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Arizona law sets age and height rules for child passengers. Children under five need child restraint. Children ages five through seven also need one if they are 4 feet 9 inches tall or shorter. Separate seat belt rules cover many older children. Parents should also follow each seat’s instructions and current safety guidance.
What Are Arizona’s Car Seat Laws by Age and Height?
A.R.S. § 28-907 sets two child restraint requirements.
| Child’s age and height | Arizona requirement |
| Under 5 years old | Use a child restraint system, regardless of height, subject to statutory exceptions. |
| At least 5 but under 8, and no taller than 4 feet 9 inches | Use a child restraint system in a covered vehicle. |
| At least 5 but under 8, and taller than 4 feet 9 inches | The child restraint rule in § 28-907(B) does not apply. The seat belt rule may apply. |
| Ages 8 through 15 | Follow the seat belt requirement in A.R.S. § 28-909, when it applies. |
The second rule covers vehicles designed for ten or fewer passengers, model year 1972 or newer. Federal standards must require a lap belt or lap and shoulder belt.
Arizona law includes qualifying add-on, built-in, rear facing and booster seats in its child restraint definition. The system must meet federal motor vehicle safety standard 213. See A.R.S. § 28-907.
What Car Seat Should Your Child Use at Each Stage?
Arizona law sets minimum restraint duties, not an age for every seat transition. The CDC offers child passenger guidance. NHTSA explains seat selection and use.
Rear Facing Car Seats
Keep infants and toddlers rear facing until they reach the seat’s maximum height or weight limit. Check the seat label and manual. Never place one in front of an active passenger airbag.
Forward Facing Car Seats
After the child outgrows those limits, use a forward facing seat with a harness. Use its top tether when both manuals permit it. Continue until the child reaches a stated seat limit.
Booster Seats
After the child outgrows the forward facing harness seat, use a belt positioning booster. It places the vehicle belt across the upper thighs and chest, not the stomach or neck.
Regular Seat Belts
A child can stop using a booster when the belt fits properly. The lap belt should cross the upper thighs. The shoulder belt should cross the chest and shoulder, not the neck or face. The child should sit back with knees bent at the seat edge. Fit can differ by vehicle.
The CDC recommends keeping children in the back seat until age 13.
Does Arizona Require a Booster Seat?
Arizona requires a child restraint for children under five. It also requires one for qualifying children ages five through seven who are 4 feet 9 inches tall or shorter. The law does not say every child in these groups must use a booster specifically.
A child may still need a booster after age eight if the belt does not fit. That is safety guidance, not the § 28-907 threshold. Follow the booster maker’s limits. Do not move a child from a harness based on age alone.
What Are Arizona’s Seat Belt Requirements for Older Children?
A.R.S. § 28-909 requires drivers to secure passengers under 16 with seat belts in covered vehicles. The rule covers vehicles designed for ten or fewer passengers, model year 1972 or newer, with federally required belts.
Section 28-909(F)(1) excludes children subject to § 28-907. The seat belt rule does not replace the child restraint rule. A violation carries a maximum $10 civil penalty.
Read A.R.S. § 28-909. Harris also explains Arizona seat belt laws.
When Can a Child Sit in the Front Seat in Arizona?
Neither § 28-907 nor § 28-909 sets a minimum front seat age. Section 28-909 requires front seat occupants to buckle up in covered vehicles. That does not make the front seat safest for a child.
The CDC recommends keeping children in the back seat until age 13. An active passenger airbag can seriously injure or kill a young child. Never place a rear facing seat in front of one.
What Is the Fine for Violating Arizona’s Car Seat Law?
A violation of § 28-907 carries a $50 civil penalty. The court must waive it if the driver shows that the vehicle later received a compliant restraint. A purchase receipt may help. Surcharges may also apply.
Limited exceptions cover certain older vehicles, recreational vehicles, qualifying commercial drivers and medical emergencies. Another exception addresses limited space when a vehicle carries several children under eight. Each exception has conditions. Arizona gives taxis and rideshare vehicles no blanket exemption.
How Can Parents Install a Car Seat Correctly?
Read both manuals. Use lower anchors or the seat belt as the instructions direct. At the belt path, the seat should not move more than one inch side to side or front to back.
Route rear facing harness straps through slots at or below the child’s shoulders. Route forward facing straps through slots at or above the shoulders. Tighten until you cannot pinch extra webbing at the shoulder. Put the chest clip at armpit level. Use the top tether when both manuals permit it.
NHTSA recommends replacing a seat after a moderate or severe crash. A crash counts as minor only when all five conditions apply:
- The vehicle can be driven away.
- The door nearest the seat has no damage.
- No one in the vehicle suffers an injury.
- No airbag deploys.
- The seat shows no visible damage.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions. See NHTSA installation guidance and crash guidance.
Where Can Arizona Parents Get Help With Car Seats?
A certified Child Passenger Safety Technician can check a seat and explain installation. Phoenix Fire offers inspections by reservation. Bring your own seat. Call 602-495-KIDS or visit the Phoenix Fire program.
Mesa Fire and Medical runs technician clinics but does not provide free seats. Check Mesa appointments. Fry Fire District offers free seats and checks by appointment. Call 520-378-2665.
Arizona law also provides a no charge restraint loan for eligible applicants who cannot afford one. A responsible agency must confirm eligibility, and seats must be available. The Arizona DES child passenger safety fact sheet offers more safety guidance. See subsection L of A.R.S. § 28-907.
Do New Federal Car Seat Standards Change Arizona Law?
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213a sets side impact protection requirements for child restraints. A September 2026 rule moved its compliance date to December 5, 2026. This federal product standard does not change Arizona’s age or height rules. Follow seat labels, recalls and manufacturer instructions. Read the Federal Register rule.
What Should Parents Know When a Child Suffers Injuries in a Crash?
A child can suffer injuries even when a driver uses a restraint correctly. The crash facts and each driver’s actions matter.
Section 28-907(G) limits the use of this statute in court. It bars the statute’s requirements and evidence of a violation in most judicial proceedings. The exception covers proceedings for a violation of § 28-907. A lawyer must assess how this rule applies to a specific case.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a four-year-old use a backless booster in Arizona?
Arizona requires a restraint for children under five. But not every booster suits every four-year-old. Check the seat’s age, height and weight limits. NHTSA recommends a forward facing harness until the child outgrows its limits.
Can I hold my baby instead of using a car seat?
No. Arizona requires a restraint for children under five, subject to narrow exceptions. Use an appropriate infant seat on every trip, even a short one. A certified technician can help with installation.
Does Arizona require rear facing seats until age two?
Arizona law does not set a rear facing transition age. NHTSA recommends keeping a child rear facing until the seat’s maximum height or weight limit. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Speak with Arizona Car Accident Lawyer About Child Injuries in Arizona Car Accident?
For questions about a potential injury claim involving a child, Call Harris Injury Law at (480) 800-4878 or read about the firm’s Phoenix personal injury lawyer page.
This article provides general information, not legal advice. Contacting Harris Injury Law does not create an attorney-client relationship.
Reviewed by Jason A. Harris, Attorney, Harris Injury Law, PLLC.
