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Indiana car seat laws

Ind. Code 9-19-11-2 · Last checked September 23, 2026

Car seat stages

The statute text comes first. Numbers are a summary for comparison, not a replacement for the law.

Rear-facing seat

Statute text

Not addressed in statute.

Not set in IC 9-19-11-2; the section requires a child restraint system for a child under eight without naming a rear-facing or forward-facing harness seat.

What the law sets

Rear-facing seat required by law
Not addressed in statute

Not set in IC 9-19-11-2; the section requires a child restraint system for a child under eight without naming a rear-facing or forward-facing harness seat.

Rear-facing until age
Not addressed in statute

Not set in IC 9-19-11-2.

Rear-facing until weight
Not addressed in statute

Not set in IC 9-19-11-2.

Rear-facing until height
Not addressed in statute

Not set in IC 9-19-11-2.

Leaving rear-facing
Not addressed in statute

Not set in IC 9-19-11-2.

Recommended (not law)

NHTSA

Children under age 1 should always ride in a rear-facing car seat. Keep your child rear-facing as long as possible — it's the best way to keep them safe — until they reach the top height or weight limit allowed by the car seat's manufacturer.

NHTSA – Car Seats and Booster Seats

AAP

All infants should ride rear-facing, starting with their first ride home from the hospital, and should continue riding rear-facing as long as possible until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their car safety seat's manufacturer.

HealthyChildren.org (AAP) – Car Safety Seats: Information for Families

Forward-facing harness seat

Statute text

Not addressed in statute.

Not set in IC 9-19-11-2; the section requires a child restraint system for a child under eight without naming a rear-facing or forward-facing harness seat.

What the law sets

Forward-facing harness required by law
Not addressed in statute

Not set in IC 9-19-11-2; the section requires a child restraint system for a child under eight without naming a rear-facing or forward-facing harness seat.

Harness until age
Not addressed in statute

Not set in IC 9-19-11-2.

Harness until weight
Not addressed in statute

Not set in IC 9-19-11-2.

Harness until height
Not addressed in statute

Not set in IC 9-19-11-2.

Leaving the harness
Not addressed in statute

Not set in IC 9-19-11-2.

Recommended (not law)

NHTSA

Once a child outgrows the rear-facing car seat, they are ready for a forward-facing car seat with a harness and tether. Keep the child in the forward-facing seat until they reach the top height or weight limit allowed by the car seat's manufacturer, then move to a booster seat, still in the back seat.

NHTSA – Car Seats and Booster Seats

AAP

Children should use a forward-facing car seat with a harness after outgrowing the rear-facing weight or height limit. It is best for children to ride in a seat with a harness as long as possible, at least to 4 years of age.

HealthyChildren.org (AAP) – Car Safety Seats: Information for Families

Booster seat

Statute text

A person who operates a motor vehicle in which there is a child less than eight (8) years of age who is not properly fastened and restrained according to the child restraint system manufacturer's instructions by a child restraint system commits a Class D infraction.

IC 9-19-11-2(a). The statute does not name booster seats; it requires any child restraint system, and these booster fields record when that requirement ends.

What the law sets

Booster required by law
Yes

Any child restraint system used per the manufacturer's instructions satisfies IC 9-19-11-2(a); a booster is not specifically required.

Booster until age
8 years
Booster until weight
Not addressed in statute

Not set in IC 9-19-11-2. Under IC 9-19-11-3.7, a child over 40 pounds may use a lap belt only when no lap and shoulder belt is available.

Booster until height
Not addressed in statute

Not set in IC 9-19-11-2; no height limit.

Leaving the booster
Meeting any one listed limit is enough

Age is the only limit: the requirement ends at eight.

Recommended (not law)

NHTSA

Keep your child in a booster seat until they are big enough to fit in a seat belt properly — the lap belt lying snugly across the upper thighs (not the stomach) and the shoulder belt snug across the shoulder and chest (not the neck or face).

NHTSA – Car Seats and Booster Seats

AAP

All children whose weight or height exceeds the forward-facing limit for their car safety seat should use a belt-positioning booster seat until the vehicle seat belt fits properly, typically when they have reached 4 feet 9 inches in height and are 8 to 12 years of age.

HealthyChildren.org (AAP) – Car Safety Seats: Information for Families

Seat belt

Statute text

A person who operates a motor vehicle in which there is a child and that is equipped with a safety belt meeting the standards stated in the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Number 208 (49 CFR 571.208) commits a Class D infraction if: (1) the child is at least eight (8) years of age but less than sixteen (16) years of age; and (2) the child is not properly fastened and restrained according to the child restraint system manufacturer's instructions by a: (A) child restraint system; or (B) safety belt.

IC 9-19-11-3.6(a).

What the law sets

Seat belt alone from age
8 years
Seat belt alone from height
Not addressed in statute

Not set in IC 9-19-11-3.6; no height condition.

Moving to the seat belt
Meeting any one listed limit is enough

Age is the only condition.

Recommended (not law)

NHTSA

Once a child is big enough to fit in a seat belt properly, they can ride with just the lap-and-shoulder belt, but should still ride in the back seat — NHTSA recommends keeping children in the back seat at least through age 12.

NHTSA – Car Seats and Booster Seats

AAP

Children should transition to the vehicle seat belt once it fits properly, typically at about 4 feet 9 inches in height and 8 to 12 years of age; all children younger than 13 years should ride in the back seat.

HealthyChildren.org (AAP) – Car Safety Seats: Information for Families

Front seat

Many states have no front-seat age in statute. Where that is the case, we say so and cite the section we read.

Front seat — statute text
Not addressed in statute

No front-seat provision in IC 9-19-11.

Minimum age for the front seat
Not addressed in statute

No front-seat provision in IC 9-19-11.

Conditions
Not addressed in statute

No front-seat provision in IC 9-19-11.

Penalties

What a car seat ticket costs, and whether showing proof of a proper seat can cancel it.

First offense — fine
Up to $25

IC 9-19-11-2(a): Class D infraction. IC 34-28-5-4(d) allows a judgment of up to $25.

Repeat offense — fine
Up to $25

IC 34-28-5-4(d) sets the same maximum for every Class D infraction; there is no separate repeat penalty.

License points
None

IC 9-19-11-10: the bureau may not assess points for a violation of this chapter.

Fine waiver
A person with no previous judgment under the chapter who possesses or acquires a child restraint system (within 30 days if the court orders proof) is not liable for costs or a monetary judgment (IC 9-19-11-5, 9-19-11-6). This applies to section 2 violations.

Exemptions

Exempt means the statute excludes it. Silent means the statute does not address it.

Taxis
Exempt

IC 9-19-11-1(3) excludes taxicabs by name.

Rideshare (Uber, Lyft)
Exempt

IC 9-19-11-1(9) excludes a vehicle used by a TNC driver while providing a prearranged ride.

Buses
Exempt

IC 9-19-11-1(1)-(2) excludes school buses and special purpose buses; other buses are excluded only if built without safety belts (IC 9-19-11-1(5)).

Medical exemption
Exempt

IC 9-19-11-2(a): no violation if the driver carries and presents a certificate from a physician, physician's assistant or advanced practice registered nurse citing the child's physical or medical condition.

Out-of-state vehicles
Not addressed in statute

IC 9-19-11 does not address nonresident drivers or out-of-state vehicles.

How Indiana compares

Indiana is tied for 6th of 47 jurisdictions with a numeric booster age: 33 jurisdictions, including Indiana, require a booster until age 8.

Compared with Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio, Indiana differs on: rear-facing rules (from Illinois and Michigan), booster rules (from Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio), and front-seat rules (from Michigan).

Law compared with the AAP recommendation

  • Indiana law does not address this stage. AAP recommends: All infants should ride rear-facing, starting with their first ride home from the hospital, and should continue riding rear-facing as long as possible until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their car safety seat's manufacturer.
  • Indiana law does not address this stage. AAP recommends: Children should use a forward-facing car seat with a harness after outgrowing the rear-facing weight or height limit. It is best for children to ride in a seat with a harness as long as possible, at least to 4 years of age.
  • Indiana law: a booster seat is required until the child reaches age 8. AAP recommends: All children whose weight or height exceeds the forward-facing limit for their car safety seat should use a belt-positioning booster seat until the vehicle seat belt fits properly, typically when they have reached 4 feet 9 inches in height and are 8 to 12 years of age.
  • Indiana law: a child may use the seat belt alone once reaching age 8. AAP recommends: Children should transition to the vehicle seat belt once it fits properly, typically at about 4 feet 9 inches in height and 8 to 12 years of age; all children younger than 13 years should ride in the back seat.

See every state side by side on the comparison pages.

Guides covering Indiana

Sources

State law comes from the statute or state agency below. Recommendations come from NHTSA and the American Academy of Pediatrics. The responsible agency is Indiana Criminal Justice Institute.

State law

Recommendations

Disclaimer

This page summarizes Indiana law for reference. It is not legal or medical advice. The statute text is the law; the numbers are our summary of it. Legal minimums are not safety recommendations: NHTSA and the AAP recommend keeping a child in each stage for as long as the seat allows. Check the statute or Indiana Criminal Justice Institute before relying on anything here.