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Car seat laws in New Hampshire

What New Hampshire 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 · 7 sources · Not legal advice

Short answer

New Hampshire requires children under 2 to ride rear-facing and children under 7 to ride in a car seat or booster unless they are at least 57 inches tall. Everyone under 18 must be buckled up.

Sources: New Hampshire General Court; Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Data as of October 2026.

What does New Hampshire 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.

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

Rear-facing car seat

Best practice goes further

A passenger under 2 must be secured in a rear-facing child restraint system that meets federal safety standards. The statute has no exception for a child who outgrows a rear-facing seat.

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

New Hampshire law has no separate harness stage. Children under 7 must ride in a federally approved child restraint, used within the maker's height and weight limits.

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 passenger under 7 must be secured in a federally approved child restraint system, used according to the maker's instructions, including its height and weight limits. The rule doesn't apply once the child is 57 inches or taller.

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

Passengers under 18 who are not in a child restraint must wear a properly adjusted and fastened seat belt. Drivers under 18 must also buckle up.

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 New Hampshire 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: N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 265:107-a, in effect since January 1, 2024.

Sources: New Hampshire General Court; Insurance Institute for Highway Safety; National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org). Data as of October 2026.

What are the fines and exemptions in New Hampshire?

First offense

$50

A violation carries a $50 fine for a first offense and $100 for a second or later offense. It is a violation, not a crime.

Exemptions

The law doesn't apply to vehicles regularly used to carry passengers for hire, school buses over 10,000 pounds (or lighter school buses built without belts), a child whose individualized education program says restraints are contraindicated, vehicles made before 1968, motorcycles, antique vehicles, farm tractors, or parade vehicles going no more than 10 mph.

Questions about the law

This is general information, not legal advice. For how the law applies to you, ask New Hampshire Department of Safety, Office of Highway Safety.

The rear-facing rule (paragraph I-c) was added by 2023, 163:1, effective 2024-01-01, per the statute's history line. Every core rule, including the fine, is in the statute itself. The Office of Highway Safety site returned HTTP 403 to automated fetches, so it is linked but not read and isn't used as a fact source. The statute doesn't mention license points. IIHS (October 2026) matches the statute.

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 New Hampshire?

NHTSA's locator lists 74 car seat inspection stations in New Hampshire, in 57 cities and towns. Concord has the most (4).

74

inspection stations in NHTSA's locator

NHTSA, October 2026

57

cities and towns with a station

NHTSA, October 2026

0

flagged as Spanish-speaking; ask when you call

NHTSA, October 2026

40

of 74 records updated since 2023

Newest: September 11, 2024

Cities with the most stations

  1. Concord4 stations
  2. Alstead2 stations
  3. Dover2 stations
  4. Durham2 stations
  5. Gorham2 stations
  6. Hollis2 stations
  7. Keene2 stations
  8. Laconia2 stations

Plus 49 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 New Hampshire

When can a child face forward in a car seat in New Hampshire?

A passenger under 2 must be secured in a rear-facing child restraint system that meets federal safety standards. The statute has no exception for a child who outgrows a rear-facing seat. 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.

When can a child stop using a booster seat in New Hampshire?

A passenger under 7 must be secured in a federally approved child restraint system, used according to the maker's instructions, including its height and weight limits. The rule doesn't apply once the child is 57 inches or taller. 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 New Hampshire?

No New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire?

A violation carries a $50 fine for a first offense and $100 for a second or later offense. It is a violation, not a crime.

Where can I get a car seat inspection in New Hampshire?

NHTSA's locator lists 74 car seat inspection stations in New Hampshire, in 57 cities and towns. Concord has the most (4). 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 New Hampshire

Sources

  1. 1.N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 265:107-a, Child Passenger Restraints Required New Hampshire General Court. Accessed October 14, 2026.
  2. 2.Seat belt and child seat laws (table dated October 2026) Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Accessed October 14, 2026.
  3. 3.Car Seats and Booster Seats National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Accessed October 14, 2026.
  4. 4.Car Seats: Information for Families (last updated 4/16/2026) American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org). Accessed October 14, 2026.
  5. 5.California Vehicle Code § 27363 (exemptions; current version and version operative January 1, 2027) California Legislative Information. Accessed October 14, 2026.
  6. 6.Car Seat Inspection (inspection station locator) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Accessed October 14, 2026.
  7. 7.Car Seat Inspection Locator API (CSSIStation) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Accessed October 16, 2026.

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