Rockland County, NY Public Conduct: Skateboarding Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Age covered
- Under 14 years old
- Devices covered
- Scooters, skates, skateboards
- Helmet standard
- ANSI Z 90.4 or Snell 1984
- Civil fine
- Up to $50
- Enforced by
- Rockland County Attorney
- Fine waiver
- Buy a helmet before court date
- Applies
- Public and private roads, sidewalks
Summary
Riders under 14 must wear an ANSI- or Snell-certified helmet on foot-powered scooters, in-line skates, roller skates and skateboards anywhere in Rockland County, on public or private roads and sidewalks alike. Chapter 338 of the County Code extends the county's earlier bicycle-helmet law to skate and scooter riders, with the County Attorney enforcing it and a parent or guardian liable only if the violation happens in their presence.
No person under the age of 14 years shall operate a foot-powered scooter, in-line skates, roller skates and skateboards, or ride as a passenger on a foot-powered scooter unless such operator or passenger is wearing a helmet meeting the standards of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI Z 90.4, bicycle helmet standards) or the Snell Memorial Foundation's 1984 Standard for Protective Headgear for Use in Bicycling, as last revised by said organizations. For the purposes of this section, "wearing a helmet" means having a helmet of good fit fastened securely upon the head with the helmet straps. ... B. Civil penalty. Any person who violates the provisions of § 338-3 of this chapter shall pay a civil fine not to exceed $50.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 338, adopted by the Rockland County Legislature on April 3, 2001 by Local Law No. 5-2001, follows the county's earlier bicycle-helmet law and applies the same safety-helmet mandate to foot-powered scooters, in-line skates, roller skates and skateboards. 4 bicycle-helmet standard or the Snell Memorial Foundation's 1984 Standard for Protective Headgear for Use in Bicycling. The law defines 'wearing a helmet' as having one of good fit fastened securely on the head with its straps, so a helmet merely carried or left unbuckled does not satisfy the section.
Section 338-4 assigns enforcement to the Rockland County Attorney, who acts on a sworn statement from a police or peace officer or from a private citizen alleging a specific violation. Because Chapter 338 targets the young rider rather than an adult supervisor, the law limits action against a parent, guardian or other responsible adult to cases where the violation happens in that adult's presence and the adult is 18 or older. The Legislature's stated goal in Section 338-1 is reducing head injuries from falls at speed, citing the county's earlier bicycle-helmet law as a model that is largely self-enforcing because it gives parents a tool to require protective gear.
Violations & Fines
A violation of Section 338-3 carries a civil fine capped at $50, collected through the County Attorney's office rather than a criminal charge. Section 338-4C lets the court waive that fine entirely if, between the violation date and the court appearance, the rider or the responsible adult buys or rents a helmet meeting the ANSI or Snell standard and shows the court proof of the purchase or rental. That waiver is unavailable on a second or later conviction under Section 338-3, so repeat violations draw the full civil fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Rockland County's skateboard helmet law apply on private property?
Can Rockland County fine a parent for a child's helmet violation?
What helmet standard satisfies the Rockland County law?
Can the $50 fine for a skateboard helmet violation be waived?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rockland County
New York rules heatmap·Compare Rockland County to another location·View the New York public conduct overview
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