Do You Know State Laws for Car Seats?
Have you decided to travel during the COVID-19 pandemic? If you go to another state, you are more likely to drive instead of fly. If you are traveling with children, please be aware that other states have different child safety seat laws. Below we provide the state laws for car seats for all 50 states. If you are curious about seat belt laws, see our article on state seat belt laws.
We hope these laws help you and your family stay safe. If you are the victim in a Las Vegas area car accident, you should seek medical attention immediately. Once you have gotten your injuries tended to, you should seek legal help from a personal injury lawyer. Las Vegas Anthem Injury Lawyers has a dedicated team of personal injury lawyers ready to help you with your case. We have won significant compensation for our Las Vegas area car accident clients. We can put you in the best position to win your case. Contact us today at (702) 857-6000 to make an appointment for a free consultation.
For a free legal consultation, call (702) 857-6000
Alabama
Alabama requires the following:
- Infant only seats and convertible seats used in the rear facing position for infants until at least one year of age or 20 pounds.
- Convertible seats in the forward position or forward facing seats until the child is at least five years of age or 40 pounds.
- Booster seats until the child is six years of age.
Alaska
Alaska requires that children:
- Younger than one or less than 20 pounds must be in a rear-facing child restraint.
- One through three years and more than 20 pounds must be in a child restraint.
- Ages four through 15 years who are either shorter than 57 inches or who weigh more than 20 but less than 65 pounds must be in a booster seat.
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Arizona
In Arizona, all children aged seven and under must be buckled in a car seat or booster seat.
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Arkansas
In Arkansas, children five years and younger and less than 60 pounds must be in a child safety seat.
California
California requires that children:
- Under two years of age shall ride in a rear-facing car seat unless the child weighs 40 or more pounds or is 40 or more inches tall.
- Under the age of eight must be secured in a car seat or booster seat in the back seat.
Colorado
Colorado requires that children:
- Younger than one year and less than 20 pounds must be in a rear-facing child restraint.
- One through three years and 20 to 40 pounds must be in a child restraint.
- Four through seven years must be in a forward-facing safety seat or booster seat.
Connecticut
In Connecticut, child restraint laws require that all children aged seven and under be buckled in a car seat or booster seat.
Delaware
In Delaware, all children must be properly restrained in a federally approved child safety seat appropriate for the child’s age, weight and height up to eight years of age or 65 pounds, whichever comes first.
Florida
Florida requires children:
- Age five and under to be secured properly in a crash-tested, federally approved child restraint device.
- Ages zero to three to be in child restraint devices.
- Age four and five to be in a child seat or booster seat.
Georgia
In Georgia, children under the age of eight are required to be in either a car seat or a booster seat.
Hawaii
Hawaii requires that children aged seven and under be buckled in a car seat or booster seat.
Idaho
Idaho’s requires all children six years of age or younger be properly restrained in an appropriate child safety restraint.
Illinois
Illinois requires that all children aged seven and under be buckled in a car seat or booster seat.
Indiana
Indiana requires that children:
- Under the age of one and less than 20 pounds must be restrained in a rear-facing child safety seat.
- That are at least one year old and 20 pounds may be restrained in a forward-facing child safety seat with an internal harness system.
- At least 30 pounds may use a booster seat.
- Under the age of eight must use a child restraint system.
Iowa
Iowa requires that a child:
- Under one year old and weighing less than 20 pounds must be secured in a rear-facing child restraint system.
- Under six years old must be secured in a child restraint system.
- From the age of six up to the age of 11 must be secured in a child restraint system or by a safety belt.
Kansas
In Kansas, all children three and younger must be in a car seat. Children ages four through seven are required to ride in a booster seat unless:
- The child weighs more than 80 pounds.
- The child is taller than four feet nine inches.
- Only a lap belt is available.
Kentucky
Kentucky requires that a child:
- 40 inches or less must be in a child restraint.
- seven and younger who is between 40 and 57 inches tall must be in a booster seat.
Louisiana
In Louisiana, all children aged 8 and under must be buckled in a car seat or booster seat.
Maine
Maine requires that children:
- Under two be properly secured in a rear-facing child restraint system.
- Two years and older and less than 55 pounds must be in a child restraint system with an internal harness.
- Less than 80 pounds who are shorter than 57 inches and less than eight years must be in a booster.
Maryland
In Maryland, children aged seven and under and less than 57 inches must be buckled in a car seat or booster seat.
Massachusetts
In Massachusetts, all children aged seven and under, or less than 57 inches tall, must be buckled in a car seat or booster seat.
Michigan
Michigan requires children to be properly buckled in a car seat or booster seat until they are eight years old or four feet nine inches tall.
Minnesota
Minnesota requires children to be properly buckled in a car seat or booster seat until they are eight years old or four feet nine inches tall.
Mississippi
In Mississippi, all children aged six and under must be buckled in a car seat or booster seat.
Missouri
Missouri requires that children:
- Less than four years old or less than 40 pounds must be in an appropriate child safety seat.
- Ages four through seven who weigh at least 40 pounds must be in an appropriate child safety seat or booster seat unless they are 80 pounds or 4 feet 9 inches tall.
- Eight and over or weighing at least 80 pounds or at least 4 feet 9 inches tall are required to be secured by a safety belt or buckled into an appropriate booster seat.
Montana
Montana requires that all children aged five and under and under 60 pounds be buckled in a car seat or booster seat.
Nebraska
In Nebraska, all children aged seven and under must be buckled in a car seat or booster seat.
Nevada
In Nevada, children younger than six years old and weighing less than 60 pounds must be properly secured in a properly installed car seat appropriate for their size and weight.
New Hampshire
In New Hampshire, all children aged six and under must be buckled in a car seat or booster seat.
New Jersey
In New Jersey, all children aged seven and under must be buckled in a car seat or booster seat.
New Mexico
In New Mexico, all children aged six and under must be buckled in a car seat or booster seat.
New York
In New York, all children aged seven and under must be buckled in a car seat or booster seat.
North Carolina
In North Carolina, all children aged seven and under and less than 80 pounds must be buckled in a car seat or booster seat.
North Dakota
North Dakota requires children seven years and younger and less than 57 inches be properly buckled in a car seat or booster seat.
Ohio
In Ohio, all children aged seven and under must be buckled in a car seat or booster seat.
Oklahoma
In Oklahoma, all children aged seven and under must be buckled in a car seat or booster seat.
Oregon
In Oregon, all children aged seven and under must be buckled in a car seat or booster seat.
Pennsylvania
In Pennsylvania, all children aged seven and under must be buckled in a car seat or booster seat.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island requires that children:
- Younger than two years or less than 30 pounds must be in a rear-facing child restraint.
- Seven years and younger and less than 57 inches and less than 80 pounds must be restrained in a child restraint system.
South Carolina
South Carolina requires the following:
- An infant under two must be secured in a rear-facing car seat.
- A child at least age two or under two who has outgrown the manufacturer’s height or weight limits for a rear-facing car seat must be secured in a forward-facing car seat.
- Children at least age four who have outgrown their forward-facing car seat must be secured by a booster seat until the child can meet the height and fit requirements for an adult safety seat belt.
South Dakota
In South Dakota, children aged four and under must be buckled in a car seat or booster seat.
Tennessee
Tennessee requires that children:
- Under one year of age, or weighing 20 pounds or less, must be secured in a rear facing child passenger restraint system.
- Age one through age three, and weighing more than 20 pounds, must be secured in a forward facing child safety seat.
- Age four through age eight, and measuring less than four feet nine inches in height, must be secured in a belt-positioning booster seat system.
Texas
Texas requires children to be properly buckled in a car seat or booster seat until they are eight years old or four feet nine inches tall.
Utah
Utah requires children to be properly buckled in a car seat or booster seat until they are eight years old or four feet nine inches tall.
Vermont
In Vermont, children younger than one year old or less than 20 pounds must be in a rear-facing child restraint. Children aged one through seven and more than 20 pounds must be in a child restraint or booster seat.
Virginia
Virginia requires children to ride in a rear-facing safety seat until the age of two or the child reaches the minimum weight limit for a forward-facing safety seat as stated by the manufacturer of the safety seat. Children must be in a safety seat until age eight.
Washington
Washington requires that children:
- Up to age two ride in a rear-facing car seat.
- Ages two to four ride in a car seat with a harness.
- Four years and older ride in a car or booster seat until they are four feet nine inches in height.
- Up to age 13 ride in the back seat when practical.
West Virginia
West Virginia requires children to be properly buckled in a car seat or booster seat until they are eight years old or four feet nine inches tall.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin requires that children:
- Less than one year old, or less than 20 pounds, must be in a rear-facing child seat in the back seat.
- At least one year old and 20 pounds, but less than four years old or less than 40 pounds, must be in a forward- or rear-facing child seat in the back seat.
- Children age four to age eight, and between 40 to 80 pounds, and no more than four feet nine inches must be in a forward- or rear-facing child seat in the back seat or a booster seat.
Wyoming
Wyoming requires that all children aged eight and under be buckled in a car seat or booster seat.
Experienced Las Vegas Personal Injury Lawyers
We hope you and your family are safe wherever you travel. If you are injured in a car accident in the Las Vegas area, you should speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer. Award-winning personal injury law firm Anthem Injury Lawyers is a team of experienced, dedicated personal injury lawyers based in Henderson, Nevada. With over 25 years of experience, Anthem Injury Lawyers specializes in personal injury claims. Our experienced team is ready to help you through the legal process, providing you with peace of mind as we aggressively pursue compensation for your injuries sustained in your Las Vegas car accident. Contact us today at (702) 857-6000 to make an appointment for a free consultation.
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