All Comparison Tables
Child Car Seat Requirements by State
Federal & State Law Editorial TeamLast reviewed: April 2026
Mandatory rear-facing age, booster seat age/weight requirements, and minimum age to ride in the front seat across all 50 states and DC.
50 States2 data columnsLast updated: February 2025
Click any column header to sort ascending or descending. Click again to reverse, and a third time to reset.
| Rear-Facing | Booster Required | Front Seat |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1 / 20 lbs | Under 6 | Under 13 |
| Under 1 / 20 lbs | Under 8 | No specific law |
| Under 2 | Under 8 | No specific law |
| Under 2 | Under 6 / 60 lbs | No specific law |
| Under 2 | Under 8 | Under 8 |
| Under 1 / 20 lbs | Under 8 | Recommended under 13 |
| Under 2 / 30 lbs | Under 8 / 60 lbs | No specific law |
| Under 2 | Under 8 / 65 lbs | Under 12 / 65 lbs |
| Under 1 | Under 5 | No specific law |
| Under 1 | Under 8 / 4'9" | Under 8 |
| Under 2 | Under 10 | No specific law |
| Under 1 | Under 7 | No specific law |
| Under 2 | Under 8 | No specific law |
| Under 1 | Under 8 | No specific law |
| Under 1 | Under 6 | No specific law |
| Under 1 | Under 8 / 80 lbs | No specific law |
| Under 1 / 20 lbs | Under 8 / 57" | No specific law |
| Under 2 | Under 9 | Under 13 |
| Under 2 / 30 lbs | Under 8 / 80 lbs | Under 12 / 100 lbs |
| Under 2 | Under 8 | No specific law |
| Under 2 | Under 8 / 57" | No specific law |
| Under 1 | Under 8 / 4'9" | Under 4 |
| Under 1 / 20 lbs | Under 8 / 4'9" | No specific law |
| Under 2 | Under 7 / 65 lbs | No specific law |
| Under 1 | Under 8 / 80 lbs | No specific law |
| Under 2 | Under 6 / 60 lbs | No specific law |
| Under 2 | Under 8 | Under 8 |
| Under 2 | Under 6 / 57" | No specific law |
| Under 2 | Under 7 / 57" | No specific law |
| Under 2 / 30 lbs | Under 8 / 57" | Under 8 |
| Under 1 / 20 lbs | Under 7 / 60 lbs | No specific law |
| Under 2 | Under 8 | No specific law |
| Under 1 / 20 lbs | Under 8 / 80 lbs | Under 5 / 40 lbs |
| Under 1 | Under 8 / 57" | No specific law |
| Under 1 / 20 lbs | Under 8 / 57" | No specific law |
| Under 2 | Under 8 / 4'9" | No specific law |
| Under 2 | Under 8 / 4'9" | No specific law |
| Under 2 | Under 8 | No specific law |
| Under 2 / 30 lbs | Under 8 / 57" | Under 8 |
| Under 2 | Under 8 / 57" | No specific law |
| Under 1 | Under 5 / 40 lbs | No specific law |
| Under 1 / 20 lbs | Under 9 / 4'9" | Under 13 |
| Under 2 | Under 8 / 4'9" | No specific law |
| Under 1 | Under 8 / 57" | No specific law |
| Under 1 / 20 lbs | Under 8 | No specific law |
| Under 2 | Under 8 | Under 8 |
| Under 2 | Under 13 / 4'9" | Under 13 |
| Under 1 | Under 8 / 4'9" | No specific law |
| Under 1 / 20 lbs | Under 8 / 4'9" | No specific law |
| Under 1 | Under 9 | No specific law |
| Under 2 | Under 8 | Under 8 |
These are minimum legal requirements. NHTSA and the AAP recommend following manufacturer height/weight limits, which generally exceed state minimums.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.