Yes - helmets come with the rental at Hanoi shops as standard practice, and Vietnamese law requires them for rider and passenger alike.
The legal position
Helmets are compulsory for every rider and every passenger on every motorbike, everywhere in Vietnam. Riding without one is a fine for the rider. The helmet must be a proper motorcycle helmet, not a construction hard-hat or a bicycle token - and it must be fastened. Children over a certain age must also wear helmets, and children under three are simply not allowed on motorbikes.
What rental helmets are like
Rental helmets are functional open-face helmets in a range of sizes hanging by the shop door. Quality varies: a good shop keeps clean, undamaged, correctly-sized helmets; a corner shop may hand you a sun-bleached shell with a stretched strap. At handover, check three things: the shell has no cracks, the strap works, and it fits your head snugly without pressing. Swap it if any check fails - shops carry several.
When to bring your own
- Long rentals: a month on a loaner helmet is a month of questionable fit and other people’s history.
- Riders who care about standards: if you would not rent a car seat, do not rent a helmet for a long trip - bring a certified full-face or open-face helmet from home. It packs into hand luggage.
- Passengers: shops provide two helmets on request; confirm when booking rather than discovering one at the kerb.
Fit matters more than price
A helmet that is too large shifts on your head at speed and does nothing in a fall. Too small, and you will not wear it. Adjust the strap so two fingers fit under it snugly. This is the one piece of safety equipment in the whole rental that is genuinely yours to get right.
Helmets are included, the law requires them, and the fit is your call. Test the loaner at handover, and bring your own if the rental is long or the fit is wrong.