Car seat & booster law

New Mexico

Q: Is the New Mexico car seat law changing?

No. As of August 1, 2026, when SeatChecker last checked the statute, no enacted change to the New Mexico car seat law is scheduled. Current law: Children under 1 ride rear-facing in the rear seat; ages 1 to 4 (or under 40 pounds) in a child restraint; ages 5 to 6 (or under 60 pounds) in a booster or restraint; ages 7 to 12 in a restraint or seat belt. All passengers under 18 must be restrained.

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

In New Mexico, the front-seat rule comes from the back-seat law. A child under 1 in a rear-facing seat must ride in the rear seat where the vehicle has one. There is no general back-seat requirement for older children. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the back seat for all children under 13. That is best practice, not a legal requirement in New Mexico.

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

At age 7, or once the child is over 60 pounds. Pediatricians recommend keeping a child in a booster until the seat belt actually fits, often around 4 feet 9 inches.

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

New Mexico law requires a child under 1 year of age to ride in a rear-facing child restraint that meets federal standards, placed in the rear seat. The front seat is allowed only if the passenger-side airbag is deactivated or the vehicle has no rear seat. Once a child turns 1, the law no longer requires rear-facing, though pediatricians recommend keeping a child rear-facing as long as the car seat allows.

Q: Are taxis and Uber or Lyft exempt from New Mexico's car seat law?

No. New Mexico's child restraint requirement does not list taxis or rideshare vehicles as exempt, so a child still needs the correct car seat or booster in an Uber or Lyft. The law exempts only authorized emergency vehicles, public transportation, and school buses.

Verified · AUG 2026

Quick answer · New Mexico

A car seat or booster is required until your child is 7 years old.

Children under 1 ride rear-facing in the rear seat; ages 1 to 4 (or under 40 pounds) in a child restraint; ages 5 to 6 (or under 60 pounds) in a booster or restraint; ages 7 to 12 in a restraint or seat belt. All passengers under 18 must be restrained.

Rear-facing < 1 yr Forward 1+ yr Booster < 7 yr Belt 7+ yr

N.M. Stat. § 66-7-369 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 1
Booster until: Age 7
Front seat: Back seat under 1

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 New Mexico's legal minimum, which ends the booster requirement at age 7. Pediatricians recommend a booster until the seat belt fits, often closer to 4 feet 9 inches and ages 8 to 12.

Every stage, by the law

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

New Mexico car seat law requirements by restraint stage, age, height, weight, and statutory citation.
Stage	Age	Height	Weight	Citation
Rear-facing	Birth – 1 yr	—	—	N.M. Stat. § 66-7-369
Forward-facing	1 yr – 7 yr	—	—	N.M. Stat. § 66-7-369
Booster	until 7 yr	—	—	N.M. Stat. § 66-7-369
Seat belt	7 yr +	—	—	N.M. Stat. § 66-7-369
Back seat / front seat	under 1 yr	—	—	N.M. Stat. § 66-7-369

Rear-facing N.M. Stat. § 66-7-369

Age: Birth – 1 yr

Forward-facing N.M. Stat. § 66-7-369

Age: 1 yr – 7 yr

Booster N.M. Stat. § 66-7-369

Age: until 7 yr

Seat belt N.M. Stat. § 66-7-369

Age: 7 yr +

Back seat / front seat N.M. Stat. § 66-7-369

Age: under 1 yr

Frequently asked questions

What is the car seat law in New Mexico in 2026?

Is the New Mexico car seat law changing?

No. As of August 1, 2026, when SeatChecker last checked the statute, no enacted change to the New Mexico car seat law is scheduled. Current law: Children under 1 ride rear-facing in the rear seat; ages 1 to 4 (or under 40 pounds) in a child restraint; ages 5 to 6 (or under 60 pounds) in a booster or restraint; ages 7 to 12 in a restraint or seat belt. All passengers under 18 must be restrained.

What age can a child sit in the front seat in New Mexico?

In New Mexico, the front-seat rule comes from the back-seat law. A child under 1 in a rear-facing seat must ride in the rear seat where the vehicle has one. There is no general back-seat requirement for older children. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the back seat for all children under 13. That is best practice, not a legal requirement in New Mexico.

When can my child stop using a booster in New Mexico?

At age 7, or once the child is over 60 pounds. Pediatricians recommend keeping a child in a booster until the seat belt actually fits, often around 4 feet 9 inches.

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

New Mexico law requires a child under 1 year of age to ride in a rear-facing child restraint that meets federal standards, placed in the rear seat. The front seat is allowed only if the passenger-side airbag is deactivated or the vehicle has no rear seat. Once a child turns 1, the law no longer requires rear-facing, though pediatricians recommend keeping a child rear-facing as long as the car seat allows.

Are taxis and Uber or Lyft exempt from New Mexico's car seat law?

No. New Mexico's child restraint requirement does not list taxis or rideshare vehicles as exempt, so a child still needs the correct car seat or booster in an Uber or Lyft. The law exempts only authorized emergency vehicles, public transportation, and school buses.

Sources

Verified · AUG 2026

How New Mexico compares

Where New Mexico 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
#46 of 56 · 29 / 100
Rear-facing car seat laws by state
#26 of 32, tied · Age 1
Booster seat laws by state
#43 of 52, tied · Age 7
Car seat fines by state
Set by offense class, not ranked
Back seat laws by state
#21 of 21 · Age 1

See all car seat law rankings →

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