Child Car Seat LawsWhat's Legal in Your State?

We all know that it's important to have a legal, approved child car seat to keep our kids safe while riding in the car. However, child car seat laws are different in all fifty states. Let's take a look at safety seat laws across the US, including Washington, D.C. Here's what you need to know about child car seat laws to keep your child safe and legal.

Alabama: Children under the age of one, or under 20 pounds use a rear facing infant seat. Kids between one and four, or 20 and 40 pounds use a forward facing seat. Between six and fourteen, kids use a seatbelt.

Alaska: Kids under one or 20 pounds use rear facing seats. Between one and four or heavier use a child restraint. Between four and 15, under 57 inches tall, or less than 65 pounds use a booster. Bigger kids can use a seatbelt.

Arizona: Kids under four years need a child restraint. Older children are permitted to use adult style seat belts.

Arkansas: Children under five and lighter than 60 pounds need to be in a child restraint. Older or heavier children can use a seat belt.

California: Children under the age of five or less than 60 pounds use child restraints and must be in the back seat. Heavier and older children can use a seat belt like an adult.

Colorado: Children less than a year and 20 pounds use a rear facing seat. Between one and three and 20 to 40 pounds, children can use a forward facing seat. Between four and five, or 55 inches tall, kids use a booster seat. Older and heavier kids can use a seatbelt.

Connecticut: Kids younger than a year or 20 pounds use a rear facing restraint. Between one and six years and under sixty pounds, kids use a child restraint system. Boosters can be used only with lap and shoulder belts. Adult belts are fine for children between seven and 15 who are heavier than 60 pounds.

Delaware: Children under seven or 66 pounds need to be in a child restraint. Children between eight and 15, or more than 66 pounds can use a seat belt. Children under eleven or sixty-five inches tall must sit in the back of cars with passenger airbags.

District of Columbia: Children under the age of seven must be in child restraints. Between the ages of eight and 15, adult seat belts are fine.

Florida: Kids under three use child restraints. Four to five year olds use boosters. Over five, seat belts are acceptable.

Georgia: Children under five or 57 inches use a child restraint. Taller children use a seatbelt. Kids under five ride in the back seat when possible.

Hawaii: Children under three use a safety seat. Between four and seven, kids use a child restraint or booster seat unless over 57 inches. Then they sit in the back seat with lap or shoulder belt.

Idaho: Children under six must use child restraint. Older children are permitted to use a seat belt.

Illinois: Kids under seven must be in child restraint. Seat belts are permissible for kids between eight and 15 and more than 40 pounds with lap belt only.

Indiana: Children under seven use child restraint. Between eight and 15, they can use a seat belt.

Iowa: Children below one year and less than 20 pounds use rear facing child seat. Between one and five, use a front facing car seat. Six through ten years use a seatbelt.

Kansas: Under three, children use a child restraint. Kids four to seven who weigh less than 80 pounds or are less than 57 inches tall use child restraint or booster. Heavier, taller and older children use seat belt.

Kentucky: Children under 40 inches use child restraint. Between 40 and 50 inches and below six years, use a booster seat. Over fifty inches, use a seat belt.

Louisiana: Kids under one year or 20 pounds use rear facing seat. Between one and three or 20 to 40 pounds use forward facing seat. Between four and five or 40 to sixty pounds use booster seat. Heavier and older children use seat belt.

Maine: Children below 40 pounds use a child safety seat. Between 40 and 80 pounds or under eight use a safety system and seat belt. Between eight and seventeen use seat belt.

Maryland: Kids under seven or under 57 inches or 65 pounds use child restraint. Children between eight and 15 or over 57 inches or 65 pounds use seat belt.

Massachusetts: Children below seven years or 57 inches use child restraint. Taller or older children may use seat belt.

Michigan: Children under the age of seven or 57 inches use a child restraint. Children between eight and 15 or more than 57 inches use a seat belt. Kids under three use rear seats when available.

Minnesota: Children below seven or 57 inches use child restraints. For older children, a seat belt is permissible.

Mississippi: Below the age of three, children use child restraint. Kids between four and six and under 57 inches or 65 pounds use a booster seat. Heavier or taller children may use a seat belt.

Missouri: Children under three years old or under 40 pounds must use a child restraint. Children four to seven and between 40 and 80 pounds or under 57" use a child restraint or booster seat. Children older than four, over 80 pounds or 57" tall, use booster seat or seat belt. Children eight to 16 use seat belt.

Montana: Kids under the age of five or sixty pounds use child restraints. Older children may use a seat belt. Nebraska: Children under five use child restraint. Children between the ages of six and 17 may use adult seat belts.

Nevada: Children under the age of five and 60 pounds sit in a child restraint. Older children may use adult seat belts.

New Hampshire: Children five years and younger and under 55 inches tall use child restraint. Children six to 17, or under six and 55 inches tall use seat belt.

New Jersey: Kids under seven years and 80 pounds must be in child restraint and in rear seat if it is available.

New Mexico: Children below one year must be in a rear facing infant seat. Children between one and four years, or under 40 pounds use a child safety seat. Children between five and six or under 60 pounds use a booster seat. Children in a rear facing infant seat must be in the back seat when available.

New York: Children under three and 40 pounds must be in child restraint. Children over forty pounds or between four and seven may use a lap and shoulder belt. Children eight through 15 may use adult seat belt.

North Carolina: Children under seven or 80 pounds must use child restraint. Children eight through 15 or 40 to 80 pounds may use adult seat belts. Children under four or less than 40 pounds must ride in the rear seat if passenger airbag is present, unless restraint can be used with airbags. Children 40-80 pounds using seat belts must sit in seats without shoulder belts.

North Dakota: Children under seven, less than 57 inches tall or under 80 pounds must use child restraint. Adult seat belts are permissible for kids between seven and 17, kids under 6 who are at least 57" tall or 80 pounds, and kids under six and at least 40 pounds. Children under six and more than 40 pounds may use a lap belt if no lap/shoulder belts are available.

Ohio: Kids under three or less than 40 pounds should be seated in a child restraint. Children between four and seven who weigh 40 pounds or more and are below 57 inches use booster seat. Children eight through 14 use adult seat belt.

Oklahoma: Children five and younger use child restraint. Children six through 12 may use adult seat belt. Oregon: Children below one year and 20 pounds must use rear facing child safety seat. Children below 40 pounds must use child safety seat, and more than 40 pounds but less than 57 inches must use booster seat or other elevating safety system. Taller children may use seat belts.

Pennsylvania: Children under seven must use child restraint. Older children may use adult style seat belts. Rhode Island: Children under seven and below 57 inches or 80 pounds must be in child restraint. Taller, older, or heavier children may use seat belt. Children under seven must use rear seat when available.

South Carolina: Kids under one year or 20 pounds must use rear facing seat. Children one to five and 20 to 39 pounds must use forward facing safety seat. Children one to five and 40 to 80 pounds must use booster seat with lap/shoulder belt, not lap belt alone. Seat belts permitted for children whose knees bend over the seat edge when sitting up straight against the seat back, or older children.

South Dakota: Children four years and younger or less than 40 pounds must be in child restraint. Children five to 17 or over 40 pounds may use adult seat belts.

Tennessee: Children younger than one year or less than 20 pounds use a rear facing infant seat. Children between one and three and more than 20 pounds use forward facing infant seat. Children ages four to eight and less than 57 inches use booster seat. Children nine to 15 and over 57 inches may use adult seat belt. Kids under eight and 57 inches must be in rear seat when available. Rear seating is recommended for children nine to 12.

Texas: Children under eight and less than 57 inches must use child restraint. Older children may use an adult style seat belt.

Utah: Children under eight and shorter than 57 inches must use a child restraint. Children eight through 15 or taller than 57 inches may use seat belt.

Vermont: Kids below one year or 20 pounds must use rear facing infant seat. Children two to seven and more than 20 pounds must use child restraint. Seat belts are okay for kids between eight and 15 who are more than 20 pounds. Children one year and younger or less than 20 pounds must be in rear seat if passenger airbag is active.

Virginia: Children under seven must use child restraint unless exempted by doctor. Children eight to 15 may use seat belt. Children in rear facing devices must be in back seat if available, and in front seat only if airbag is deactivated.

Washington: Kids under the age of seven and 57 inches must be in child restraint. Children eight through 15 or younger and 57 inches or taller may use adult seat belt. Younger children over 40 pounds may use lap belt only.

West Virginia: Children under seven and 57 inches must use child restraint. Taller and older children may use adult seat belt.

Wisconsin: Children under one and less than 20 pounds use rear facing infant seats. Children one to three and between 20 and 40 pounds use forward facing child seat. Children four to seven and between 40 and 80 pounds but under 57 inches tall use a booster seat. Children under eight and over 80 pounds and 57 inches may use a seat belt. Older children may use an adult seat belt. Children under four must use a rear seat when available.

Wyoming: Children below eight years of age must use a child restraint and be in the rear seat when available. Older children may use a seat belt as an adult.