Car seat & booster law
South Carolina
Verified · JUN 2026Quick answer · South Carolina
A car seat or booster is required until your child is 8 years old or taller than 4'9".
Children under 2 must ride rear-facing in the back seat, then in a forward-facing harness, then in a belt-positioning booster, all in the rear seat, until age 8 or 57 inches when an adult seat belt fits.
Car seat law checker
The legally required restraint, by state.
General information, not legal advice.
SeatCheckerRequired 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 2
- Booster until
- Age 8 or 4'9"
- Back seat
- Required under 8
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 South Carolina's legal minimum. South Carolina's staged law, including the rear-seat requirement, already tracks the recommendations closely.
Every stage, by the law
Dual units shown throughout (in + cm, lb + kg). Rows marked Guidance are best practice, not a statutory requirement in South Carolina.
| Stage | Age | Height | Weight | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rear-facing | Birth – 2 yr | — | — | S.C. Code § 56-5-6410 |
| Forward-facing | 2 yr – 8 yr | — | — | S.C. Code § 56-5-6410 |
| Booster | until 8 yr | < 4'9" / 145 cm | — | S.C. Code § 56-5-6410 |
| Seat belt | 8 yr + | or ≥ 4'9" / 145 cm | — | S.C. Code § 56-5-6410 |
| Back seat | under 8 yr | — | — | S.C. Code § 56-5-6410 |
- Age
- Birth – 2 yr
- Age
- 2 yr – 8 yr
- Age
- until 8 yr
- Height
- < 4'9" / 145 cm
- Age
- 8 yr +
- Height
- or ≥ 4'9" / 145 cm
- Age
- under 8 yr