Iowa’s Child Car Seat and Seat Belt Laws

To promote child safety and prevent unnecessary injury, Iowa requires child passengers in motor vehicles to be secured in appropriate restraint systems. This article explains the requirements for child seat safety and how to avoid costly fines.

Iowa's Car Seat and Seat Belt Laws for Children

All Iowa children who are under 18 years old must be properly secured in an appropriate child restraint system or seat belt. Depending on the child's size and age, an appropriate restraint could be a forward- or rear-facing car seat, a booster seat, or a regular seat belt. (Iowa Code Ann. § 321.446 (2024).)

Rear-Facing Car Seat Requirements in Iowa

A child who is younger than one year old and weighs less than 20 pounds must be rear-facing in a child restraint system.

Iowa's Car Seat and Booster Seat Requirements for Children Under 6 Years Old

Children who are younger than six years old must be restrained in a child safety device per the manufacturer's recommendations. This requirement could mandate the use of a rear-facing harness, a forward-facing harness, or a booster seat, depending on the size of the child.

Iowa's Seat Belt Requirement for Children Who Are 6 to 18 Years Old

All children younger than 18 years old must wear seat belts or be in another child restraint. A child who's at least six years old can use a seat belt but should remain in a booster seat as long as appropriate.

Iowa Car Seat and Seat Belt Recommendations

The Iowa Traffic Safety Bureau issued the following car seat recommendations.

	Under One Year	One to Six Years	Six to 18
Under 20 pounds	Rear-facing car seat	Rear- or forward-facing car seat
20 to 40 pounds	Rear- or forward-facing car seat	Rear- or forward-facing car seat	Booster seat
Over 40 pounds and 4'9" tall		Booster seat	Booster or seat belt

Exceptions to Iowa's Child Car Seat Rules

Specific vehicles. Cars made in 1965 or earlier are exempt from the restraint laws, as are motor homes, police vehicles, and school buses (as long as the children are in the back). If the vehicle is not equipped with enough seat belts or car seat hooks, a child might be permitted to sit in the back seat without the recommended restraint.

Medical exceptions. Children diagnosed with certain medical conditions are also exempt if a physician has certified that the child should not use a child restraint device.

Penalties for Car Seat Tickets in Iowa

A car seat or child seat belt violation will result in a $135 fine.

However, a violator who acquires and installs a proper car seat can avoid a conviction.

Can a Taxi or Uber Driver be Cited for Car Seat Violations in Iowa?

Taxi, Uber, and Lyft drivers can't be fined for child restraint violations, but the parent or guardian of an unrestrained child in these vehicles can be ticketed for not complying with the law. If the child is at least 14 years old, the child can receive a citation.

More Information and Resources About Car Seats

For more information about child restraint systems, check the recommendations of the Center for Disease Control. It's also a good idea to register your car seat to be notified regarding recalls.