Appendix C

Appendix C
State Child Restraint Laws1

State

Rear
Safety Belts
Required
2

Child
Safety Seat
Required

May Use
Child Safety Seat or Safety Belt

Max Fine4

Points

Major Exemptions to Child
Passenger Laws6

Children Allowed in Cargo Area
of Pickups?

AL

<15 yrs

<6 yrs

Ages 6-14 yrs

$25

 1 pt for 1st offense & 2 pts for 2nd offense

Tow trucks or buses weighing >1 ton

Yes

AK

<16 yrs

<4 yrs

 

$50

2

None

No

AZ

<16 yrs

<5 yrs

Ages 5-15 yrs

$10

 

All vehicle belts in use

 

AR

<15 yrs

Age 6 yrs & >60 lbs

Age 6 yrs or >60 lbs

$100

 

None

 No

CA

<16 yrs

<6 yrs or <60 lbs

 Ages 6-17 yrs

Up to $295 per child

1

None

 

CO

<16 yrs

<1 yr & <20 lbs rear facing; 1-4 yrs & 20-40 lbs forward facing; ages 4 & 5 & <55” tall booster seat

Ages 6-16 or 55” tall. Booster seat or safety belt required.

$59

 

Transported in motor vehicle as a result of a medical emergency. Booster seat exempted if only lap belt available.

Yes, if sitting & tailgate closed

CT

<16 yrs

<6 yrs and <60 lbs

60 lbs & 7-<16 years

$199

2

None

No

DE

<16 yrs3

<6 yrs

60 lbs & over

$20

2

No major exemptions

No

DC

<16 yrs

<8 yrs

Ages 8-16 yrs

$150

3

All vehicle belts in use7

No

FL

<18 yrs

<4 yrs

Ages 4-5 yrs

$60

3

A truck of net weight of more than 5,000 lbs

No

GA

<17 yrs

<5 yrs

A 40 lb child may be secured by lap belt if vehicle not equipped with lap and shoulder belt, or if all belts being used to properly restrain other children

$50

1

May use belt if age 6 and over

No

HI

<18 yrs

<4 yrs

Ages 3-17 yrs

$100

 

All vehicle belts in use7

No6

ID

>6 yrs

<7

>6 yrs

$69

 

All vehicle belts in use7,8

Yes

IL

<16 yrs

<8 yrs

Ages 4-15 yrs, all seating positions

$50

 

None

Yes

IN

<12 yrs

<8 yrs

Ages 8-15 yrs, all seating positions & vehicles

$25

4

Vehicle registered out of State

<16 yrs not allowed

IA

<11 yrs

<6 yrs

Ages 6-10 yrs

$25

 

Motorcycles, school buses, emergency vehicles & medical reasons per physician

Yes

KS

<14 yrs

<8 yrs unless 4'9” or 80 lbs21

Age 8 or 80 lbs or 4'9”

$60

 

All vehicle belts in use

If >13 yrs

KY

<16 yrs

40” & Under

 

$50

 

None

Yes

LA

<13 yrs

<6 yrs or 60 lbs

Ages 3-13 yrs

$100

 

Ambulances, school buses, church buses, commercial vehicles

If >11 yrs

ME

<12 yrs, <100 lbs

<8 yrs and between 40-80 lbs

<12 & 100 lbs

$60

 

All vehicle belts in use9

<16 yrs not allowed

MD

<16 yrs

<6 yrs

>40 lbs

$25

 

All vehicle belts in use, vehicle registered out of State exempt

No

MA

<13 yrs

<5 yrs and <40 lbs

5-12 yrs

$25

 

Child physically unable to use conventional child restraint or one designed for special needs, certified in writing by a physician

If >16 yrs

MI

<16 yrs

<4 yrs

 

$15

 

All vehicle belts in use7

No12,13

MN

<11 yrs

<4 yrs

 

$50

 

Child being nursed

No12,14

MS

<8 yrs

<4 yrs

 

$25

 

See footnote20

Yes

MO

<16 yrs

<4 yrs

Ages 4-15 may use safety belts

$25

   

No

MT

<19 yrs

<6 yrs

Age 6 and <60 lbs

Up to $100

 

Physical or medical reasons per physician

No13,14

NE

<16 yrs

<6 yrs

 

$25

 

Medical reasons per physician, emergency vehicles, taxi cabs

No

NV

<18 yrs

<6 yrs & 60 lbs

Ages 6-17 yrs

$500

 

Public transportation

No

NH

<18 yrs

<6 yrs and 55”

 

$25

 

None

No

NJ

<18 yrs

<8 yrs or 80 lbs

 

$25

 

Children <8 yrs but more than 80 lbs may be placed in safety belt; All vehicle belts in use7

No

NM

<16 yrs

<1-4 yrs18

Ages 5-12 yrs

$25

 

All vehicle belts in use19

No, if <18

NY

<16 yrs

<7 yrs

 

$100

3

Booster seat exempted for children 4-6 yrs if only lap belt available

Yes15

NC

<16 yrs

<8 yrs and 80 lbs

8 yrs or 80 lbs or 40 lbs if no lap & shoulder belt available

 $25

Driver license =2

Insurance = 0 

Child's personal needs being attended to, or all available belts being used

If >11 yrs 12,14,16
If the vehicle is being operated in a county that has no incorporated area with a population in excess of 3,500

ND

<18 yrs (front and back seat)

<7 yrs

Ages 7-17 yrs

$25

1

Child restraint and safety belts not required in vehicles that were not equipped with safety belts when manufactured; transported in an emergency situation

Yes

OH

<4 yrs or <60 lbs

<4 yrs or <60 lbs

 

$100

 

Vehicle registered out of State

If traveling <25 mph12

OK

No

<6 yrs

6-12 yrs

$50 plus court cost

 

Children who weigh >40 lbs in the back seat of a vehicle with only a safety belt if all lap/shoulder belts are in use by another

Yes

OR

<16 yrs20

<4 yrs or <40 lbs

Age 6 yrs & >60 lbs

$97

 

None unless all belted positions taken or <18 yrs and in scope of employment or licensed hunter between hunting camps

Yes

PA

<16 yrs

<4 yrs

 

Up to $150

 

None

Yes

RI

<17 yrs

<7 yrs & 54” & 80 lbs in Federally Approved Child Restraint System in back seat

Age 7 yrs or older

$75

 

All vehicle belts in use

No, up to age 16

SC

<17 yrs

<6 yrs or <80 lbs

>1 but <6 years

$150

 

If all vehicle belts in use

Yes, if on a hayride, traveling less than 35 mph, or on a farm, or in a parade or an adult is with them

SD

<18 yrs

<5 yrs & <40 lbs

Ages 5-17, & > 40 lbs

$20

 

None

Yes

TN

<18 yrs

<4 yrs25

 

$505

 

All vehicle belts in use8,10

If >5 yrs or moving <20 mph

TX

<17 yrs

<4 yrs or <36”

Ages 4-16 yrs17

$200

 

All vehicle belts in use

<17 yrs not allowed

UT

<19 yrs

<5 yrs

Ages 5-18 yrs

$45

 

All vehicle belts in use, physical or medical reasons per physician

Yes, If all seats are in use in the vehicle cab

VT

<16 yrs

> 1 yr but <8 and > 20 lbs

<16 yrs

$25

 

All vehicle belts in use11

Yes

VA

<16 yrs

<5 yrs

Ages 6-15

$50

3

No major exemptions

Yes

WA

<16 yrs

<8 unless 4'9” 27

Ages 6-16 yrs23

$101

 

No major exemptions24

Yes

WV

<16 yrs

<8 yrs

Ages 3-8 yrs

$20

 

All vehicle belts in use

No

WI

<8 yrs28

<8 yrs28

Age 8 or 80 lbs or 4'9”

$75

 

Attending to child's personal needs

No14

WY

<12 yrs

<9 yrs  properly secured in CRS in back seat22

Ages 5-11 yrs 26

$50

 

Physician provides medical exemptions, rendering aid and or assistance to child by parent/guardian

Yes

AS

<5 yrs

>4 yrs

Ages 0-12 yrs

$30

   

Yes, < 13 must be accompanied by adult

CNMI

<12 yrs

<5 yrs

Ages 0-12 yrs

$250

 

A child who, for medical or physical reasons is unable to utilize a child passenger restraint system.

Yes, < 13 must be accompanied by adult

GU

<12 yrs

<4 yrs

Ages 2-12 yrs

$50

 

Yes >13 yrs

Yes, < 13 must be accompanied by adult

PR

All persons, all ages, unless in a safety seat must wear a safety belt

<5 yrs

<12 must ride in back seat

$100

 

None

No


1   This chart applies to children younger than age 19.

2   Front seat restraints are required for all children younger than 16.

3   Children < 12 years old and < 66 inches may not occupy front seat if equipped with passenger-side air bag.

4   Maximum fine for first offense of child safety seat laws. Fines may be increased on subsequent violations and different for older children.

5   Or 30 days in jail.

6  Major exemptions are considered to be exemptions in private passenger vehicles (cars, vans, or pickups). Many States have exemptions for buses, taxis, or other public transportation, children with medical conditions, and emergency situations.

7  Unrestrained children must be in the rear.                                                       

8  Law does not apply if the child's personal or physiological needs are being met.

9  Only for children > 1 year old.

10 Only for ages 4 through 11.

11 Only for children older than age 4.

12 Unless properly restrained in a safety belt or child safety seat.

13 Unless number of children exceeds number of safety belts available.

14 Unless used in farm work or farm activity.

15 Unless there are more than five children younger than age 18 not accompanied by a person older than 18.

16 Unless supervised by an adult.

17 Booster seats are considered child safety seat systems as long as the seat is appropriate for that child (child should fit within the weight range stated on the seat).

18 < 1yr rear-facing CSS; age 1-4 child passenger restraint device or < 40 lbs.

19 Or riding in an emergency vehicle, public transportation, or school bus.

20 If there are more passengers than available safety belts, the driver/passengers are not in violation; public carriers for hire are exempted.

21 Effective 7/1/06 with a one-year warning phase (the fine will be effective 7/1/06).

22 Unless the vehicle has only one row of seats, then the child can be placed in the front, as of 7/1/03, or if all safety belts are in use by other child passengers, as of 2/17/05.

23 May use safety belt only if properly adjusted and fastened.

24 The CPS law does not apply if the child is booster seat age/size and the vehicle has lap-only safety belts.

25 Beginning 7/1/04, child < 1 or < 20 pounds in rear-facing safety seat.

26 Child within age requirement if the lap and shoulder belt fit properly across the collarbone, chest and hips of child and does not pose danger to neck, face or abdominal area in crash or sudden stop.

27 Change in CPS law goes into effect June 1, 2007.

28Child safety seat must be in the back seat if the vehicle is equipped with a back seat