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Car seat & booster law

Iowa

Verified · OCT 2026

Quick answer · Iowa

A car seat or booster is required until your child is 6 years old.

A child under 1 and under 20 pounds must ride rear-facing. A child under 6 must be in a child restraint system. From age 6, a seat belt is allowed. Iowa sets no 4 feet 9 inch rule.

Rear-facing < 1 yr Forward per seat Booster < 6 yr Belt 6+ yr
Iowa Code § 321.446 Read the statute

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The legally required restraint, by state.

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 1
Booster until
Age 6
Front seat
No age set in law

Pediatricians recommend

AAP: safer, not the law

Rear-facing until
To seat limit (often age 2+)
Booster until
4'9", typically age 8 to 12
Front seat
Back seat until 13

AAP guidance is a safety best practice and is separate from Iowa's legal minimum, which ends at age 6 with no height rule. Pediatricians recommend keeping a child in a booster until the seat belt fits, often around 4 feet 9 inches.

Every stage, by the law

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

Rear-facing Iowa Code § 321.446
Age
Birth – 1 yr
Weight
or 20 lb / 9 kg
Forward-facing Guidance
Age
Toddler (per seat)
Booster Iowa Code § 321.446
Age
until 6 yr
Seat belt Iowa Code § 321.446
Age
6 yr +
Back seat / front seat Guidance
Age
Recommended < 13

Frequently asked questions

What is the car seat law in Iowa in 2026?
A child under 1 and under 20 pounds must ride rear-facing. A child under 6 must be in a child restraint system or booster. From age 6, a seat belt is allowed.
Is the Iowa car seat law changing?
No. As of October 6, 2026, when SeatChecker last checked the statute, no enacted change to the Iowa car seat law is scheduled. Current law: A child under 1 and under 20 pounds must ride rear-facing. A child under 6 must be in a child restraint system. From age 6, a seat belt is allowed. Iowa sets no 4 feet 9 inch rule.
What age can a child sit in the front seat in Iowa?
Iowa law sets no minimum age for riding in the front seat. The child restraint rules still apply: a car seat or booster is required until age 6. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the back seat for all children under 13. That is best practice, not a legal requirement in Iowa.
Does Iowa require booster seats until age 8 or 4'9"?
No. Iowa's child restraint requirement ends at age 6 with no 4 foot 9 inch rule. Pediatricians still recommend a booster until the seat belt fits, usually around 4 feet 9 inches and ages 8 to 12.
How long must a child ride rear-facing in Iowa?
Iowa law requires a child under 1 year old and weighing less than 20 pounds to ride in a rear-facing child restraint, used per the manufacturer's instructions. Pediatricians recommend keeping a child rear-facing longer, until the child reaches the highest weight or height allowed by the car seat.
Are taxis and Uber or Lyft exempt from Iowa's car seat law?
No. In a taxi or rideshare vehicle, the child still must be properly restrained. The difference is that the accompanying parent, guardian, or responsible adult is cited rather than the driver, so the car seat requirement still applies to your child.

Sources

Verified · OCT 2026

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