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Car seat laws in Kentucky

What Kentucky law requires at each stage, from rear-facing to the front seat, next to what NHTSA and the AAP recommend. Plus the fine and where to get a free car seat check.

Checked October 2026 · 9 sources · Not legal advice

Short answer

Kentucky requires a car seat for children 40 inches tall or shorter, and a booster seat for children under 8 who are between 40 and 57 inches tall. The law has no rear-facing or back-seat requirement.

Sources: Kentucky Legislative Research Commission; Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Office of Highway Safety. Data as of October 2026.

What does Kentucky car seat law require at each age?

The law sets the minimum. NHTSA and the AAP recommend keeping each stage until your child outgrows the seat, which usually means longer.

Kentucky car seat law at each stage, beside NHTSA and AAP guidance
StageWhat Kentucky law requiresNHTSA and AAP guidance

Rear-facing car seat

No state rule

Kentucky law does not require rear-facing. The Office of Highway Safety's fact sheet advises rear-facing to at least age 1 and 20 pounds, with age 2 and 30 pounds as best practice.

NHTSA and the AAP recommend keeping your child rear-facing as long as possible, until they reach the top height or weight limit allowed by the car seat's manufacturer. A child under age 1 should always ride rear-facing, and most convertible seats allow rear-facing for 2 years or more.

Forward-facing seat with a harness

No state rule

A child 40 inches tall or shorter must be properly secured in a child restraint system that meets federal motor vehicle safety standards. The law sets this by height, not age.

NHTSA and the AAP recommend using a forward-facing car seat with a harness and tether once your child outgrows the rear-facing limits, for as long as possible, up to the highest weight or height the seat's manufacturer allows.

Booster seat

Best practice goes further

A child under 8 who is between 40 and 57 inches tall must be properly secured in a child booster seat. A child of any age taller than 57 inches does not need a booster.

NHTSA and the AAP recommend using a belt-positioning booster seat after your child outgrows the harnessed seat, until the vehicle seat belt fits properly, typically when they reach about 4 feet 9 inches tall and are 8 to 12 years old.

Seat belt

In a vehicle made after 1981, the driver and all passengers must wear a properly adjusted and fastened seat belt, unless the passenger is a child secured in a car seat or booster as the law requires.

NHTSA and the AAP recommend moving to the seat belt alone only when it fits: the lap belt lies snugly across the upper thighs, not the stomach, and the shoulder belt crosses the middle of the chest and shoulder, not the neck or face. Children big enough for the belt alone should always use a lap and shoulder belt.

Back seat

No state rule

No Kentucky law says where in the car a child must sit.

NHTSA and the AAP recommend keeping all children younger than 13 in the back seat.

The law: Ky. Rev. Stat. §§ 189.125(3), 189.990(24)-(25), in effect since July 15, 2016.

Sources: Kentucky Legislative Research Commission; Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Office of Highway Safety; Insurance Institute for Highway Safety; National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Data as of October 2026.

What are the fines and exemptions in Kentucky?

First offense

$50 (car seat); $30 (booster)

Not using a required car seat carries a $50 fine. Not using a required booster carries a $30 fine. Neither fine adds court costs or fees. A first-time booster violator can have the charge dismissed, with no fees or costs, by showing proof they acquired a booster seat.

Exemptions

The section's definition of motor vehicle excludes motorcycles, motor-driven cycles, farm trucks registered for agricultural use only with a gross weight of one ton or more, and vehicles designed to carry more than 15 passengers.

Questions about the law

This is general information, not legal advice. For how the law applies to you, ask Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Office of Highway Safety.

The KRS 189.125 text is effective July 15, 2016. The current booster thresholds (under 8, 40-57 inches) date from 2015 Ky. Acts ch. 91, effective June 24, 2015. KRS 189.990 was amended in 2026, effective July 15, 2026, and the fact sheet's car seat ($50) and booster ($30) fines are unchanged in that text. The OHS fact sheet says a child 'must' stay rear-facing to 1 year and 20 lb, but KRS 189.125 contains no rear-facing requirement, so this is agency guidance, not law. KYTC has no HTML car seat page, and the agency URL is its official fact sheet PDF. The fact sheet refers inspections to Safe Kids and cert.safekids.org, and no state-run inspection page exists. KRS 189.125 shows no amendment since 2016.

Where can you get your car seat checked for free?

Certified child passenger safety technicians check car seats at inspection stations nationwide. NHTSA says they inspect seats free of charge in most cases and show you how to install and use the seat correctly, and some locations offer virtual inspections. Search NHTSA's locator by ZIP code or city (it can filter for Spanish-speaking technicians), or find a technician through Safe Kids Worldwide.

Find an inspection station How to get a free car seat

Sources: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org)

Where are the car seat inspection stations in Kentucky?

NHTSA's locator lists 49 car seat inspection stations in Kentucky, in 38 cities and towns. Louisville and Pikeville have the most (4 each).

49

inspection stations in NHTSA's locator

NHTSA, October 2026

38

cities and towns with a station

NHTSA, October 2026

0

flagged as Spanish-speaking; ask when you call

NHTSA, October 2026

1

of 49 records updated since 2023

Newest: July 10, 2023

Cities with the most stations

  1. Louisville4 stations
  2. Pikeville4 stations
  3. Frankfort2 stations
  4. Glasgow2 stations
  5. Lexington2 stations
  6. Radcliff2 stations
  7. Shelbyville2 stations

Plus 31 more cities and towns. Search NHTSA's locator by ZIP code for the ones near you.

Search NHTSA's locator by ZIP

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Data as of October 2026.

Choosing and getting a car seat

Infant vs convertible car seat: which to buy firstInfant vs convertible car seat, compared with AAP and NHTSA guidance: rear-facing limits, portability, when to switch, installation and free seat checks.How to get a free car seatWhere to get a free infant car seat in 2026: Medicaid plan extras, Safe Kids coalitions and 211, plus free installation checks and when a used seat isn't safe.

Questions about car seat laws in Kentucky

When can a child face forward in a car seat in Kentucky?

Kentucky law does not require rear-facing. The Office of Highway Safety's fact sheet advises rear-facing to at least age 1 and 20 pounds, with age 2 and 30 pounds as best practice. NHTSA and the AAP recommend keeping your child rear-facing as long as possible, until they reach the top height or weight limit allowed by the car seat's manufacturer. A child under age 1 should always ride rear-facing, and most convertible seats allow rear-facing for 2 years or more.

When can a child stop using a booster seat in Kentucky?

A child under 8 who is between 40 and 57 inches tall must be properly secured in a child booster seat. A child of any age taller than 57 inches does not need a booster. NHTSA and the AAP recommend going further: using a belt-positioning booster seat after your child outgrows the harnessed seat, until the vehicle seat belt fits properly, typically when they reach about 4 feet 9 inches tall and are 8 to 12 years old. The AAP says an adult seat belt fits when: the shoulder belt lies across the middle of the chest and shoulder, not the neck or throat; the lap belt is low and snug across the upper thighs, not the belly; and the child is tall enough to sit against the vehicle seat back with knees bent over the edge of the seat without slouching, and can stay that way for the whole trip. NHTSA uses the same lap-belt and shoulder-belt checks. The 5-step test, which California writes into law from January 1, 2027, asks: 1) Does the child sit all the way back against the seat? 2) Do the knees bend over the edge of the seat? 3) Does the shoulder belt snugly cross the center of the chest and shoulder, not the neck? 4) Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs? 5) Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?

How old does a child have to be to sit in the front seat in Kentucky?

No Kentucky law says where in the car a child must sit. NHTSA and the AAP recommend keeping all children younger than 13 in the back seat.

What is the fine for a car seat violation in Kentucky?

Not using a required car seat carries a $50 fine. Not using a required booster carries a $30 fine. Neither fine adds court costs or fees. A first-time booster violator can have the charge dismissed, with no fees or costs, by showing proof they acquired a booster seat.

Where can I get a car seat inspection in Kentucky?

NHTSA's locator lists 49 car seat inspection stations in Kentucky, in 38 cities and towns. Louisville and Pikeville have the most (4 each). Certified technicians check seats for free in most cases. Search NHTSA's locator by ZIP code and call the station before you go.

More for parents in Kentucky

Sources

  1. 1.Ky. Rev. Stat. § 189.125, Requirements of use of seat belts, child restraint systems, and child booster seats -- Exceptions Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. Accessed October 14, 2026.
  2. 2.Ky. Rev. Stat. § 189.990, Penalties (subsections 24-26) Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. Accessed October 14, 2026.
  3. 3.SAFEKY Child Passenger Safety: Frequently Asked Questions Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Office of Highway Safety. Accessed October 14, 2026.
  4. 4.Seat belt and child seat laws (table dated October 2026) Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Accessed October 14, 2026.
  5. 5.Car Seats and Booster Seats National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Accessed October 14, 2026.
  6. 6.Car Seats: Information for Families (last updated 4/16/2026) American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org). Accessed October 14, 2026.
  7. 7.California Vehicle Code § 27363 (exemptions; current version and version operative January 1, 2027) California Legislative Information. Accessed October 14, 2026.
  8. 8.Car Seat Inspection (inspection station locator) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Accessed October 14, 2026.
Show all 9 sources
  1. 9.Car Seat Inspection Locator API (CSSIStation) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Accessed October 16, 2026.

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