Skip to main content
the mom site

Car seat laws in New Jersey

What New Jersey 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 · 8 sources · Not legal advice

Short answer

New Jersey requires children under 8 and under 57 inches to ride in a car seat or booster in the back seat: rear-facing under 2 and 30 pounds, a five-point harness under 4 and 40 pounds, then a booster. Older children must wear a seat belt.

Sources: New Jersey Legislature; New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, Division of Highway Traffic Safety. Data as of October 2026.

What does New Jersey 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 Jersey car seat law at each stage, beside NHTSA and AAP guidance
StageWhat New Jersey law requiresNHTSA and AAP guidance

Rear-facing car seat

Best practice goes further

A child under 2 and under 30 pounds must ride in a rear-facing seat with a five-point harness.

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

Best practice goes further

A child under 4 and under 40 pounds must ride in a rear-facing seat with a five-point harness until outgrowing its top height or weight limit, then in a forward-facing seat with a five-point harness.

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 and under 57 inches must ride in a forward-facing seat with a five-point harness until outgrowing its top height or weight limit, then in a belt-positioning booster seat.

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

A child who is 8 or older, or under 8 but at least 57 inches tall, must wear a properly adjusted and fastened seat belt. The driver must make sure every passenger under 18 is belted.

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

Best practice goes further

Children under 8 and under 57 inches must ride in a rear seat. If the vehicle has no rear seat, the child may ride in front in a car seat or booster, but never in a rear-facing seat in front of a passenger airbag that is on.

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

The law: N.J. Stat. Ann. §§ 39:3-76.2a, 39:3-76.2d, in effect since September 1, 2015.

Sources: New Jersey Legislature; New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, Division of Highway Traffic Safety; Insurance Institute for Highway Safety; National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Data as of October 2026.

What are the fines and exemptions in New Jersey?

First offense

$50–$75

A violation carries a fine of $50 to $75.

Exemptions

The law covers motor vehicles equipped with seat belts or LATCH. It doesn't apply to school buses.

Questions about the law

This is general information, not legal advice. For how the law applies to you, ask New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety.

The current text comes from P.L.2015, c.50, approved 2015-05-07. Its effective-date clause is 'the first day of the fourth month next following enactment', which works out to 2015-09-01. The fine is in N.J.S.A. 39:3-76.2d as amended by the same act. The statute doesn't mention license points. The Division of Highway Traffic Safety page cites P.L.2015, c.50 and matches it, and it lists county car seat inspection sites. 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. New Jersey lists its own fitting stations.

Find a seat check in New Jersey 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 Jersey?

NHTSA's locator lists 32 car seat inspection stations in New Jersey, in 31 cities and towns. Chester has the most (2).

32

inspection stations in NHTSA's locator

NHTSA, October 2026

31

cities and towns with a station

NHTSA, October 2026

0

flagged as Spanish-speaking; ask when you call

NHTSA, October 2026

0

of 32 records updated since 2023

Newest: January 3, 2022

Cities with the most stations

  1. Chester2 stations
  2. Absecon1 station
  3. Camden1 station
  4. Cherry Hill1 station
  5. Denville1 station
  6. Egg Harbor Township1 station
  7. Evesham Township1 station
  8. Fairfield1 station

Plus 23 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 Jersey

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

A child under 2 and under 30 pounds must ride in a rear-facing seat with a five-point harness. 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 Jersey?

A child under 8 and under 57 inches must ride in a forward-facing seat with a five-point harness until outgrowing its top height or weight limit, then in a belt-positioning booster seat. 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 Jersey?

Children under 8 and under 57 inches must ride in a rear seat. If the vehicle has no rear seat, the child may ride in front in a car seat or booster, but never in a rear-facing seat in front of a passenger airbag that is on. NHTSA and the AAP recommend going further: keeping all children younger than 13 in the back seat.

What is the fine for a car seat violation in New Jersey?

A violation carries a fine of $50 to $75.

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

NHTSA's locator lists 32 car seat inspection stations in New Jersey, in 31 cities and towns. Chester has the most (2). 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 Jersey

Sources

  1. 1.P.L.2015, c.50 (amending N.J.S.A. 39:3-76.2a, 39:3-76.2d and 39:3-76.2f), child passenger restraints New Jersey Legislature. Accessed October 14, 2026.
  2. 2.Division of Highway Traffic Safety: Child Passenger Safety New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, Division of Highway Traffic Safety. Accessed October 14, 2026.
  3. 3.Seat belt and child seat laws (table dated October 2026) Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Accessed October 14, 2026.
  4. 4.Car Seats and Booster Seats National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Accessed October 14, 2026.
  5. 5.Car Seats: Information for Families (last updated 4/16/2026) American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org). Accessed October 14, 2026.
  6. 6.California Vehicle Code § 27363 (exemptions; current version and version operative January 1, 2027) California Legislative Information. Accessed October 14, 2026.
  7. 7.Car Seat Inspection (inspection station locator) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Accessed October 14, 2026.
  8. 8.Car Seat Inspection Locator API (CSSIStation) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Accessed October 16, 2026.

Car seat laws in other states

Compare every state