Car seat laws in Minnesota

A child under 2 must be properly restrained in a rear-facing child restraint with an internal harness until the child reaches that seat's height or weight limit. 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 at least 4 who has outgrown the forward-facing harness must ride in a booster seat with a seat belt until age 9 or until the child outgrows the 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?

Children under 13 must ride in the rear seat when one is available. A child under 6 or under 60 pounds must ride in the rear seat if the vehicle has an active passenger-side airbag and a rear seat is available. That matches NHTSA and AAP guidance: keeping all children younger than 13 in the back seat.

A violation is a petty misdemeanor with a fine of up to $50. The fine may be waived or reduced if the driver shows that, within 14 days, they bought or obtained a federally approved child restraint for their own use.

NHTSA's locator lists 52 car seat inspection stations in Minnesota, in 50 cities and towns. Ada and Chaska have the most (2 each). Certified technicians check seats for free in most cases. Search NHTSA's locator by ZIP code and call the station before you go.