Child Passenger Safety

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The chart below describes the statewide laws related to child passenger safety across the country. Use the arrows below the chart to toggle through the states in alphabetical order. To advance slowly, click the single right arrow (>). To jump to the end, click the double arrows (>>). Or use the filter by state feature to jump to a specific state.
 
Scroll down for a summary and overall totals of the number of states that have specific provisions.

Laws last reviewed by State Highway Safety Offices in March 2023.

Utah Vermont Virgin Islands Virginia
Child Restraint Required

7 yrs or under and under 57" tall

Child Restraint Required

Under 1 yrs or under 20 lbs in rear-facing seat in rear seat unless front passenger airbag is deactivated
1-7 yrs and over 20 lbs

Child Restraint Required

Under 1 yr and under 20 lbs in rear-facing child restraint

1-5 yrs and under 40 lbs in child restraint Under 8 yrs

40-80 lbs, or under 4'9" in booster seat

All children under age 14 must ride in a rear seat

 

Child Restraint Required

Under 2 years old in rear-facing seat (or until minimum weight requirement reached)
7 yrs or under
Children in rear-facing devices must be in a rear seat if available - otherwise, in front only if front passenger airbag is deactivated

Adult Safety Belt Permissible

8-15 yrs or 57" or taller

Adult Safety Belt Permissible

8-17 yrs and over 20 lbs

Adult Safety Belt Permissible

5-13 yrs in a rear seat

Adult Safety Belt Permissible

8-17 yrs (4-7 yrs with physician's exemption)

Child Restraint Required

7 yrs or under and under 57" tall

Adult Safety Belt Permissible

8-15 yrs or 57" or taller

Child Restraint Required

Under 1 yrs or under 20 lbs in rear-facing seat in rear seat unless front passenger airbag is deactivated
1-7 yrs and over 20 lbs

Adult Safety Belt Permissible

8-17 yrs and over 20 lbs

Child Restraint Required

Under 1 yr and under 20 lbs in rear-facing child restraint

1-5 yrs and under 40 lbs in child restraint Under 8 yrs

40-80 lbs, or under 4'9" in booster seat

All children under age 14 must ride in a rear seat

 

Adult Safety Belt Permissible

5-13 yrs in a rear seat

Child Restraint Required

Under 2 years old in rear-facing seat (or until minimum weight requirement reached)
7 yrs or under
Children in rear-facing devices must be in a rear seat if available - otherwise, in front only if front passenger airbag is deactivated

Adult Safety Belt Permissible

8-17 yrs (4-7 yrs with physician's exemption)

Child Passenger Safety

All states and territories require child safety seats for infants and children fitting specific criteria, but requirements vary based on age, weight and height. This happens in three stages: rear-facing; forward-facing (harnessed) seats; and booster seats.

Many laws require all children to ride in the rear seat whenever possible, and most states permit children over a particular age, height or weight to use an adult safety belt.

First offense fines for not complying with a state's child passenger safety laws vary from $10 to $500. Some states also use driver's license points as an additional penalty for noncompliance.

  • Most states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico require booster seats or other appropriate devices for children who have outgrown their child safety seats but are still too small to use an adult seat belt safely.
  • 19 states and the District of Columbia require children younger than two be in a rear-facing child safety seat.

NOTE: GHSA does not compile any additional data on child passenger safety 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.