Child Safety Seat Laws
It is important that children do not use an adult seat belt until they are old enough to do so; they are proportioned differently and their key organs are in different places. Adult seat belts are designed for people over 150 cm (approx 5 feet) in height and with a fully developed bone structure. Child seats and boosters put children in the right position to benefit from the adult seat belt properly.
Every State (except New Hampshire) has adult safety belt laws and all States have child restraint laws requiring drivers to restrain children in approved, age-appropriate child restraint devices or safety belts. In some States, though, these laws do not cover all occupants in all seating positions (rear seats).
38 States and the District of Columbia had enacted provisions in their child restraint laws that require the use of a booster seat by children who have outgrown their forward-facing child safety seats, but who are still too small (under 4' 9") to use an adult safety belt system correctly.
The following table shows the child restraint laws for each state (it is worth noting that front seat restraints are required for all children younger than 16).
| State | Child Safety Seat (CSS) | Rear Safety Belts (RSB) | May Use CSS or RSB |
|---|---|---|---|
| AL | Under 6 yrs | Under 15 yrs | Ages 6-14 yrs |
| AK | Under 4 yrs | Under 16 yrs | - |
| AZ | Under 5 yrs | Under 16 yrs | Ages 5-15 yrs |
| AR | Age 6 yrs and more than 60 lbs | Under 15 yrs | Age 6 yrs or more than 60 lbs |
| CA | Under 6 yrs or Under 60 lbs | Under 16 yrs | Ages 6-17 yrs |
| CO | Under 1 yr and under 20 lbs rear facing; 1-4 yrs and 20-40 lbs forward facing; ages 4 and 5 and under 55" tall booster seat | Under 16 yrs | Ages 6-16 or 55" tall. Booster seat or safety belt required. |
| CT | Under 6 yrs and Under 60 lbs | Under 16 yrs | 60 lbs and 7-15 |
| DE | Under 6 yrs | Under 16 yrs | 60 lbs and over |
| DC | Under 8 yrs | Under 16 yrs | Ages 8-16 yrs |
| FL | Under 4 yrs | Under 18 yrs | Ages 4-5 yrs |
| GA | Under 5 yrs | Under 17 yrs | A 40 lb child may be secured by lap belt if vehicle not equipped with lap and shoulder belt, or if all belts being used to properly restrain other children |
| HI | Under 4 yrs | Under 18 yrs | Ages 3-17 yrs |
| ID | Under 7 | Over 6 yrs | Over 6 yrs |
| IL | Under 8 yrs | Under 16 yrs | Ages 4-15 yrs, all seating positions |
| IN | Under 8 yrs | Under 12 yrs | Ages 8-15 yrs, all seating positions and vehicles |
| IA | Under 6 yrs | Under 11 yrs | Ages 6-10 yrs |
| KS | Under 8 yrs unless 4'9" or 80 lbs | Under 14 yrs | Age 8 or 80 lbs or 4'9" |
| KY | 40" and under | Under 16 yrs | - |
| LA | Under 6 yrs or 60 lbs | Under 13 yrs | Ages 3-13 yrs |
| ME | Under 8 yrs and between 40-80 lbs | Under 12 yrs, under 100 lbs | Under 12 and 100 lbs |
| MD | Under 6 yrs | Under 16 yrs | More than 40 lbs |
| MA | Under 5 yrs and under 40 lbs | Under 13 yrs | 5-12 yrs |
| MI | Under 4 yrs | Under 16 yrs | - |
| MN | Under 4 yrs | Under 11 yrs | - |
| MS | Under 4 yrs | Under 8 yrs | - |
| MO | Under 4 yrs | Under 16 yrs | Ages 4-15 |
| MT | Under 6 yrs | Under 19 yrs | Age 6 and under 60 lbs |
| NE | Under 6 yrs | Under 16 yrs | - |
| NV | Under 6 yrs and 60 lbs | Under 18 yrs | Ages 6-17 yrs |
| NH | Under 6 yrs and 55" | Under 18 yrs | - |
| NJ | Under 8 yrs or 80 lbs | Under 18 yrs | - |
| NM | Under 1-4 yrs | Under 16 yrs | Ages 5-12 yrs |
| NY | Under 7 yrs | Under 16 yrs | - |
| NC | Under 8 yrs and 80 lbs | Under 16 yrs | 8 yrs or 80 lbs or 40 lbs if no lap and shoulder belt available |
| ND | Under 7 yrs | Under 18 yrs (front and back seat) | Ages 7-17 yrs |
| OH | Under 4 yrs or Under 60 lbs | Under 4 yrs or under 60 lbs | - |
| OK | Under 6 yrs | No | 6-12 yrs |
| OR | Under 4 yrs or Under 40 lbs | Under 16 yrs | Age 6 yrs and more than 60 lbs |
| PA | Under 4 yrs | Under 16 yrs | - |
| RI | Under 7 yrs and 54" and 80 lbs in Federally Approved Child Restraint System in back seat | Under 17 yrs | Age 7 yrs or older |
| SC | Under 6 yrs or Under 80 lbs | Under 17 yrs | Over 1 but under 6 years |
| SD | Under 5 yrs and under 40 lbs | Under 18 yrs | Ages 5-17, and more than 40 lbs |
| TN | Under 4 yrs25 | Under 18 yrs | - |
| TX | Under 4 yrs or under 36" | Under 17 yrs | Ages 4-16 yrs |
| UT | Under 5 yrs | Under 19 yrs | Ages 5-18 yrs |
| VT | Over 1 yr but under 8 and more than 20 lbs | Under 16 yrs | Under 16 yrs |
| VA | Under 5 yrs | Under 16 yrs | Ages 6-15 |
| WA | Under 8 unless 4'9" | Under 16 yrs | Ages 6-16 yrs |
| WV | Under 8 yrs | Under 16 yrs | Ages 3-8 yrs |
| WI | Under 8 yrs | Under 8 yrs | Age 8 or 80 lbs or 4'9" |
| WY | Under 9 yrs properly secured in CRS in back seat | Under 12 yrs | Ages 5-11 yrs 26 |
| AS | more than 4 yrs | Under 5 yrs | Ages 0-12 yrs |
| CNMI | Under 5 yrs | Under 12 yrs | Ages 0-12 yrs |
| GU | Under 4 yrs | Under 12 yrs | Ages 2-12 yrs |
| PR | Under 5 yrs | All persons, all ages, unless in a safety seat must wear a safety belt | Under 12 must ride in back seat |