Seat Belts
Seat belt laws are divided into two categories: primary and secondary. Primary seat belt laws allow law enforcement officers to ticket a driver or passenger for not wearing a seat belt, without any other traffic offense taking place. Secondary seat belt laws state that law enforcement officers may issue a ticket for not wearing a seat belt only when there is another citable traffic infraction.
- 34 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have primary seat belt laws for front seat occupants.
- 15 states have secondary laws for adult front seat occupants.
- 40 states, D.C., and 2 territories have laws enforcing rear seat belt use. Of these:
- 17 states, D.C. and 2 territories have primary enforcement for all occupants.
- 5 states have primary enforcement for youth.
- 11 states include rear seats as secondary enforcement. Three of these are states with primary seat belt laws for front seat occupants. Six are states with secondary laws for adult front seat occupants.
- 10 states do not have laws enforcing rear seat belt use.
- Of states with primary front seat belt use laws, 11 states and the Virgin Islands do not include rear seats
- Of states with secondary front seat belt use laws, 9 states do not include rear seats.
- New Hampshire has enacted neither a primary nor a secondary seat belt law for adults in any seat, although the state does have a primary child passenger safety law that covers all drivers and passengers under 18.
Specific laws vary greatly from state to state, depending on the age of the rider and in what seat he or she is sitting. This page covers seat belt laws for adults and young adults only. For requirements for infants, toddlers, and children, see GHSA's Child Passenger Safety Laws.
A PDF chart of state seat belt laws is available for download here.
NOTE: GHSA does not compile any additional data on adult seat belt laws other than what is presented here. For more information, consult the appropriate State Highway Safety Office.
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Laws last reviewed by SHSOs in March 2023.
New Hampshire has enacted neither a primary nor a secondary seat belt law for adults, although the state does have a primary child passenger safety law that covers all drivers and passengers under 18.
n/a
n/a
Secondary
9 and over
All
Secondary; Primary for occupants under 18
All drivers; passengers 18 and over
Front Under 18: All (primary enforcement)
All
Secondary; Primary for occupants under 18
18 and over
Secondary
18 and over
Front
Secondary; Primary for occupants ages 8-17
8 and over
8-17 yrs: All (primary enforcement)
Secondary
8 and over
8-14 yrs: All (primary enforcement) 15 and over: Front
Secondary; Primary for occupants under 18
18 and over
18 and over: Front Under 18: All
6 and over
All
Secondary
Secondary
18 and over
Front
Secondary
6 and over
All
Secondary; Primary for riders ages 8 through 15
8 and over
8-15 yrs: All (primary enforcement) 16 and over: Front
Secondary
13 and over
All
Secondary
7 and over (primary law for drivers under 18)
All
Secondary
16 and over (primary law for under 18)
Front
Secondary
8 and over
8-15 yrs: All 8 and over: Front
Primary
8 and over
All
Primary
8 and over
8-17 yrs: Front
Primary
Over 16 or over 4'9"
All
Front
Primary
All riders
Primary
Drivers and passengers over 16
All
Primary
7 and under who are over 57" 8 and over
All
Primary
16 and over
Front
Primary
8 and over
All
8 and over
All
Primary
Primary
9 and over or 57" and over
Data not available
Primary
All riders
All
Primary
13 and over
Front
Primary
Over 6
All
Primary; Secondary for rear seat occupants
16 and over
All
Primary
All riders
All
Primary
18 and over
All
Primary; Secondary for rear seat occupants
7 and under and more than 57 inches tall 8 and over
All
Primary
7 and over
All
Primary
7 and younger and over 57 inches 8 and over
All
Front
Primary
16 and over
Primary; Secondary for rear seat occupants
16 and over
Under 16 yrs: All 16 yrs and over: Front (secondary enforcement in rear seat)
Primary
All riders
All
Primary
13 and over
All
Primary
7 and under and more than 57 inches 8 and over
All
14 and over
14-17 yrs: All 18 and over: Front (other seating positions are secondary enforcement)
Primary
Primary
All riders
Front
Primary
16 and over
All
Primary
16 and over
All
Primary
8 and over
All
Primary
All riders
All
Primary
8 and older
8-17 yrs: All 18 and over: Front
Primary
6 and over
6-17 yrs: All 6 and over: Front
Primary
16 and over
All
Primary (civil penalty)
16 and over
All
Primary
8 and over
All
All
Primary
16 and over
Primary
15 and over
Front
Primary
16 and over
All
Primary
15 and over
All
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