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Car seat & booster law

North Carolina

Verified · JUN 2026

Quick answer · North Carolina

A car seat or booster is required until your child is 8 years old.

Children under 8 and under 80 pounds must be in a weight-appropriate car seat or booster. In vehicles with a front passenger airbag and a rear seat, a child under 5 and under 40 pounds must ride in the back seat.

Rear-facing per seat Forward per seat Booster < 8 yr Belt 8+ yr
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-137.1 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
Not specified by law
Booster until
Age 8
Back seat
Required under 5

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 North Carolina's legal minimum, which uses an 80-pound weight cutoff. Pediatricians recommend a booster until the seat belt actually fits, often at 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 North Carolina.

Rear-facing Guidance
Age
Infant (per seat)
Forward-facing Guidance
Age
Toddler (per seat)
Booster N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-137.1
Age
until 8 yr
Seat belt N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-137.1
Age
8 yr +
Back seat N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-137.1
Age
under 5 yr

Frequently asked questions

What is the car seat law in North Carolina in 2026?
Children under 8 and under 80 pounds must be in a weight-appropriate car seat or booster. In a vehicle with a front passenger airbag and a rear seat, a child under 5 and under 40 pounds must ride in the back seat.
When can my child stop using a booster in North Carolina?
Once the child is 8 years old or weighs 80 pounds or more. Pediatricians recommend keeping a child in a booster until the seat belt fits, usually around 4 feet 9 inches and ages 8 to 12.
What is the fine for a car seat violation in North Carolina?
A violation carries a penalty not to exceed $25, plus 2 license points assessed under G.S. 20-16.
Are taxis and Uber or Lyft exempt from North Carolina's car seat law?
No. North Carolina's child restraint requirement applies to passenger vehicles, and there is no general taxi or rideshare exemption from the child seat rules. Public transit is exempt, but a ride in a taxi or rideshare is not.

Sources

Verified · JUN 2026

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