Child car seats in the U.S.


Siège pour enfant aux États-Unis In the U.S., child car seats must meet NHTSA Federal Safety Standards.

If your seat meets this standard, bring it! It’s free on the plane and your child will be as comfortable as at home.

Child car seats with an ISOFIX or LATCH system are authorized by car rental companies and the government.

If your seat does not have a LATCH/ISOFIX system or it is not certified FMVSS, you will not be covered by the rental company's basic insurance or additional insurance options.

In that case, you will need to rent a car seat with your vehicle. This option will be payable in advance or at the rental office, depending on the rental company.

Note that not all rental companies offer this option.


U.S. regulations by state

Children with a seated height under 63 centimetres or 8 years of age and under must be secured in a child seat or a booster seat appropriate for the child's height and weight. The child seat or booster must be installed in the back seat. For young babies, the seat must face the back of the seat. The following table provides a summary (not an exhaustive list).
 

STATE LAW AGE WEIGHT/HEIGHT
Arizona yes 8 150 cm
California yes 8 18 kg / 150 cm
Colorado yes 8 18 kg
District of Columbia yes 3 N/A
Florida yes 5 N/A
Maine yes 8 36 kg
Massachusetts yes 8 18 kg
Nevada yes 6 27 kg
New Hampshire yes 7 150 cm
New York yes 8 N/A
Pennsylvania yes 8 36 kg
Rhode Island yes 8 36 kg / 150 cm
Utah yes 8 150 cm
Vermont yes 8 N/A
Wyoming yes 8 N/A


For more information about different car seats and the regulations in effect, we invite you to consult the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website.

 


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