SA2020 vs SA2025 Helmets: What Changed, and How Long SA2020 Is Good For

Snell's SA2025 standard took effect on October 1, 2025, and SA2025 helmets now sit on the shelf next to the SA2020 helmets they replace. If you run DE days at Summit Point with PCA Potomac or BMW CCA's National Capital Chapter, SA2020 is still legal. The real question is how many seasons you'll get from one, and whether that's worth it against an SA2025 helmet.

What Changed in SA2025

Snell revises its SA (Special Application) standard for auto racing helmets every five years. The Snell Memorial Foundation's SA2025 announcement lists two changes to impact testing:

• A lower peak g limit. The most force allowed to reach the headform drops from 300 g to 275 g, for every headform size.
• A harder first impact. The first of the two impacts at each test site carries more energy, which Snell says is tougher on larger helmet sizes tested on heavier headforms.

Snell also says manufacturers will stop producing SA2020 helmets by the end of 2026, so any SA2020 helmet you buy from here on is existing stock.

What Your Club Accepts

These are the clubs most DMV drivers run with. Each name links to the club's own rules page, so check it before you buy.

Club and program	SA2025	SA2020	SA2015	M (motorcycle)
PCA Potomac DE	Yes	Yes	Listed on the Potomac DE FAQ; see the PCA note below	M2015 and M2020 in Green and Blue run groups only, in cars without a roll bar, cage, racing seats or 5/6-point harnesses
BMW CCA NCC HPDE	Yes	Yes	For now. NCC's 2026 rules accept it "until SA2025 helmets are widely available"	Not accepted in 2026
SCCA road racing	Yes	Yes	Valid through 2026 (GCR 9.3.19)	No, SA only
NASA racing	Yes	Yes	Accepted. The CCR reads "SA2015, EA2016, or newer"	No, SA only

• PCA's national rules. The 2026 HPDE Minimum Standards require "either the current Snell Safety SA rating or the immediately preceding SA rating," which today means SA2025 or SA2020. SA2015 helmets made in 2015 got an extension to June 30, 2026. If you're bringing an SA2015 helmet to a Potomac DE, confirm with the region first.
• PCA's 10-year rule. PCA adds a rule the other clubs don't: a helmet with a printed manufacture date expires at the end of the 10th year after the year it was made.
• Heading to NJMP? New Jersey state rules dropped SA2015 a season early. Since January 1, 2026, New Jersey events accept only SA2020 or SA2025 Snell helmets, or FIA helmets with valid dates (SCCA NNJR notice).

How Long an SA2020 Helmet Lasts

Most clubs accept the current Snell rating and the one before it. When a new standard arrives, the rating two steps back gets a short grace period and is then dropped. SA2015 is going through that now: SA2025 arrived in October 2025, and SCCA accepts SA2015 through the end of 2026.

If Snell keeps its five-year cycle, SA2030 helmets arrive around late 2030. SA2020 would then be two steps back, which points to SA2020 helmets being usable through about the 2030 season, possibly 2031 at clubs that give a grace year. That's a projection from past practice, not a rule, so check your club when the time comes.

If you buy now	Accepted today	Expected useful life
SA2020	PCA Potomac, NCC, SCCA, NASA	About five seasons, to roughly 2030–2031
SA2025	PCA Potomac, NCC, SCCA, NASA	About ten seasons, to roughly 2035–2036

At PCA events, also check the manufacture date on the label. An SA2020 helmet made in 2021 runs out at the end of 2031 under PCA's 10-year rule, whatever happens with SA2030.

SA2020 or SA2025?

• SA2020 makes sense if a helmet you like fits well and is in stock, you're in your first few seasons of DE, or you expect to move to a different helmet within five years, such as an FIA helmet for racing.
• SA2025 makes sense if you want one helmet for the next decade, you're spending carbon-helmet money and want the most years from it, or you plan to move into wheel-to-wheel racing.
• Either way, fit comes first. A newer sticker doesn't make up for a helmet that moves on your head. Our helmet buying guide covers sizing and shell shapes.

Our Picks

Two SA2020 helmets to make the most of the seasons left, and two SA2025 helmets for the long run. All four are closed-cockpit helmets and in stock.

G-Force Revo: SA2020 on a budget

A lightweight composite shell, a flame-resistant liner with removable cheek pads, and a deeper, more contoured fit than G-Force's older helmets.

Sparco Air Pro RF-5W: SA2020 and FIA 8859

A carbon-Kevlar and fiberglass shell rated SA2020 and FIA 8859-2015, with a wider eye opening aimed at closed-cockpit road racers.

Bell M8 Sport: ten years from your first helmet

A lightweight composite shell and multi-density liner, a large eye-port that helps drivers who wear glasses, and HANS-ready hardware.

Bell GT6 Pro: SA2025 and FIA 8859

Rated SA2025 and FIA 8859-2024, with a carbon-fiberglass shell, a wide eye-port for closed cockpits and integrated HANS anchors. It covers club DE now and FIA-sanctioned racing later.

Common Questions

• Where's the rating on my helmet? On a small Snell sticker inside the helmet, often under the comfort liner. It names the standard: SA2015, SA2020 or SA2025.
• Can I use a motorcycle (M-rated) helmet? Not at NCC HPDE events in 2026, and not for SCCA or NASA racing. PCA Potomac allows M2015 and M2020 only in the Green and Blue run groups, in cars without a roll bar, cage, racing seats or 5/6-point harnesses.
• Is SA2025 safer than SA2020? It's tested harder, with a lower peak g limit and a more energetic first impact. A well-fitting SA2020 helmet still meets every club's rules above.
• Do I need an FIA helmet? Not for DE. FIA 8859 or 8860 matters if you race in FIA-sanctioned events. See FIA 8859 helmets and FIA 8860 helmets.
• Does it work with a HANS? Most current SA helmets have threaded inserts for head and neck restraint anchors, and the anchors are often sold separately. See head and neck restraints.

The Bottom Line

An SA2020 helmet that fits you well is a sound buy today and should carry you through about 2030. Buy SA2025 if you want ten years from one helmet. If you're still on SA2015, 2026 is its last season at most clubs, so replace it before spring.

For what Snell and FIA each test, read our Snell vs FIA certification guide.