Ranking · all 51
Booster Seat Laws by State
Verified · JUN 2026Booster requirements vary widely. This ranks every state by the age a child must reach before the law allows a seat belt alone. Some states release a child by height instead of, or in addition to, age.
| # | State | Booster required until |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guam GU | Age 12 or 4'9" tall |
| 2 | Hawaii HI | Age 10 |
| 2 | Puerto Rico PR | Age 10 or 4'9" tall |
| 4 | Colorado CO | Age 9 |
| 4 | Louisiana LA | Age 9 |
| 4 | Minnesota MN | Age 9 |
| 4 | Montana MT | Age 9 |
| 4 | Tennessee TN | Age 9 or 4'9" tall |
| 4 | Wyoming WY | Age 9 |
| 10 | Alaska AK | Age 8 or 4'9" tall |
| 10 | Arizona AZ | Age 8 or 4'9" tall |
| 10 | California CA | Age 8 or 4'9" tall |
| 10 | Connecticut CT | Age 8 |
| 10 | District of Columbia DC | Age 8 |
| 10 | Georgia GA | Age 8 or 4'9" tall |
| 10 | Illinois IL | Age 8 |
| 10 | Indiana IN | Age 8 |
| 10 | Kansas KS | Age 8 or 4'9" tall |
| 10 | Kentucky KY | Age 8 or 4'9" tall |
| 10 | Maine ME | Age 8 or 4'9" tall |
| 10 | Maryland MD | Age 8 or 4'9" tall |
| 10 | Massachusetts MA | Age 8 or 4'9" tall |
| 10 | Michigan MI | Age 8 or 4'9" tall |
| 10 | Missouri MO | Age 8 or 4'9" tall |
| 10 | Nebraska NE | Age 8 |
| 10 | New Jersey NJ | Age 8 or 4'9" tall |
| 10 | New York NY | Age 8 or 4'9" tall |
| 10 | North Carolina NC | Age 8 |
| 10 | North Dakota ND | Age 8 or 4'9" tall |
| 10 | Ohio OH | Age 8 or 4'9" tall |
| 10 | Oklahoma OK | Age 8 or 4'9" tall |
| 10 | Oregon OR | Age 8 or 4'9" tall |
| 10 | Pennsylvania PA | Age 8 |
| 10 | Rhode Island RI | Age 8 or 4'9" tall |
| 10 | South Carolina SC | Age 8 or 4'9" tall |
| 10 | Texas TX | Age 8 or 4'9" tall |
| 10 | U.S. Virgin Islands VI | Age 8 or 4'9" tall |
| 10 | Utah UT | Age 8 or 4'9" tall |
| 10 | Vermont VT | Age 8 |
| 10 | Virginia VA | Age 8 |
| 10 | West Virginia WV | Age 8 or 4'9" tall |
| 10 | Wisconsin WI | Age 8 or 4'9" tall |
| 43 | Idaho ID | Age 7 |
| 43 | Mississippi MS | Age 7 or 4'9" tall |
| 43 | New Hampshire NH | Age 7 or 4'9" tall |
| 43 | New Mexico NM | Age 7 |
| 47 | Alabama AL | Age 6 |
| 47 | Arkansas AR | Age 6 |
| 47 | Florida FL | Age 6 |
| 47 | Iowa IA | Age 6 |
| 47 | Nevada NV | Age 6 or 4'9" tall |
| 52 | South Dakota SD | Age 5 |
| 53 | American Samoa AS | Height-only / none |
| 53 | Delaware DE | Height-only / none or 4'9" tall |
| 53 | Northern Mariana Islands MP | Height-only / none or 4'6" tall |
| 53 | Washington WA | Height-only / none or 4'9" tall |
How we ranked this
Ranked by the statutory booster age (booster.requiredUntilAgeYears), highest first. Where a state also allows release by height, that height is shown as supporting context. States that use a height-only rule appear last on the age axis even though they do regulate boosters.
Frequently asked questions
At what age can a child stop using a booster seat?
It depends on the state. The ranked table shows each state’s statutory booster age, highest first. Several states release a child by height (often 4’9") instead of or in addition to age.
Is the legal booster age the same as the recommended age?
No. The AAP recommends keeping a child in a booster until a seat belt fits properly, usually around 4’9" and ages 8 to 12, which is often older than the legal minimum.