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Car seat & booster law

California

Verified · JUN 2026

Quick answer · California

A car seat or booster is required until your child is 8 years old or taller than 4'9".

Children under 2 must ride rear-facing unless they weigh 40 pounds or are 40 inches tall. Children under 8 must ride in a car seat or booster in the back seat. A child who is 8 or has reached 4 feet 9 inches may use a seat belt.

Rear-facing < 2 yr Forward 2+ yr Booster < 8 yr Belt 8+ yr
Cal. Veh. Code §§ 27360-27363 Read the statute

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3 yrs

General information, not legal advice.

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Required vs recommended

What the law enforces, and what pediatricians advise. They are not the same.

The law requires

Minimum, or it's enforceable

Rear-facing until
Age 2
Booster until
Age 8 or 4'9"
Back seat
Required under 8

Pediatricians recommend

AAP — safer, not the law

Rear-facing until
To seat limit (often age 2+)
Booster until
4'9" — typically age 8–12
Back seat
Until age 13

AAP guidance is a safety best practice and is separate from California's legal minimum. The law sets the floor; pediatricians recommend keeping a child in each stage longer.

Coming January 1, 2027

AB 435

Starting January 1, 2027, California redefines what counts as being 'properly restrained by a safety belt.' The belt must pass a 5-Step fit test: the child sits all the way back against the seat, their knees bend over the seat edge, the shoulder belt crosses the center of the chest and shoulder (not the neck), the lap belt sits low touching the thighs, and the child can stay seated that way for the whole trip. In practice a child who does not pass the test must keep using a booster, even after reaching 8 years or 4 feet 9 inches.

Read the bill

Every stage, by the law

Dual units shown throughout (in + cm, lb + kg). Rows marked Guidance are best practice, not a statutory requirement in California.

Rear-facing Cal. Veh. Code §§ 27360-27363
Age
Birth – 2 yr
Height
or 40 in / 102 cm
Weight
or 40 lb / 18 kg
Forward-facing Cal. Veh. Code §§ 27360-27363
Age
2 yr – 8 yr
Booster Cal. Veh. Code §§ 27360-27363
Age
until 8 yr
Height
< 4'9" / 145 cm
Seat belt Cal. Veh. Code §§ 27360-27363
Age
8 yr +
Height
or ≥ 4'9" / 145 cm
Back seat Cal. Veh. Code §§ 27360-27363
Age
under 8 yr

Frequently asked questions

What is the car seat law in California in 2026?
Children under 2 must ride in a rear-facing car seat unless they weigh 40 pounds or are 40 inches tall. Children under 8 must be secured in a car seat or booster in the back seat. A child who is 8 years old, or who has reached 4 feet 9 inches, may use a seat belt.
When can my child stop using a booster seat in California?
A child can legally stop using a booster once they are 8 years old or have reached 4 feet 9 inches (about 57 inches) tall. Pediatricians recommend keeping a child in a booster until the seat belt fits properly, which is usually closer to 4 feet 9 inches and ages 8 to 12.
Is California's car seat law changing in 2027?
Yes. Starting January 1, 2027, AB 435 redefines a proper seat belt fit using a 5-Step test. A child who cannot pass the test, even after reaching 8 years or 4 feet 9 inches, must keep using a booster.
Are taxis and Uber exempt from California's car seat law?
No. California does not exempt taxis or rideshare vehicles from its child restraint requirements.

Sources

Verified · JUN 2026

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