Car seat & booster law

Louisiana

Q: Is the Louisiana car seat law changing?

No. As of August 1, 2026, when SeatChecker last checked the statute, no enacted change to the Louisiana car seat law is scheduled. Current law: Children under 2 ride rear-facing; then in a forward-facing harness; then in a belt-positioning booster from age 4; then a seat belt from age 9. Children under 13 must ride in the rear seat when available.

Q: What age can a child sit in the front seat in Louisiana?

In Louisiana, the front-seat rule comes from the back-seat law. A child younger than 13 must be transported in the rear seat of the vehicle when one is available. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the back seat for all children under 13.

Q: When can my child stop using a booster in Louisiana?

At age 9, or once the child outgrows the booster's height or weight limits. Pediatricians recommend keeping a child in a booster until the seat belt actually fits.

Q: How long does my child have to ride rear-facing in Louisiana?

A child younger than 2 must ride in a rear-facing child restraint in Louisiana. The child should stay rear-facing until reaching the seat's manufacturer weight or height limit, which is often past the child's second birthday.

Q: Are Uber, Lyft, and taxis exempt from Louisiana's car seat law?

No. Louisiana's child restraint law has no general exemption for taxis or rideshare. The statute includes only a few limited exceptions in its subsections, so plan to bring an appropriate car seat or booster when your child rides in an Uber, Lyft, or taxi.

Verified · AUG 2026

Quick answer · Louisiana

A car seat or booster is required until your child is 9 years old.

Children under 2 ride rear-facing; then in a forward-facing harness; then in a belt-positioning booster from age 4; then a seat belt from age 9. Children under 13 must ride in the rear seat when available.

Rear-facing < 2 yr Forward 2+ yr Booster < 9 yr Belt 9+ yr

La. Rev. Stat. § 32:295 Read the statute

Car seat law checker

The legally required restraint, by state.

General information, not legal advice.

SeatChecker

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 9
Front seat: Back seat under 13

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 Louisiana's legal minimum. Louisiana's staged law, including booster use through age 8 and rear seat use through age 12, tracks the recommendations closely.

Every stage, by the law

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

Louisiana car seat law requirements by restraint stage, age, height, weight, and statutory citation.
Stage	Age	Height	Weight	Citation
Rear-facing	Birth – 2 yr	—	—	La. Rev. Stat. § 32:295
Forward-facing	2 yr – 9 yr	—	—	La. Rev. Stat. § 32:295
Booster	until 9 yr	—	—	La. Rev. Stat. § 32:295
Seat belt	9 yr +	—	—	La. Rev. Stat. § 32:295
Back seat / front seat	under 13 yr	—	—	La. Rev. Stat. § 32:295

Rear-facing La. Rev. Stat. § 32:295

Age: Birth – 2 yr

Forward-facing La. Rev. Stat. § 32:295

Age: 2 yr – 9 yr

Booster La. Rev. Stat. § 32:295

Age: until 9 yr

Seat belt La. Rev. Stat. § 32:295

Age: 9 yr +

Back seat / front seat La. Rev. Stat. § 32:295

Age: under 13 yr

Frequently asked questions

What is the car seat law in Louisiana in 2026?

Is the Louisiana car seat law changing?

No. As of August 1, 2026, when SeatChecker last checked the statute, no enacted change to the Louisiana car seat law is scheduled. Current law: Children under 2 ride rear-facing; then in a forward-facing harness; then in a belt-positioning booster from age 4; then a seat belt from age 9. Children under 13 must ride in the rear seat when available.

What age can a child sit in the front seat in Louisiana?

In Louisiana, the front-seat rule comes from the back-seat law. A child younger than 13 must be transported in the rear seat of the vehicle when one is available. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the back seat for all children under 13.

When can my child stop using a booster in Louisiana?

At age 9, or once the child outgrows the booster's height or weight limits. Pediatricians recommend keeping a child in a booster until the seat belt actually fits.

How long does my child have to ride rear-facing in Louisiana?

A child younger than 2 must ride in a rear-facing child restraint in Louisiana. The child should stay rear-facing until reaching the seat's manufacturer weight or height limit, which is often past the child's second birthday.

Are Uber, Lyft, and taxis exempt from Louisiana's car seat law?

No. Louisiana's child restraint law has no general exemption for taxis or rideshare. The statute includes only a few limited exceptions in its subsections, so plan to bring an appropriate car seat or booster when your child rides in an Uber, Lyft, or taxi.

Sources

Verified · AUG 2026

How Louisiana compares

Where Louisiana ranks among all 50 states, DC, and the US territories on each measure. Rankings compare legal minimums only and are not safety ratings.

Strictest car seat laws by state
#10 of 56, tied · 67 / 100
Rear-facing car seat laws by state
#1 of 32, tied · Age 2
Booster seat laws by state
#4 of 52, tied · Age 9
Car seat fines by state
Set by offense class, not ranked
Back seat laws by state
#2 of 21, tied · Age 13

See all car seat law rankings →

Keep exploring

Check your child

Enter age, height, and weight for the exact restraint.

Louisiana vs Arkansas

See which state is stricter, side by side.

Louisiana vs Mississippi

See which state is stricter, side by side.

Louisiana vs Texas

See which state is stricter, side by side.

All states

Browse car seat laws for every US state.