Ranking · all 51
Car Seat Ticket Fines by State
Verified · JUN 2026A car seat violation carries a fine in every state, though the amount ranges widely and many states add court costs or county assessments on top. This ranks states by the base first-offense fine.
| # | State | First-offense fine |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northern Mariana Islands MP | $250 |
| 2 | California CA | $100 $250 subsequent |
| 2 | Guam GU | $100 $200 subsequent |
| 2 | Hawaii HI | $100 up to $100 |
| 2 | Nevada NV | $100 $500 subsequent |
| 2 | Puerto Rico PR | $100 up to $100 |
| 7 | Illinois IL | $75 $200 subsequent |
| 7 | Pennsylvania PA | $75 up to $75 |
| 7 | U.S. Virgin Islands VI | $75 $100 subsequent |
| 10 | Florida FL | $60 |
| 11 | Arizona AZ | $50 up to $50 |
| 11 | Georgia GA | $50 $100 subsequent |
| 11 | Maine ME | $50 $125 subsequent |
| 11 | Maryland MD | $50 up to $50 |
| 11 | Minnesota MN | $50 up to $50 |
| 11 | Missouri MO | $50 up to $50 |
| 11 | New Hampshire NH | $50 $100 subsequent |
| 11 | New Jersey NJ | $50 up to $75 |
| 11 | Tennessee TN | $50 up to $50 |
| 20 | Alabama AL | $25 up to $25 |
| 20 | American Samoa AS | $25 $50 subsequent |
| 20 | Massachusetts MA | $25 up to $25 |
| 20 | New York NY | $25 up to $100 |
| 20 | North Carolina NC | $25 up to $25 |
| 20 | Ohio OH | $25 up to $75 |
| 20 | Texas TX | $25 up to $250 |
| 20 | Vermont VT | $25 $50 subsequent |
| 28 | West Virginia WV | $10 up to $20 |
| 29 | Alaska AK | Set by offense class |
| 29 | Arkansas AR | Set by offense class |
| 29 | Colorado CO | Set by offense class |
| 29 | Connecticut CT | Set by offense class |
| 29 | Delaware DE | Set by offense class $25 subsequent |
| 29 | District of Columbia DC | Set by offense class |
| 29 | Idaho ID | Set by offense class |
| 29 | Indiana IN | Set by offense class |
| 29 | Iowa IA | Set by offense class |
| 29 | Kansas KS | Set by offense class |
| 29 | Kentucky KY | Set by offense class |
| 29 | Louisiana LA | Set by offense class |
| 29 | Michigan MI | Set by offense class |
| 29 | Mississippi MS | Set by offense class |
| 29 | Montana MT | Set by offense class |
| 29 | Nebraska NE | Set by offense class |
| 29 | New Mexico NM | Set by offense class |
| 29 | North Dakota ND | Set by offense class |
| 29 | Oklahoma OK | Set by offense class |
| 29 | Oregon OR | Set by offense class |
| 29 | Rhode Island RI | Set by offense class |
| 29 | South Carolina SC | Set by offense class up to $150 |
| 29 | South Dakota SD | Set by offense class |
| 29 | Utah UT | Set by offense class |
| 29 | Virginia VA | Set by offense class |
| 29 | Washington WA | Set by offense class |
| 29 | Wisconsin WI | Set by offense class |
| 29 | Wyoming WY | Set by offense class |
How we ranked this
Ranked by the base first-offense fine (penalty.firstOffenseUsd), highest first. Several states set only an offense class rather than a dollar amount, or leave the figure to county schedules; those show no base fine and are listed last. Actual amounts payable are often higher once assessments are added.
Frequently asked questions
Which state has the highest car seat fine?
The ranked table lists every state by its base first-offense fine, highest first. Remember that court costs and county penalty assessments can raise the total well above the base figure.
Why do some states show no fine amount?
Some statutes set only an offense class (for example an infraction) and leave the dollar amount to a county bail or penalty schedule, so there is no single statewide base fine to quote.