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State

Must be in child restraint

Adult safety belt permissible

Alabama

younger than 1 or less than 20 lbs. in a rear-facing infant seat; 1 through 4 yrs. or 20 - 40 lbs in a forward-facing child safety seat; 5 but not yet 6 in a booster seat.
(eff. 7/1/06)

6 through 14 yrs.
(eff. 7/1/06)

Alaska

3 yrs. and younger

4 through 15 yrs.

Arizona

4 yrs. and younger

Not permissible

Arkansas

5 yrs. and younger and less than 60 lbs.

6 yrs. through 14 yrs. or 60+lbs.

California

Younger than 1 yr. or less than 20 lbs. or in a rear facing restraint system in rear seat only if frongt passenger air bag is active

5 yrs. and younger or less than 60 lbs. in a rear seat

6 through 15 yrs. or 60+lbs.

Colorado

younger than 1 yr. and less than 20 lbs. in a rear-facing infant seat; 1 through 3 yrs. and 20-40 lbs. in a forward-facing child safety seat; 4 through 5 yrs. and less than 55″ in a booster seat

6 through 15 yrs. and 55″ or more

Connecticut

younger than 1 yr. or less than 20 lbs. in a rear-facing restraint system (eff. 10/1/05);

1 through 6 yrs. who is less than 60 lbs. in a child restraint system (booster seats may only be used in a seating position with a lap and shoulder belt) (eff. 10/1/05)

7 through 15 yrs. and 60+ lbs.

Delaware

6 yrs. and younger and less than 60 lbs.

7 through 15 yrs. or
60+ lbs.

District of Columbia

7 yrs. and younger

8 through 15 yrs.

Florida

3 yrs. and younger

4 through 5 yrs.

Georgia

5 yrs. and younger and 57″ or less (eff. 7/1/04) (5 yrs. and younger must be in rear seat if available)

more than 57″ tall

Hawaii

3 yrs. and younger in a child safety seat;

4 yrs. through 7 yrs. must be in a booster seat or child restraint (eff. 1/1/07)

4 through 7 yrs. who are taller than 4′9″;

4 through 7 yrs. who are at least 40 lbs seated in a rear seat where if there are no available lap/shoulder belts, may be restrained by a lap belt (eff. 1/1/07)

Idaho

6 yrs. and younger
(eff. 5/29/05)

not permissible

Illinois

7 yrs. and younger

8 through 15 yrs.

Indiana

7 yrs. and younger when driver holds an Indiana license (eff. 7/1/05)

8 through 15 yrs.

Iowa

younger than 1 yr. and less than 20 lbs. in a rear-facing child seat;
1 through 5 yrs.
(eff. 7/1/04)

6 through 10 yrs.
(eff. 7/1/04)

Kansas

all children 3 and younger must be in a child restraint;

children 4 through 7 who weigh less than 80 lbs. and children 4 through 7 who are less than 57″ tall must be in a child restraint or booster seat
(eff. 7/1/06)

all children 8 through 13; children 4 through 7 who weigh more than 80 lbs., and children 4 through 7 who are taller than 57″
(eff. 7/1/06)

Kentucky

40 in. or less

not permissible

Louisiana

younger than 1 yr. or less than 20 lbs. in a child safety seat;

1 through 3 yrs. or 20-39 lbs. in a forward-facing child safety seat; 4 through 5 yrs. or 40-60 lbs. in a child booster seat
(eff. 1/1/04)

6 through 12 yrs. or greater than 60 lbs.

Maine

less than 40 lbs. in a child safety seat; 40-80 lbs. and less than 8 yrs. in a safety system that elevates the child so that an adult seatbelt fits properly

8 yrs. through 17 yrs. or less than 18 yrs. and more than 4′9″ (11 yrs. and younger and less than 100 lbs. must be in rear seat if available)

Maryland

5 yrs. and younger or 40 lbs. or less

6 yrs. and more than 40 lbs. through 15 yrs.

Massachusetts

4 yrs. and younger or 40 lbs. and less

5 through 11 yrs.

Michigan

3 yrs. and younger

not permissible

Minnesota

3 yrs. and younger

not permissible

Mississippi

3 yrs. and younger

not permissible

Missouri

3 yrs. and younger must be in a child restraint;

all children who weigh less than 40 lbs. must be in a child restraint;

4 through 7 yrs. who weigh at least 40 lbs. but less than 80 lbs. and who are 4′9″ or shorter must be in either a child restraint or booster seat;

children 4 yrs. and older who weigh at least 80 lbs. or who are at least 4′9″ tall must be in either a booster seat or safety belt (eff. 8/10/06)

all children 8 through 16 yrs.;

all children 4 yrs. and older who weigh 80 lbs. or more or who are taller than 4′9″ (eff. 8/10/06)

Montana

5 yrs. and and younger and less than 60 lbs.

not permissible

Nebraska

5 yrs. and younger

6 through 17 yrs.; younger than 6 who are at least 55″ tall
(eff. 1/1/04)

Nevada

5 yrs. and younger and 60 lbs. or less (eff. 6/1/04)

not permissible

New Hampshire

5 yrs. and younger who are less than 55″ tall (eff. 1/1/04)

6 through 17 yrs.; younger than 6 who are at least 55″ tall
(eff. 1/1/04)

New Jersey

7 yrs. and younger and less than 80 lbs. seated in rear seat if available

not permissible

New Mexico

younger than 1 yr. in a rear-facing infant seat, seated in the rear seat if available;

1 through 4 yrs. or less than 40 lbs. in a child safety seat;

5 through 6 or less than 60 lbs. in a booster seat (eff. 6/17/05)

7 through 17 yrs.
(eff. 6/17/05)

New York

3 yrs. and younger in all seats until 3/29/05;

6 yrs. and younger in all seats (eff. 3/29/05)

4 through 15 yrs. until 3/29/05;

7 through 15 yrs. (eff. 3/29/05)

North Carolina

7 yrs. and younger and less than 80 lbs. (eff. 1/1/05)

8 through 15 yrs. + children 40-80 lbs. in seats without shoulder belts (eff. 1/1/05)

North Dakota

6 yrs. and younger and less than 57″ or less than 80 lbs. (eff. 8/1/05)

7 through 17 yrs.;

6 yrs. and younger and at least 57″ tall and at least 80 lbs.;

6 yrs. and younger and at least 40 lbs., if there are no available lap/shoulder belts, may be restrained by a lap belt (eff. 8/1/05)

Ohio

3 yrs. and younger or less than 40 lbs.

4 through 14 yrs. (eff. 4/4/07)

Oklahoma

5 yrs. and younger

6 through 12 yrs.

Oregon

3 yrs. and younger and 40 lbs. or less in a child safety seat;

4 through 5 yrs. or 40-60 lbs. in a safety system that elevates the child so that an adult seatbelt fits properly

6 through 15 yrs. and 60+ lbs.

Pennsylvania

7 yrs. and younger

not permissible

Rhode Island

6 yrs. and younger and less than 54″ and less than 80 lbs.

children 6 yrs. and younger must be in rear seat if available

6 yrs. and younger who either weigh 80 lbs. or more or who are at least 54″ tall;

7 through 17

South Carolina

younger than 1 yr. or less than 20 lbs. in a rear-facing infant seat;

1 through 5 yrs. and 20-39 lbs. in a forward-facing child safety seat;

1 through 5 yrs. and 40-80 lbs. in a booster seat secured by lap-shoulder belt — lap belt alone is impermissible

1 through 5 yrs. and 80+ lbs. OR any child 5 yrs. and younger if the child’s knees bend over the seat edge when sitting up straight with his/her back firmly against the seat back

South Dakota

4 yrs. and younger and less than 40 lbs.

5 through 17 yrs.;

all children 40+ lbs., regardless of age

Tennessee

younger than 1 yr. or 20 lbs. or less in a rear-facing infant seat;

1 through 3 yrs. and 20+ lbs. in a forward-facing infant seat;

4 through 8 yrs. and less than 4′9″ in a booster seat;

children 8 yrs. and younger and less than 4′9″ must be in rear seat if available;

9 through 15 yrs. or any child 12 or younger who is 4′9″ or taller;

rear seat recommended for children 9 through 12

Texas

4 yrs. and younger and less than 36 in. (eff. 9/1/05)

not permissible

Utah

4 yrs. and younger

5 through 15 yrs.

Vermont

younger than 1 yr. or less than 20 lbs. in a rear-facing infant seat;

2 through 7 and more than 20 lbs. (eff. 1/1/04)

8 through 15 yrs. and more than 20 lbs. (eff. 1/1/04)

Virginia

7 yrs. and younger (eff. 7/1/07)

children in rear facing devices must be in a rear seat if available;

if not available, they may be placed in front only if front passenger airbag is deactivated (eff. 7/1/07)

8 through 15 yrs. (eff. 7/1/07)

Washington

younger than 8 and less than 4′9″ (eff. 6/1/07)

8 through 15; younger than 8 and 4′9″ or taller (eff. 6/1/07)

12 yrs. and younger must be in rear seat if practical
(eff. 6/1/07)

West Virginia

7 yrs. and younger and less than 4′9″ (eff. 7/6/05)

7 yrs. and younger and 4′9″ or taller (eff. 7/6/05)

Wisconsin

children younger than 1 and all children who weigh less than 20 lbs. are required to be in a rear-facing infant seat;

children 1 through 3 yrs. who weigh at least 20 lbs. but less than 40 lbs. are required to be in a forward-facing child safety seat;

children 4 through 7 who both weigh at least 40 lbs. but less than 80 lbs. and who are less than 57″ tall are required to be in a booster seat
(eff. 6/1/06)

children 3 and younger must be in a rear seat, if available
(eff. 6/1/06)

8 yrs. and younger and more than 80 lbs. and 57″ or taller
(eff. 6/1/06)

Wyoming

8 yrs. and younger, must be in rear seat if available

not permissible

The above information was gathered from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety: http://www.iihs.org/laws/state_laws/restrain2.html