Gold ‘ACU Approved’ helmet sticker Q&A
When we announced the ACU is cracking down on the sale of fake and unauthorised Gold helmet stickers in October (read HERE), we were pleased to receive lots of questions and comments from the motorcycle sport community.
As an organisation that encourages constructive dialogue and the opportunity to educate on important topics such as helmet safety, we have listened to your feedback and answered many of the questions that were posed.
We hope this Q&A brings further clarity and understanding about why our Gold stickers are fundamental to ensuring helmet safety and why it’s important all riders and organisers are aware of their responsibilities.
Q: What is the actual process for a scrutineer identifying whether a helmet meets minimum safety requirements?
A: “The Technical Official checks the helmet is in a sound condition, that no cracks or points of impact are visible, the straps are in tact, an ACU Gold sticker is in place, and that no modifications have been made to the helmet such as drilling bolts to fit a different type of visor. They also check the helmet type is on the ACU-approved list and can impound a helmet for any reason relating to safety or after an incident.”
Q: If I buy an Arai helmet from Holland and bring it back to the UK, is it only deemed safe when it has an ‘ACU Approved’ sticker on it?
A: “You can only use the helmet in ACU competitions when it has ACU approval by having the Gold sticker applied. This can only be done if the helmet has passed the ACU testing procedure and is on the list of ACU-approved helmets.”
Q: I had a brand-new Fox V3RS helmet out of the box with no sticker on it. How do I get it approved by the ACU for competitive use?
A: “Contact the ACU and see if the helmet has already been tested and is on the approved list. If it is, the helmet can be sent to ACU House to be inspected and a Gold sticker can be applied for a small fee. If the helmet is not approved, then the manufacturer will need to submit the helmet with the associated manufacturers’ paperwork for it to be tested.”
Q: Isn’t this just another tax for riders to pay? I can’t imagine there’s a single ECE 2206 full face helmet with a ‘D’ buckle on the market that wouldn’t pass the ACU’s tests?
A: “A number of helmets with ECE 2206 accreditation fail the ACU test as the ECE 2206 is not a test for use at motorcycle competition. Therefore, the ACU test is greater than the ECE 2206 marking.”
Q: Why isn’t the ACU using hologram stickers like the FIA do in car racing to increase security standards?
A: “As we said in our original communication, the ACU is launching a new ACU Gold sticker hologram during 2026. This will be scanned for additional information about the helmet and will enable technical officials to place a block on the helmet if necessary – adding additional protection for riders.”
Q: Isn’t the ‘ACU Approved’ Gold sticker just a mechanism for it to continue profiting from its historic rules of the past?
A: “Absolutely not. The ACU takes great pride in ensuring helmets used in motorcycle sport competition are of a sufficient standard that should a rider have an accident and their head receives an impact, the helmet will provide good protection. A number of low cost helmets do not perform well in testing, and sadly some riders will try to use them. This testing and accreditation process ensures that risk to riders is reduced as much as possible.”
Q: Do the helmet manufacturers have to pay the ACU in order to get a gold sticker onto their helmets?
A: “The ACU covers the cost of testing the helmet, while the manufacturers have to cover the cost to ship the helmet for testing. When a helmet has passed the test and can be added to the approved list, the manufacturer will then pay for the Gold sticker to apply to their helmet.”
Q: If I have a Snell-rated helmet that doesn’t come with an ACU sticker, why shouldn’t I go to eBay and buy a sticker there? It’s cheaper than throwing a perfectly good helmet away.
A: “Most of the stickers on eBay are fake and we are working with ACU legal advisors to remove them from the marketplace. We are also taking sellers of fake stickers to court due to serious breaches of copyright, breach of trading standards and reducing the safety of the helmet testing process. Stickers are not expensive to buy from the ACU when the helmet has passed the test and is on the approved list. This gives the rider peace of mind that they have a legitimate helmet and sticker from a valid ACU helmet test.”
Q: I understand a helmet with an ACU Gold sticker is needed for ACU-licensed events, but do I need a Gold sticker for a track day?
A: “Yes, track days operate to ACU standards for technical matters so a Gold sticker is required for this type of activity.”
Q: Is it possible for the ACU to publish an approved helmet list?
A: “Yes the ACU is happy to provide an approved helmet list and this will be added to our website shortly.”
Q: If I’ve just had a helmet painted and the Gold sticker’s been removed, what’s the process for getting my helmet checked and validated?
A: “The ACU will need to ensure the helmet is on the approved list and that there have not been any material changes to the helmet. If the ACU is satisfied, then a Gold sticker can be applied to the helmet for a small cost after sending the helmet to ACU House for review.”
Q: Instead of using a sticker to prove a helmet meets certain safety criteria, why can’t a strap be used like in Europe as scrutineers can easily see if it’s been altered?
A: “The ACU is no different to other motorcycle federations in the world and the FIM is also going through helmet homologation and applying an FIM sticker to approved helmets. The ACU will recognise any helmet that has passed the FIM helmet testing process and these helmets will automatically receive ACU Gold sticker approval.”
Q: How does the ACU Gold testing standard compare to other standards nowadays? It feels outdated and well below the others out there.
A: “The ACU test is an advanced test beyond the ECE-2206. It tests for the fit on the head, impact, and a semi-hemispherical test. It checks that the helmet is suitable for competitive sport. The test adds a lot of value in terms of rider safety and will be continued going forward to ensure we protect riders as much as possible.”
