Customer Question: I Need A Snell SA2020 Rated Helmet, What Are My Choices?
Customer question, February 2025
A question we are often asked: "I need a Snell SA2020 rated helmet, what are my options?" Usually the person asking has been told by an organiser or a championship that their helmet must carry a Snell SA rating, and wants to know which helmets on our shelves qualify.
The short answer is that plenty do, but not every FIA approved helmet is also Snell approved. Snell and the FIA run separate standards, so the thing to look for is a helmet that has been certified to both, and the label inside the helmet is what proves it.
- Snell SA2020 is the Snell Memorial Foundation's standard for auto racing helmets
- Snell and FIA approvals are separate; a helmet can have one, the other or both
- Many helmets we sold in early 2025 carried both Snell SA2020 and FIA 8859
- Examples from Bell, Stilo and Sparco are listed below
- The Snell label inside the helmet is the proof of certification
What is on this page
What Snell SA2020 is
The Snell Memorial Foundation is an independent American organisation that tests and certifies helmets. Its SA standards are written for competitive auto racing, where the driver wears a full harness, sits inside a roll cage and may use a head and neck restraint. SA2020 is the current version, and Snell updates its standards every five years.
Snell ratings are asked for mostly by American series and by some organisers elsewhere who list them among the approvals they accept. In the UK most championships work to FIA helmet approvals, but some accept Snell too, which is why people ask us for it.
Snell and FIA are separate approvals
A helmet approved to FIA 8859-2015 or the newer FIA 8859-2024 is not automatically Snell approved. The FIA and Snell test to their own standards, and a manufacturer has to certify a helmet with each one separately. A lot of helmets are certified to both, which is why the two ratings often appear together, but some carry only one.
Garreth’s advice is to check two things before you buy: the approvals written in your regulations, and the approvals listed for the exact helmet you are looking at. On a helmet in your hands, the Snell certification label is inside, and Snell also publishes a list of certified helmets on its website. Our guide to FIA and Snell helmet standards explains both in more detail.
Helmets with both SA2020 and FIA 8859
These are helmets we listed in February 2025 with both Snell SA2020 and FIA 8859 approval:
- Bell GT6 Pro and Bell RS7 Pro, full face helmets approved to Snell SA2020 and FIA 8859-2024.
- Stilo ST6 GT and the Stilo Venti4 WRC range, approved to Snell SA2020 and FIA 8859-2024.
- Bell Mag-10 Pro Composite, an open face helmet approved to Snell SA2020 and FIA 8859-2024.
- Sparco RJ, an open face helmet approved to Snell SA2020 and FIA 8859-2015.
Some older helmets we sold carry the earlier Snell SA2015 rating, so check the year on the approval if your regulations name SA2020.
| Helmet | Type | Snell | FIA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bell GT6 Pro | Full face | SA2020 | 8859-2024 |
| Bell RS7 Pro | Full face | SA2020 | 8859-2024 |
| Stilo ST6 GT Composite | Full face | SA2020 | 8859-2024 |
| Sparco RJ | Open face | SA2020 | 8859-2015 |
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Is every FIA approved helmet also Snell SA2020 approved?
No. Snell and FIA are separate standards, so check that the helmet is listed with both approvals.
How do I know a helmet is Snell certified?
Look for the Snell certification label inside the helmet, or check the helmet against Snell’s published list of certified models.
Which helmets had both Snell SA2020 and FIA 8859 in early 2025?
Examples included the Bell GT6 Pro, Bell RS7 Pro, Stilo ST6 GT and Sparco RJ.
Is Snell SA2015 the same as SA2020?
No. SA2015 is the earlier version of the standard, so if your rules name SA2020, check the year on the approval.
Match the approvals in your regulations to the approvals on the helmet, one by one.
Send us the wording from your regulations and we will list the helmets we can supply that meet it.
