Car Seat Requirements Across the Country

Children must ride in a child safety seat or booster according to the manufacturer’s guidelines and state laws. These car seat requirements vary from state to state and are meant to help parents understand what is best for their child’s safety and security in a vehicle while traveling.

New York law states that children up to two years must be in a rear-facing car seat, which is designed to protect your child’s developing neck and spine. This is the safest way for your child to travel and can be a violation of the law if you don’t follow it.

If your child outgrows the rear-facing car seat by height or weight, they can move to a forward-facing car seat with a harness up to the height and weight maximums listed on the manufacturer’s label. The tether strap is an important part of the harness system and should remain attached at all times to reduce forward movement in a crash. Once your child outgrows the forward-facing car seat with a harness, they should move to a belt-positioning booster seat. They should stay in this seat until the lap and shoulder belt fit properly, typically around 8 years old.

Oregon law states that all infants up to 40 pounds and all children 2 years of age and older must be in a federally approved car seat or booster seat, regardless of the seating position. This includes children riding in the back seat or in a taxi. It also requires children under 6 to be seated in the rear seat, with the exception of those under 8 years of age who are able to use a lap-shoulder belt.

In Louisiana, all babies under 2 years of age must ride in a rear-facing car seat until they outgrow it by height or weight. Children under 4 years of age must ride in a forward-facing car seat with tether strap until they reach the manufacturer’s height and weight maximums. After outgrowing the forward-facing car seat with a tether strap, they must move to a booster seat. Children must remain in the booster seat until the lap and shoulder belt fit properly, usually when they are between 8 and 12 years old.

The chart below explains statewide car seat requirements across the country. Use the arrows to navigate the list or select a state from the menu above.

Click the arrows to scroll through the chart in alphabetical order. Then, use the filter by state feature to quickly jump to a specific section. SR4K has provided this overview to help car seat shoppers understand the nuances of each state’s child passenger safety laws. These laws are based on national best practices, research, and recommendations from car seat manufacturers. The statewide laws may not perfectly align with the manufacturer’s guidelines or the recommendations from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). This is why it is crucial to always consult your car seat manufacturer’s guidelines, and check your local laws for specific details.