Car seat laws in Michigan

A child must ride rear-facing until reaching the seat manufacturer's rear-facing weight or height limit or turning 2, whichever comes first. NHTSA and the AAP recommend going further: 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.

A child must then ride in a belt-positioning booster with a lap-shoulder belt until reaching 4 feet 9 inches or turning 8. 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?

Children under 13 must ride in a rear seat if the vehicle has one. A child may sit in front only if all available rear seats are occupied by children. A rear-facing seat may go in front only if the passenger air bag is turned off. That matches NHTSA and AAP guidance: keeping all children younger than 13 in the back seat.

A violation is a civil infraction with a fine of up to $10 plus court costs. No points are assessed, and no abstract goes to the Secretary of State. The court may waive the fine, costs and assessments if, before the appearance date, the driver shows proof of getting a compliant car seat and of receiving education from a certified child passenger safety technician.

NHTSA's locator lists 268 car seat inspection stations in Michigan, in 159 cities and towns. Kalamazoo has the most (9), then Detroit (8). NHTSA flags 2 of them as Spanish-speaking. Certified technicians check seats for free in most cases. Search NHTSA's locator by ZIP code and call the station before you go.