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Car seat & booster law

New Mexico

Verified · JUN 2026

Quick answer · New Mexico

A car seat or booster is required until your child is 7 years old.

Children under 1 ride rear-facing in the rear seat; ages 1 to 4 (or under 40 pounds) in a child restraint; ages 5 to 6 (or under 60 pounds) in a booster or restraint; ages 7 to 12 in a restraint or seat belt. All passengers under 18 must be restrained.

Rear-facing < 1 yr Forward 1+ yr Booster < 7 yr Belt 7+ yr
N.M. Stat. § 66-7-369 Read the statute

Car seat law checker

The legally required restraint, by state.

3 yrs

General information, not legal advice.

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Required vs recommended

What the law enforces, and what pediatricians advise. They are not the same.

The law requires

Minimum, or it's enforceable

Rear-facing until
Age 1
Booster until
Age 7
Back seat
Required under 1

Pediatricians recommend

AAP — safer, not the law

Rear-facing until
To seat limit (often age 2+)
Booster until
4'9" — typically age 8–12
Back seat
Until age 13

AAP guidance is a safety best practice and is separate from New Mexico's legal minimum, which ends the booster requirement at age 7. Pediatricians recommend a booster until the seat belt fits, often closer to 4 feet 9 inches and ages 8 to 12.

Every stage, by the law

Dual units shown throughout (in + cm, lb + kg). Rows marked Guidance are best practice, not a statutory requirement in New Mexico.

Rear-facing N.M. Stat. § 66-7-369
Age
Birth – 1 yr
Forward-facing N.M. Stat. § 66-7-369
Age
1 yr – 7 yr
Booster N.M. Stat. § 66-7-369
Age
until 7 yr
Seat belt N.M. Stat. § 66-7-369
Age
7 yr +
Back seat N.M. Stat. § 66-7-369
Age
under 1 yr

Frequently asked questions

What is the car seat law in New Mexico in 2026?
Children under 1 ride rear-facing in the rear seat; ages 1 to 4 (or under 40 pounds) in a child restraint; ages 5 to 6 (or under 60 pounds) in a booster or restraint; ages 7 to 12 in a restraint or seat belt. All passengers under 18 must be restrained.
When can my child stop using a booster in New Mexico?
At age 7, or once the child is over 60 pounds. Pediatricians recommend keeping a child in a booster until the seat belt actually fits, often around 4 feet 9 inches.
How long does my child have to ride rear-facing in New Mexico?
New Mexico law requires a child under 1 year of age to ride in a rear-facing child restraint that meets federal standards, placed in the rear seat. The front seat is allowed only if the passenger-side airbag is deactivated or the vehicle has no rear seat. Once a child turns 1, the law no longer requires rear-facing, though pediatricians recommend keeping a child rear-facing as long as the car seat allows.
Are taxis and Uber or Lyft exempt from New Mexico's car seat law?
No. New Mexico's child restraint requirement does not list taxis or rideshare vehicles as exempt, so a child still needs the correct car seat or booster in an Uber or Lyft. The law exempts only authorized emergency vehicles, public transportation, and school buses.

Sources

Verified · JUN 2026

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