Updated Car Seat Laws 2024

Posted on in Car Seat Safety, Updated Car Seat Laws by Amie
updated car seat laws 2024

Estimated reading time: 11 minutes

Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, and Vermont have updated car seat laws.

Here are the updated car seat laws for 2024. And a list of bills that did not make it to law as far as I can find.

Remember the state car seat laws are generally the minimum standard for car seat use. For safer travels with your little one, familiarize yourself with best practice recommendations and perhaps visit with a local child passenger safety technician to discuss your specific needs.

Some state laws in trying to be more explicit make it sound like you have to move to the next stage even if your child still fits in the previous (safer) stage. Does this mean a 4 year old who still fits in a 5-point harness needs to move up to a booster seat if the law says children age 4 are to be secured in a booster? Obviously if a 4 year old still fits in a 5-point harness it would be considered safer, and best practice, to remain in the 5-point harness rather than moving to a booster. We argue the intent of the law is to keep kids in the safest appropriate restraint even if the language seems to call for an “early graduation” to the next step.

updated car seat laws 2024

Colorado car seat law

Colorado added some clarification about ages, weights and heights for when a child moves to the next seat. It also detailed that children under age 2 shall use a rear-facing child restraint. This updated car seat law in 2024 goes into effect January 1, 2025.

What it was: Children up to 15 years old riding in a motor vehicle be properly secured as follows:

  • If the child is less than one year of age and weighs less than 20 pounds, the child shall be properly restrained in a rear-facing child restraint system in a rear seat of the vehicle.
  • If the child is one year of age or older, but less than four years of age, and weighs less than forty pounds, but at least twenty pounds, the child shall be properly restrained in a rear-facing or forward-facing child restraint system.
  • If the child weighs over 40 pounds or is at least four years old, the child shall be properly restrained in a child restraint system, such as a forward-facing car seat or belt positioning device, according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
  • A child who is at least eight years old but less than 16 must be properly restrained with a safety belt or child restraint system. Proper use of a safety belt means the shoulder belt, if present, crosses the shoulder and chest and the lap belt crosses the hips, touching the thighs.
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What it is now: All children under age 18 must be properly restrained in a federally approved child safety seat appropriate for the child’s age, weight and height according to manufacturer’s instructions or a properly secured seat belt. And specifically:

  • Children under 2 years and under 40 pounds must be seated in a rear-facing seat with a 5-point harness in the rear vehicle seat, if there is one.
  • Children under 2 years and more than 40 pounds or between 2 and 4 years of age and at least 20 pounds can be seated in either a rear-facing or forward-facing car seat in the rear vehicle seat, if available. Children can continue to forward face beyond 4 years of age and 40 pounds, if child restraint allows it.
  • Then children 4-9 years of age, and at least 40 pounds shall be secured in either a forward-facing car seat or belt-positioning booster in the rear vehicle seat, if available. Children can continue to use a booster seat beyond 9 years of age until the child can properly fit in a seat belt without it.
  • Children less than 18 who properly fit the seat belt must be properly secured in a seat belt. Properly fit the seat belt means the child can pass the 5-step seat belt fit test.

Colorado child passenger safety laws are a primary violation. This means a driver can be pulled over and ticketed just for having a child under the age of 18 riding in the vehicle without a car seat, booster or seat belt.

Michigan car seat law

Michigan updated their car seat law in 2024 to bring the law more closely in line with current best practices and to eliminate confusion from the 10 different answers on the internet about which car seat is appropriate. (Selecting the right a car seat, or car seat type, is very child and family situation dependent. I believe, it cannot be dictated in a law.) . This law goes into effect 91 days after the end of the legislative session (best I can tell March 20, 2025).

What it was: Children shall be properly restrained as follows:

  • Children less than 4 years of age in a motor vehicle shall properly secure that child in a child restraint system that meets the standards prescribed in 49 CFR 571.213 (aka FMVSS 213) in the rear seat, if the vehicle is equipped with a rear seat.
    • If all available rear seats are occupied by children less than 4 years of age or if there is no rear seat, then a child less than 4 years of age may be positioned in the child restraint system in the front seat, including a rear-facing child restraint system if the front passenger air bag is deactivated.)
  • Children who are between the ages of 4 and 8 years old AND are less than 4 feet, 9 inches tall must be properly secured in a child restraint system.

What it is now: Children must be properly restrained in an appropriate child restraint system that meets the standards prescribed in 49 CFR 571.213 (FMVSS 213) in the rear vehicle seat, if the vehicle has a rear seat. If all available rear seats are occupied by children, then a child may be positioned in the child restraint system in the front seat. A child in a rear-facing child restraint system may be placed in the front seat only if the front passenger air bag is deactivated. In addition, a child must be seated and positioned in a child restraint system as follows:

  • All children must be secured in a rear-facing seat until age 2 or the child reaches the weight or height limit of the child passenger restraint system.
  • Children at least age 2 or who outgrew the rear-facing restraint by weight or height, must be restrained in a forward-facing child restraint system with internal harness until the child is age 5 or reaches the weight or height limit of the forward facing child restraint.
  • Then children must be restrained in a belt-positioning booster seat with lap-shoulder seat belt until the child is at least age 8 or at least 4’9″ tall.
  • Children who are age 8 or at least 4’9″ tall but not yet 13 need to be restrained in a properly adjusted seat belt ,or in a belt-positioning booster seat if the child still fits manufacturer’s specifications, in the rear vehicle seat, if there is a rear seating position available.
  • Children ages 13 to 16 must be properly secured in a seat belt.

To maximize safety, the legislature recommends that a child be secured in a child restraint system for as long as the child is within the weight and height limits for that child restraint.

Minnesota car seat law

Minnesota extended their car seat law to an older age, added some clarification about ages, weights and heights for when a child moves to the next seat, and detailed that children under age 2 shall use a rear-facing child restraint. This updated car seat law went into effect August 1, 2024.

What it was: All children under age 8 must ride in a child passenger restraint system which meets federal motor vehicle safety standards, unless the child is 4’9″ or taller. Restraints must be installed and used according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

What it is now: Children under age 18 must be secured as follows:

  • All children under 2 years must be seated in a rear-facing seat with an internal harness until the child reaches the weight or height limit of the child passenger restraint system.
  • Children at least 2 years and exceeding the rear-facing weight or height limit of the child passenger restraint system must be properly restrained in a forward-facing child passenger restraint system with an internal harness, until the child reaches the weight or height limit of the child passenger restraint system.
  • Children at least 4 years and exceeding the weight and height limit of the forward-facing child passenger restraint system must be properly restrained in a booster seat secured with a seat belt.
  • Then children at least 9 years of age who exceed the weight or height limit of the child passenger restraint system or booster seat must be secure with a seat belt fitted correctly to the child:
    • child sits all the way back against the vehicle seat,
    • the child’s knees bend over the edge of the vehicle seat,
    • the lap strap fits snugly across the child’s thighs and lower hips and not the child’s abdomen,
    • and the shoulder strap snugly crosses the center of the child’s chest and not the child’s neck;
  • Then children 4-9 years of age, and at least 40 pounds shall be secured in a belt-positioning booster in a forward-facing car seat in the rear vehicle seat, if available. Can continue to use a booster seat beyond 9 years of age until the child can properly fit in a seat belt without it.
  • Children who fit more than one category, must be placed in the more protective category.
  • Location in car: Children under 13 are required to sit in the rear seat, when available.

Download our report: Common Car Seat Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Vermont car seat law

Vermont also updated their car seat law in 2024 in effort to enhance the safety of young passengers. This law went into effect July 1, 2024.

What it was: Every occupant under age 18 must be properly restrained in a federally-approved child passenger restraining system or a federally-approved safety belt, as follows:

  • Children under the age of one or weighing less than 20 pounds shall be restrained in a rear-facing position, properly secured in a federally-approved child passenger restraining system, which shall not be installed in front of an active air bag.
  • Children who weigh more than 20 pounds and who are over the age 1 but under the age 8, shall be restrained in a child passenger restraining system.
  • Children age 8 up to 18 years of age shall be restrained in a safety belt system or a child passenger restraining system.

What it is now: Every occupant under age 18 must be properly restrained in a federally-approved child passenger restraining system or a federally-approved safety belt, as follows:

  • Children under age 2 must be properly secured in a rear-facing child restraint with a harness.
  • Children under age 5 who are not properly restrained in a rear-facing child restraint must be properly restrained in a forward-facing child restraint with a harness until the child reaches the weight or height limit of the restraint.
  • Then children under age 8 who are not properly restrained in a forward-facing child restraint must be properly secured in a booster seat.
  • Children under age 18 who are not properly secured as mentioned above must be restrained with the seat belt.
  • Children under age 13 shall always, if practical, ride in the rear vehicle seat. Rrear-facing child restraints can not be secured in the front seat with an airbag unless the airbag is deactivated.

Michigan: House Bill 4183 was signed into law and allows for more freedom to drive vintage cars. Previously, historic car owners could only drive their cars for events like exhibitions or parades. Now everyday driving from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day each year is considered an exhibition so is allowed.

Previously car seat laws updated to extend time rear facing

American Academy of Pediatrics increased the national standard to at least age 2 back in 2011. And states have gradually been increasing the rear-facing age requirement to up to 2 years old. However, more recently the American Academy of Pediatrics increased the standard again. Now they recommend what car seat experts have been expressing for years. That is to keep the car seat rear-facing for as long as possible. Keep the child in a seat until the child reaches the maximum height or weight allowed. Some children can remain rear facing in some seats until up through age 3 or even older.

You can see the remainder of the car seat laws by state here.

By Amie Durocher, Creative Director at Safe Ride 4 Kids and certified CPS Tech since 2004

Copyright 2024 Safe Ride 4 Kids. All rights reserved. You may not publish, broadcast, rewrite or redistribute this material without permission. You are welcome to link to Safe Ride 4 Kids or share on social media.

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