The article has been updated successfully.Last Updated 5th of August, 2010
What are the child safety requirements in my state?
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General Guidelines:
- A rear-facing safety seat should be used until the child has reached at least 1 year of age and weighs at least 20 pounds.
- Children older than 1 year who weigh 20-40 pounds should be in forward-facing child safety seats.
- Children who have exceeded the height or weight limit for their forward-facing safety seats, but are under 57 inches tall, should be in booster seats.
- Children can wear adult safety belts if the shoulder belt can be positioned across the chest with the lap belt low and snug across the thighs.
- Children under 12 should be properly restrained in the rear seat.
| Child Restraint Requirements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | x | younger than 1 or less than 20 pounds in a rear-facing infant seat; 1-4 years or 20-40 pounds in a forward-facing child safety seat; 5-6 years in a booster |
| Alaska | x | younger than 1 or less than 20 pounds in a rear-facing infant seat; 1-4 years and more than 20 pounds in a child restraint, 4-8 and shorter than 57 inches or 20-65 pounds in a booster |
| Arizona | x | under 5 |
| Arkansas | x | under 6 and less than 60 pounds |
| California | x | under 5 and less than 60 pounds |
| Colorado | x | younger than 1 year and less than 20 pounds in a rear-facing infant seat; 1-3 years and 20-40 pounds in a forward-facing child safety seat; 6-7 years and less than 55 inches in a booster |
| Connecticut | x | younger than 1 year or less than 20 pounds in a rear-facing restraint system; 1-6 years and less than 60 pounds in a child restraint system |
| Delaware | x | under 7 and less than 66 pounds |
| Florida | x | children under 3 should be in a separate car seat or a car seat that is integrated into the vehicle; children 4- 5 can use a separate car seat, integrated car seat, or seat belt |
| Georgia | x | under 5 and less than 57 inches |
| Hawaii | x | under 3 in a child safety seat; children 4-7 must be in a booster or child restraint |
| Idaho | x | under 6 |
| Illinois | x | under 7 |
| Indiana | x | under 7 |
| Iowa | x | younger than 1 year and less than 20 pounds in a rear-facing child seat; children 1-5 in a child restraint |
| Kansas | x | all children 3 and younger must be in a child restraint; children 4-7 who weigh less than 80 pounds and are less than 57 inches tall must be in a child restraint or booster |
| Kentucky | x | 40 inches or less in a child restraint; under 6 and 40-50 inches tall in a booster |
| Louisiana | x | younger than 1 year or less than 20 pounds in a child safety seat; 1-3 years or 20-39 pounds in a forward-facing child safety seat; children 4-5 or 40-60 pounds in a booster |
| Maine | x | less than 40 pounds in a child safety seat; 40-80 pounds and less than 8 years in a booster |
| Maryland | x | under 7 and less than 57 inches or 65 pounds |
| Massachusetts | x | under 7 and less than 57 inches |
| Michigan | x | under 7 and less than 57 inches |
| Minnesota | x | under 7 and less than 57 inches |
| Mississippi | x | 3 years and younger must be in a child restraint; children 4-6 and either less than 57 inches or less than 65 pounds must be in a booster |
| Missouri | x | under 3 or less than 40 pounds must be in a child restraint; children 4-7 years who weigh at least 40-80 pounds and are under 57 inches must be in either a child restraint or booster |
| Montana | x | under 6 and less than 60 pounds |
| Nebraska | x | under 5 |
| Nevada | x | under 6 and less than 60 pounds |
| New Hampshire | x | under 5 and less than 55 inches |
| New Jersey | x | under 7 and less than 80 pounds |
| New Mexico | x | younger than 1 year in a rear-facing infant seat; children 1-4 or less than 40 pounds in a child safety seat; children 5-6 or less than 60 pounds in a booster |
| New York | x | children under 8 should be in either a child safety seat or booster seat |
| North Carolina | x | under 7 and less than 80 pounds |
| North Dakota | x | under 7, less than 57 inches, or less than 80 pounds |
| Ohio | x | under 3 or less than 40 pounds in child restraint; 4-7 years, over 40 pounds, and less than 57 inches in booster |
| Oklahoma | x | under 5 |
| Oregon | x | younger than 1 year or 20 pounds or less must be in a rear facing child safety seat; 40 pounds or less must be in a child safety seat; more than 40 pounds but 4 feet and 9 inches or less must be in a safety system that elevates the child so that an adult seat belt fits properly |
| Pennsylvania | x | under 7 |
| Rhode Island | x | under 7, less than 57 inches, and less than 80 pounds |
| South Carolina | x | younger than 1 year or less than 20 pounds in a rear-facing infant seat; 1-5 years and 20-39 pounds in a forward-facing child safety seat; 1-5 years and 40-80 pounds in a booster secured by lap-shoulder belt |
| South Dakota | x | under 4 and under 40 pounds |
| Tennessee | x | younger than 1 year or under 20 pounds in a rear-facing infant seat; 1-3 years and over 20 pounds in a forward-facing infant seat; 4-8 years and less than 57 inches in a booster |
| Texas | x | under 7 and less than 57 inches |
| Utah | x | under 7 and less than 57 inches |
| Vermont | x | younger than 1 year or less than 20 pounds in a rear-facing infant seat; children 2-7 and more than 20 pounds in child restraint |
| Virginia | x | under 7, unless there is a physician exemption |
| Washington | x | under 7 and less than 57 inches |
| West Virginia | x | under 7 and less than 57 inches |
| Wisconsin | x | children younger than 1 and all children who weigh less than 20 pounds are required to be in a rear-facing infant seat; children 1-3 years who weigh at 20-40 pounds are required to be in a forward-facing child safety seat; children 4-7, less than 80 pounds, and less than 57 inches tall are required to be in a booster |
| Wyoming | x | under 8 |
| Washington DC | x | under 7 |
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