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Car seat laws in Oregon

What Oregon 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

Children under 2 must ride rear-facing and children 40 pounds or less must ride in a car seat. Children over 40 pounds must use a booster until they are taller than 4'9" or turn 8.

Sources: Oregon State Legislature; Oregon Department of Transportation. Data as of October 2026.

What does Oregon 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.

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

Rear-facing car seat

Best practice goes further

A person under 2 years of age must be secured with a child safety system in a rear-facing position.

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 who weighs 40 pounds or less must be secured in a child safety system designed for children 40 pounds or less.

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 over 40 pounds who is 4'9" or shorter must use a child safety system that raises the child so the belt fits (a booster). From age 8 a child may use a seat belt instead.

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 person taller than 4'9", or any child 8 or older, must be secured with a safety belt or harness. The driver is responsible for passengers under 16.

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 back-seat requirement in law (ODOT). A rear-facing seat cannot go in front of an active airbag.

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

The law: ORS 811.210, in effect since 2017.

Sources: Oregon State Legislature; Oregon Department of Transportation; National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org). Data as of October 2026.

What are the fines and exemptions in Oregon?

First offense

$115

Class D traffic violation: presumptive fine $115, maximum $250 (ORS 153.019, 153.018).

Exemptions

Booster rule does not apply in a rear seat with only lap belts (if the child uses the lap belt) or if the child uses a harness seat rated over 40 pounds. ORS 811.215 lists other exemptions, including for-hire vehicles' child seat duty, vehicles not required to have belts, a DMV medical exemption certificate (ORS 811.220), and when all seating positions are occupied.

Questions about the law

This is general information, not legal advice. For how the law applies to you, ask Oregon Department of Transportation.

Statute text is the 2025 edition. The 2026 amended/repealed table shows no changes to ORS 811.210, 811.215 or 153.019. Last amendment to 811.210 was 2017 c.177 (ODOT notes the rear-facing-to-2 rule applies to children who turned 1 on or after May 26, 2017).

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 Oregon?

NHTSA's locator lists 40 car seat inspection stations in Oregon, in 36 cities and towns. Portland has the most (3), then La Grande and The Dalles (2 each). NHTSA flags 1 of them as Spanish-speaking.

40

inspection stations in NHTSA's locator

NHTSA, October 2026

36

cities and towns with a station

NHTSA, October 2026

1

flagged as Spanish-speaking

NHTSA, October 2026

3

of 40 records updated since 2023

Newest: May 12, 2026

Cities with the most stations

  1. Portland3 stations
  2. La Grande2 stations
  3. The Dalles2 stations

Plus 33 more cities and towns. Search NHTSA's locator by ZIP code for the ones near you.

Spanish-speaking stations are listed in Ontario. Use the locator's Spanish-speaking filter to see them.

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 Oregon

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

A person under 2 years of age must be secured with a child safety system in a rear-facing position. 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 Oregon?

A child over 40 pounds who is 4'9" or shorter must use a child safety system that raises the child so the belt fits (a booster). From age 8 a child may use a seat belt instead. 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 Oregon?

No back-seat requirement in law (ODOT). A rear-facing seat cannot go in front of an active airbag. 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 Oregon?

Class D traffic violation: presumptive fine $115, maximum $250 (ORS 153.019, 153.018).

Where can I get a car seat inspection in Oregon?

NHTSA's locator lists 40 car seat inspection stations in Oregon, in 36 cities and towns. Portland has the most (3), then La Grande and The Dalles (2 each). NHTSA flags 1 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.

More for parents in Oregon

Sources

  1. 1.ORS chapter 811 (§ 811.210 failure to properly use safety belts; § 811.215 exemptions), 2025 edition Oregon State Legislature. Accessed October 14, 2026.
  2. 2.ORS chapter 153 (§ 153.018 maximum fines; § 153.019 presumptive fines), 2025 edition Oregon State Legislature. Accessed October 14, 2026.
  3. 3.ORS sections amended or repealed, 2026 regular session Oregon State Legislature. Accessed October 14, 2026.
  4. 4.Safety Belts & Child Seats Oregon Department of Transportation. 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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