Instructions

1

Look for a "DOT" sticker on the back of the helmet. All helmets that meet the DOT requirements for helmet safety are required to have a "DOT" sticker. This sticker alone does not guarantee the helmet is DOT certified, as counterfeit DOT stickers on nonconforming helmets are common.
2

Feel the interior of the helmet for a thick inner liner. All DOT certified helmets must have an inner liner about one-inch thick. The inner liner isn't always visible, but you can feel its thickness by moving your hand around the interior of the helmet. Non-DOT certified helmets often have a thin sheet of foam that serves as an inner liner, and some don't contain any liner at all.
3

Tug the chinstrap to ensure that it's solid and doesn't feel loose or flimsy. All DOT-certified helmets have tough, sturdy chinstraps that won't break or become loose while riding.
4

Weigh the helmet. Unsafe helmets typically weigh one pound or less, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. A DOT certified helmet typically weighs about three pounds.
5

Look for any decorations, such as spikes, horns or any other object that protrudes from the helmet. DOT certified helmets are built so that nothing extends further than one-fifth of an inch from the surface of the helmet.
6

Examine the helmet for a full face shield. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration claims it has yet to see a full face protector on a non-DOT certified helmet.