Child Passenger Safety Laws: Puerto Rico
Child Restraint Required
4 yrs or under in child safety seat
4-8 yrs or under 57" tall in booster seat
Under 12 yrs in rear seat
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.
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.
8 yrs or under in rear seat if available
9 yrs or older
Under 1 yr or under 20 lbs in rear-facing child restraint
1-3 yrs and 20-40 lbs must be in either a rear- or forward-facing child restraint
4-7 yrs and 40-80 lbs and under 57" tall must be in either a rear- or forward-facing child restraint or a booster seat
Under 4 years and less than 40 lbs, or if the child is in a rear- or forward-facing child restraint, they mist be in the rear vehicle seat, if available
8 yrs or older or more than 80 lbs or taller than 57"
7 yrs or under and under 4'9" tall
8 yrs and older and 4'9" or taller
Under 2 years – rear-facing child restraint
2 to 4 years – child restraint with harness (rear or forward-facing)
4 years and older – car or booster seat until 4’9”
Up to age 13 years – must ride in back seat when practical
4’9” or taller
Adult seat belt fits properly
40 lbs or over in seating position with only lap belt
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
8-17 yrs (4-7 yrs with physician's exemption)
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
5-13 yrs in a rear seat
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
8-17 yrs and over 20 lbs
7 yrs or under and under 57" tall
8-15 yrs or 57" or taller
Under 8 yrs or under 57" tall
8 yrs or older or over 57"
Under 1 yr or 20 lbs or less in rear-facing child safety seat, following manufacturer instructions
1-3 yrs and over 20 lbs in harnessed child safety seat, following manufacturer instructions
4-9 yrs and shorter than 4'9" in booster seat, following manufacturer instructions (until 9th birthday)
9 yrs or younger and taller than 4'9", seat belt and in rear seat if available
Rear seat recommended for 9-12 yrs
9 yrs and older if taller than 4'9"
Under 5 yrs and under 40 lbs must be properly secured in a child safety seat
8-18 yrs must be properly secured in a seat belt, harnessed child safety seat or booster seat
Under 2 yrs or until height or weight limit reached in rear-facing seat
2-8 yrs in forward-facing child safety seat or in booster seat secured by lap/shoulder belt (lap belt alone is not permissible)
7 yrs or under in rear seat if available
7 yrs or under and 80 lbs or over or 57" or taller 8-17 yrs
2 yrs or under and under 30 lbs in rear-facing child safety seat
7 yrs and under and shorter than 57" and under 80 lbs in child restraint
7 yrs or under and 80 lbs or over or 57" or taller
8-17 yrs
4 yrs or under in child safety seat
4-8 yrs or under 57" tall in booster seat
Under 12 yrs in rear seat
9 yrs or under or 57" or taller
Under 2 yrs (or until outgrows the top height or weight recommendations) in rear-facing child restraint
2-3 yrs in forward-facing child restraint
4-7 yrs booster seat
8-18 yrs
Under 2 yrs in a rear-facing child restraint
Properly used child restraint (harness) required until child weight 40 lbs.
Booster required until the child is 8 years old AND the adult seatbelt fits correctly OR the child is 4’9” tall
8-15 yrs or over 4'9" tall
Under 2 yrs (or until outgrows the top height or weight recommendations) in rear-facing child restraint
Under 4 yrs in child restraint
4-7 yrs and shorter than 4'9" in a child restraint or booster seat
8 yrs or over or 4'9" or taller
Under 4 yrs or under 40 lbs in child safety seat, following manufacturer instructions
4-8 yrs, over 40 lbs and under 4'9" tall in booster seat, following manufacturer instructions
8-15 yrs
Under 5 yrs
Under 8 lbs or under 54" in booster seat
Under 5 yrs, under 80 lbs, or under 54" in rear seat
Over 5 yrs or over 80 lbs or over 54"
Younger than 8 years of age and under 57"
Less than 8 yrs and 57” or taller
8-17 yrs
7 yrs or under and under 80 lbs
8-15 yrs or 40-80 lbs in seats without shoulder belts
Under 2 yrs (or until outgrows the top height or weight recommendations) in rear-facing child restraint
3 yrs or under unless over 40 lbs and no lap/shoulder belt available
4-7 yrs unless no lap/shoulder belt available
8 yrs and older must be restrained by a seatbelt
Under 1 yrs in rear-facing seat, in rear seat, if available
1-4 yrs or under 40 lbs in child safety seat
5-6 yrs or under 60 lbs in booster seat
7-17 yrs
Under 2 yrs and under 30 lbs in rear-facing seat
Under 4 yrs and under 40 lbs until height or weight limit reached in child safety seat
Under 8 yrs and shorter than 57" in forward-facing child safety seat or booster seat until height or weight limit reached in rear seat, if available
8 yrs or older or over 57"
Under 7 yrs and 57" or shorter
7-17 yrs (or under 7 yrs and 57" or taller)
Under 6 yrs of age and less than 57 inches tall
Under 2 yrs must ride in a rear-facing child safety seat in a back seat
6 yrs and older and 57 inches or taller
Under 2 yrs until height or weight limit reached in rear-facing seat
Under 8 yrs in child safety seat and in rear seat if available
8-17 yrs
Under 6 yrs and under 60 lbs
6 yrs and older and over 60 lbs
Under 4 yrs or under 40 lbs in child safety seat
4-7 yrs and 40-80 lbs and 4'9" or shorter in child safety seat or booster seat
At least 80 lbs or taller than 4'9" in booster seat or safety belt
At least 8 yrs and 80 lbs or taller than 4'9"
Under 4 yrs in child restraint
4-6 yrs and under 57" tall or under 65 lbs in booster seat
7 yrs or over or 57" or taller or 65 lbs or over
7 yrs or under and under 57" tall
8 yrs or over or over 57" tall
Under age 8 and under 57" tall
Under 4 yrs in rear seat if available
8-15 yrs or 57" or taller
7 yrs or under and under 57" tall
8-12 yrs or 57" or taller
Under 8 yrs unless over 57" tall. Rear-facing until age 2 or until they exceed the height/weight specifications of the manufacturer.
8-15 yrs or under 8 yrs and over 57" tall
Under 2 yrs must use a rear-facing child safety seat
Children 55 lbs. or less must ride in a rear or forward-facing child safety seat with a 5-point harness
Under 8 yrs, less than 80 lbs. and 4’ 9” must use a booster seat or child safety seat
Under 12 yrs should be in a back seat
Seat Belt required for all passengers over 8 years old, 57” and 80 lbs
At least 2 yrs in a rear-facing child safety seat until outgrows the seat by height or weight
At least 2 yrs in forward-facing child safety seat if rear-facing seat it too small by height or weight
4-8 yrs in booster seat if outgrown forward-facing harness seat by height or weight
Under 13 in rear seat if possible
At least 9 yrs and fits in an adult seat belt correctly
Under 13 in rear seat if possible
40" or shorter in child restraint 7 yrs or under and between 40" and 57" tall in booster seat
Taller than 57"
Under age 4 in an appropriate child restraint
4-8 years, under 80 pounds or 57” tall in an appropriate child restraint or booster seat
8 years old and over 80 lbs or taller than 57" tall
Under 1 yrs and under 20 lbs in rear-facing child seat
1-5 yrs in child restraint or booster seat
6-17 yrs
8 yrs or under
8-15 yrs must be properly restrained in seat belt or child restraint
Under 2 yrs under 40 lbs and under 40" in rear-facing child restraint
Under 8 yrs
8-15 yrs
Over 40 lbs in rear seat if only lap belt available
Under 7 yrs
7 yrs and older
Under 2 years in a rear-facing child safety seat
2 to under 4 yrs in a rear- or forward-facing child safety seat
4 to less than 10 yrs in booster seat or child restraint system with harness
4 to less than 10 yrs and over 4'9" tall in booster seat with lap and shoulder seat belt
Over 4'9" tall
Under 4 yrs in child safety seat
4-11 yrs and under 4'9" tall in child restraint or booster seat
12 and older (or 4'9" or taller)
Under 8 yrs and 57" or shorter in rear seat if available
Over 57" tall 40 lbs or over in rear seat can use lap belt if lap/shoulder belt unavailable
5 yrs or under
6 yrs or older
Under 2 yrs or under 40 lbs in rear-facing child restraint
2–3 yrs old and under 30 lbs in forward-facing child restraint in the back seat
Under 8 yrs old and under 57” tall in a child restraint or booster seat in the back seat
8-15 yrs
7 yrs or under and under 66 lbs Under 12 yrs and under 65' in rear seat
(effective 6/30/2024)
Under 2 yrs and under 30 lbs in rear-facing car seat
Under 4 yrs and under 40 lbs in child safety seat
Under 16 in booster seat following manufacturers instructions or seat belt
5'5" or less and under 23 yrs in rear seat
8-15 yrs or 66 lbs and over
Effective 6/30/2024, 4-16 yrs if exceeded height and weight limit of booster seat
Under 2 yrs or under 30 lbs in rear-facing restraint system 2-4 yrs or 30-40 lbs in child restraint system 5-7 yrs or 40-60 lbs in child restraint or booster seat Booster seats only with a lap and shoulder belt
8-15 years and 60 lbs or over
Under 1 yr and under 20 lbs in rear-facing seat in rear seat
1-3 yrs and 20-40 lbs in rear or forward-facing child safety seat
4-8 yrs in forward-facing child safety seat or booster
8-15 yrs
Under 2 yrs and under 40 pounds or 40” in rear-facing car seat, following manufacturer instructions and in a back seat
Under 8 yrs and under 57" tall in child safety seat or booster seat in the back seat, following manufacturer instructions
Under 16 yrs properly restrained, including a seat belt
5 yrs and under and under 60 lbs
6-14 yrs or 60 lbs and over
4 yrs or under 5-7 yrs and under 57" tall
5-7 yrs and over 57" tall
Under 4 yrs
4 yrs or older
Under 1 yrs or under 20 lbs in rear-facing seat
1-3 yrs and over 20 lbs in child safety seat
4-15 and 20-64 lbs (or under 57" tall) in booster seat
4-7 yrs and 65 lbs or over (or 57" or taller) or 7-15 yrs and under 65 lbs (or below 57")
Under 1 yrs or under 20 lbs in rear-facing seat
1-4 yrs or 20-40 lbs in forward-facing child safety seat
5 yrs (but not yet 6) in booster seat
6-14 years
Child Restraint Required
4 yrs or under in child safety seat
4-8 yrs or under 57" tall in booster seat
Under 12 yrs in rear seat
Child Restraint Required
Under 2 yrs (or until outgrows the top height or weight recommendations) in rear-facing child restraint
2-3 yrs in forward-facing child restraint
4-7 yrs booster seat
Child Restraint Required
Under 2 yrs in a rear-facing child restraint
Properly used child restraint (harness) required until child weight 40 lbs.
Booster required until the child is 8 years old AND the adult seatbelt fits correctly OR the child is 4’9” tall
Child Restraint Required
Under 2 yrs (or until outgrows the top height or weight recommendations) in rear-facing child restraint
Under 4 yrs in child restraint
4-7 yrs and shorter than 4'9" in a child restraint or booster seat
Child Restraint Required
Under 4 yrs or under 40 lbs in child safety seat, following manufacturer instructions
4-8 yrs, over 40 lbs and under 4'9" tall in booster seat, following manufacturer instructions
Child Restraint Required
Under 5 yrs
Under 8 lbs or under 54" in booster seat
Under 5 yrs, under 80 lbs, or under 54" in rear seat
Child Restraint Required
Younger than 8 years of age and under 57"
Child Restraint Required
7 yrs or under and under 80 lbs
Child Restraint Required
Under 2 yrs (or until outgrows the top height or weight recommendations) in rear-facing child restraint
3 yrs or under unless over 40 lbs and no lap/shoulder belt available
4-7 yrs unless no lap/shoulder belt available
Child Restraint Required
Under 1 yrs in rear-facing seat, in rear seat if available
1-4 yrs or under 40 lbs in child safety seat
5-6 yrs or under 60 lbs in booster seat