Why it matters

The law sets a floor, not a target. A state can legally allow a child to move to a seat belt years before pediatricians say it's safe. SeatChecker shows both side by side so you can see exactly where your state's minimum sits, and choose how far past it to go.

Two facts drive almost every car seat question: your child's age and their height. Most states release a child from a booster at age 8 or 4 feet 9 inches, whichever comes first. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends keeping a child in a booster until the seat belt actually fits, which is often closer to 4 feet 9 inches and ages 8 to 12.

When a law is changing, we show both the current rule and the future rule with its effective date, so you're never caught out by a date that hasn't arrived yet.