- Sikh turban exemption appears in older riding-theory booklet text; it is not restated on the 2026-09-12 labelling page or in the s 74 extract fetched for this article, so it is not recorded as current law here.
- Gazette notifications of approved helmet types under s 74(2A) are not listed in this article.