When must a child ride in a car seat, state by state?
Every state’s answer, and the District of Columbia’s, from its own manual or code: 51 have a rule on this, quoted below with where it is written.
Statutes fetched between 7 and 9 October 2026; manuals fetched between 6 September and 4 October 2026. How the answers are made
| State | The rule | Where it is written | As of |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | An infant rides in an infant-only seat or a convertible seat facing the rear until at least 1 year of age or 20 pounds. | Alabama Driver Manual, p.30 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Alaska | A child less than one year old, or one year or older who weighs less than 20 pounds, must be secured in a rear-facing child safety seat. | Alaska Driver Manual, p.26 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Arizona | Children from 5 to 8 years old must ride in a child restraint system until they are at least 4 feet, 9 inches tall. | Arizona Driver License Manual and Customer Service Guide, p.20 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Arkansas | In Arkansas, a child less than 6 years old who weighs less than 60 pounds must be restrained in a child passenger safety seat properly secured to the vehicle. | Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, p.9 | 4 Oct 2026 |
| California | Children under 8 years old, or less than 4 feet 9 inches tall, must be secured in a child passenger restraint system in a rear seat. | California Driver’s Handbook, p.66 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Colorado | A child less than 2 years old and weighing less than 40 pounds must be secured in the rear seat in a rear-facing child restraint system. | Colorado Driver Handbook, p.3 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Connecticut | A child under age 2, or weighing less than 30 pounds whatever their age, rides in a rear-facing car seat or a rear-facing convertible seat with a five-point harness. | Connecticut Driver's Manual, p.12 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Delaware | Delaware law requires children under age 4 and 40 pounds to ride in a harnessed car seat. | Delaware Driver Manual, p.109 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| District of Columbia | In the District, the driver may not transport any child less than 3 years of age unless the child is properly secured in a child safety seat in the back seat. | DC Driver Manual, p.82 | 16 Sep 2026 |
| Florida | Children under age 4 must be in a safety seat, and children aged 4 and 5 must be in either a safety seat or a booster seat. | Official Florida Driver License Handbook, p.28 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Georgia | Every driver carrying a child under eight years of age must have that child in a restraint system suited to the child’s height and weight, except in a taxicab or a public transit vehicle. | Georgia Driver's Manual, p.60 | 18 Sep 2026 |
| Hawaii | (3) If the child is four years of age or older but less than ten years of age, the person operating the motor vehicle shall ensure that the child is properly restrained in a child passenger restraint system with harness or booster seat that meets federal motor vehicle safety standards at the time of its manufacture; except as provided in paragraph (4); or | Hawaii law, Haw. Rev. Stat. § 291-11.5(a)(3) | 7 Oct 2026 |
| Idaho | Idaho law requires anyone carrying children 6 years of age or younger in a non-commercial motor vehicle to protect them properly in approved child car safety seats. | July 2026 Idaho Driver's Handbook, p.41 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Illinois | When any person is transporting a child in this State under the age of 8 years in a non-commercial motor vehicle of the first division, any truck or truck tractor that is equipped with seat safety belts, any other motor vehicle of the second division with a gross vehicle weight rating of 9,000 pounds or less, or a recreational vehicle on the roadways, streets or highways of this State, such person shall be responsible for providing for the protection of such child by properly securing him or her in an appropriate child restraint system. The parent or legal guardian of a child under the age of 8 years shall provide a child restraint system to any person who transports his or her child. | Illinois law, 625 ILCS 25/4 | 7 Oct 2026 |
| Indiana | Passengers younger than 8 must be secured in a child restraint system such as a car seat or booster seat. | Indiana Driver's Manual, p.56 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Iowa | A child under 6 years old must ride in a child restraint system, a safety seat or booster seat, not just a seat belt. | Iowa Driver's License Manual, p.35 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Kansas | All children under the age of 4 must be restrained in a federally approved child safety seat in Kansas. | Kansas Driving Handbook, p.16 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Kentucky | (3) (a) Any driver of a motor vehicle, when transporting a child of forty (40) inches in height or less in a motor vehicle operated on the roadways, streets, and highways of this state, shall have the child properly secured in a child restraint system of a type meeting federal motor vehicle safety standards. (b) Any driver of a motor vehicle, when transporting a child under the age of eight (8) years who is between forty (40) inches and fifty-seven (57) inches in height in a motor vehicle operated on the roadways, streets, and highways of this state, shall have the child properly secured in a child booster seat. A child of any age who is greater than fifty-seven (57) inches in height shall not be required to be secured in a child booster seat under this section. | Kentucky law, KRS 189.125(3) | 7 Oct 2026 |
| Louisiana | From birth to at least 2 years old, a child must ride in a rear-facing, federally approved car seat. | Class D & E Driver's Guide, p.40 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Maine | Under Maine law, a child who weighs less than 55 pounds must be properly secured in a child safety seat. | Maine Driver’s License Manual, p.42 | 4 Oct 2026 |
| Maryland | All children under age 8 must ride in a child safety seat, unless the child is 4 feet 9 inches or taller. | Maryland Driver's Manual, p.52 | 6 Sep 2026 |
| Massachusetts | A child must sit in a federally approved child passenger restraint until they are at least eight years old or at least 57 inches tall. | Massachusetts Driver's Manual, p.36 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Michigan | All children younger than 8 or under 4 feet, 9 inches tall must ride in an approved child-safety seat or booster seat in all seating positions. | What Every Driver Must Know, p.25 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Minnesota | Children under 2 must ride in a rear-facing car seat until they reach its weight or height limit. | Minnesota Driver’s Manual, p.38 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Mississippi | Children under 4 years old must be secured in a child passenger restraint device (car seat). | Mississippi Driver's License Manual, p.64 | 4 Oct 2026 |
| Missouri | A child less than four years old must be secured in a child passenger restraint system, regardless of weight. | Missouri Driver Guide, p.55 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Montana | In Montana, babies and children up to age 6 and 60 pounds must be buckled in a child safety seat. | Montana Driver Manual, p.20 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Nebraska | Children up to age 8 must ride correctly secured in a federally approved child safety seat (a primary law). | Nebraska Driver’s Manual, p.26 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Nevada | Children under age six who measure less than 57 inches tall must ride in an approved child restraint system. | Nevada Driver Handbook, p.25 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| New Hampshire | A child less than 7 years old and less than 57 inches in height must be secured in a child passenger restraint meeting US Department of Transportation safety standards. | New Hampshire Driver's Manual, p.12 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| New Jersey | A child under eight who is shorter than 57 inches must ride in a child restraint or booster seat. | New Jersey Driver Manual, p.42 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| New Mexico | Children weighing less than 60 pounds must be secured in an approved safety device. | New Mexico Driver Manual, p.3 | 4 Oct 2026 |
| New York | A child under the age of four must be restrained in a federally approved child safety seat that is attached to the vehicle by a safety belt or universal anchorage system. | New York State Driver's Manual, p.48 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| North Carolina | A child under age 8 and weighing less than 80 pounds must be properly secured in a weight-appropriate child passenger restraint system. | North Carolina Driver Handbook, p.44 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| North Dakota | North Dakota's child passenger safety law requires children under 8 years of age to be properly secured in a child restraint (car seat or booster seat). | North Dakota Noncommercial Driver License Manual, p.34 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Ohio | A child under four years old or weighing less than forty pounds must ride in a child safety seat that meets federal standards. | Digest of Ohio Motor Vehicle Laws, p.34 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Oklahoma | In Oklahoma, a child passenger restraint system must be rear-facing until the child reaches 2 years of age or the seat's weight or height limit. | Oklahoma Driver Manual, p.17 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Oregon | Child passengers must be restrained in approved child safety seats until they are 8 years of age or at least 4 feet 9 inches in height, and the adult lap and shoulder belt fits them correctly. | 2026-2027 Oregon Driver Manual, p.74 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Pennsylvania | Children under four must be buckled into a federally approved child safety seat, wherever they ride in the vehicle. | PA Driver's Manual, p.90 | 6 Sep 2026 |
| Rhode Island | A child under 8 who is under 57 inches and under 80 pounds must ride in a rear seat in a federally approved child restraint system. | Rhode Island Driver’s Manual, p.26 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| South Carolina | Children age 7 and younger must sit in a car seat in the back seat. | South Carolina Driver's Manual, p.50 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| South Dakota | Under SDCL 32-37-1, any operator transporting a child under 5 years of age must secure the child in a child passenger restraint system according to its manufacturer’s instructions. | South Dakota Driver License Manual, p.27 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Tennessee | A child under 1 year old, or any child under 20 pounds, must ride in a rear-facing car seat. | Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual, p.31 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Texas | A child under 8 years old must be secured in a federally approved child car seat unless the child is more than 4 feet 9 inches tall. | Texas Driver Handbook, p.64 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Utah | Every child aged eight and under must be properly secured in an approved child safety seat unless they are 57 inches tall. | Utah Driver Handbook 2026-2027, p.28 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Vermont | A child under 8 years of age who is not properly secured in a harnessed car seat must be properly secured in a booster seat. | 2025 Vermont Driver's Manual, p.63 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Virginia | All children under age 8 must be properly secured in a child safety seat or booster seat in vehicles made after January 1, 1968. | Virginia Driver's Manual, p.27 | 6 Sep 2026 |
| Washington | Children up to age 2 must ride in a rear-facing car seat. | Washington State Driver Guide, p.53 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| West Virginia | Every driver who transports a child under the age of eight years in a passenger automobile, van or pickup truck other than one operated for hire shall, while the motor vehicle is in motion and operated on a street or highway of this state, provide for the protection of the child by properly placing, maintaining and securing the child in a child passenger safety device system meeting applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards: Provided, That if a child is under the age of eight years and at least four feet nine inches tall, a safety belt shall be sufficient to meet the requirements of this section. Any person who violates any provision of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than $10 nor more than $20. | West Virginia law, W. Va. Code § 17C-15-46 | 9 Oct 2026 |
| Wisconsin | Children must generally be in a child safety seat until they reach age four. | Wisconsin Motorists' Handbook, p.55 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Wyoming | Wyoming's child restraint law covers a child who has not reached their 9th birthday. | Wyoming Rules of the Road Driver License Manual, p.30 | 14 Sep 2026 |
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