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Car seat & booster law

Tennessee

Verified · JUN 2026

Quick answer · Tennessee

A car seat or booster is required until your child is 9 years old or taller than 4'9".

Children under 1 or 20 pounds or less ride rear-facing; ages 1 to 3 over 20 pounds forward-facing; ages 4 to 8 under 4 feet 9 inches in a booster; ages 9 to 12 (or any child through 12 who is 4 feet 9 inches) in a seat belt. Restraints go in the rear seat where available.

Rear-facing < 1 yr Forward 1+ yr Booster < 9 yr Belt 9+ yr
Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-9-602 Read the statute

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3 yrs

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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 9 or 4'9"
Back seat
Required under 9

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 Tennessee's legal minimum. Tennessee's detailed staging tracks the recommendations closely, including booster use through age 8 and rear seat use where available.

Every stage, by the law

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

Rear-facing Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-9-602
Age
Birth – 1 yr
Forward-facing Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-9-602
Age
1 yr – 9 yr
Booster Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-9-602
Age
until 9 yr
Height
< 4'9" / 145 cm
Seat belt Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-9-602
Age
9 yr +
Height
or ≥ 4'9" / 145 cm
Back seat Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-9-602
Age
under 9 yr

Frequently asked questions

What is the car seat law in Tennessee in 2026?
Children under 1 or 20 pounds or less ride rear-facing; ages 1 to 3 over 20 pounds forward-facing; ages 4 to 8 under 4 feet 9 inches in a booster; ages 9 to 12 (or any child through 12 who is 4 feet 9 inches) in a seat belt. Restraints go in the rear seat where available.
When can my child stop using a booster in Tennessee?
At age 9, or once the child reaches 4 feet 9 inches. Pediatricians recommend keeping a child in a booster until the seat belt actually fits.
Does Tennessee require rear-facing car seats, and until what age?
Yes. In Tennessee a child under 1, or 20 pounds or less, must ride rear-facing. After that a child rides forward-facing, then in a booster. Pediatricians recommend keeping a child rear-facing as long as the seat allows, beyond the legal minimum.
Do children have to ride in the back seat in Tennessee?
Tennessee requires a child who uses a restraint to ride in the rear seat where one is available, and it recommends the back seat for children 9 through 12. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the back seat for every child under 13.

Sources

Verified · JUN 2026

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