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Michigan car seat laws

MCL 257.710d · 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

A child must be restrained in a rear-facing child restraint system until the child meets either of the following conditions: (i) The child has reached the weight or height limit of the rear-facing child restraint system set by the manufacturer. (ii) The child is 2 years of age or older.

MCL 257.710d(2)(a).

What the law sets

Rear-facing seat required by law
Yes
Rear-facing until age
2 years
Rear-facing until weight
Not addressed in statute

No number in MCL 257.710d(2)(a); the limit is the rear-facing seat's weight or height limit set by the seat manufacturer.

Rear-facing until height
Not addressed in statute

No number in MCL 257.710d(2)(a); the limit is the rear-facing seat's weight or height limit set by the seat manufacturer.

Leaving rear-facing
Meeting any one listed limit is enough

A child leaves rear-facing at two, or earlier on reaching the seat manufacturer's rear-facing weight or height limit.

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

A child who meets either of the conditions in subdivision (a)(i) or (ii) must be restrained in a forward-facing child restraint system with an internal harness until the child meets either of the following conditions: (i) The child has reached the weight or height limit of the forward-facing child restraint system set by the manufacturer. (ii) The child is 5 years of age or older.

MCL 257.710d(2)(b).

What the law sets

Forward-facing harness required by law
Yes
Harness until age
5 years
Harness until weight
Not addressed in statute

No number in MCL 257.710d(2)(b); the limit is the forward-facing seat's weight or height limit set by the seat manufacturer.

Harness until height
Not addressed in statute

No number in MCL 257.710d(2)(b); the limit is the forward-facing seat's weight or height limit set by the seat manufacturer.

Leaving the harness
Meeting any one listed limit is enough

A child leaves the harness at five, or earlier on reaching the seat manufacturer's forward-facing weight or height limit.

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 child who meets either of the conditions in subdivision (b)(i) or (ii) must be restrained in a belt-positioning child booster seat secured with a lap-shoulder safety belt until the child meets either of the following conditions: (i) The child has reached the height of 4 feet 9 inches. (ii) The child is 8 years of age or older.

MCL 257.710d(2)(c).

What the law sets

Booster required by law
Yes
Booster until age
8 years
Booster until weight
Not addressed in statute

Not set in MCL 257.710d(2)(c).

Booster until height
57 in (4 ft 9 in)

The rule runs until the child "has reached the height of 4 feet 9 inches", so a child of exactly 57 inches may leave the booster.

Leaving the booster
Meeting any one listed limit is enough

A child leaves the booster on turning eight or on reaching 4 feet 9 inches, whichever comes first.

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

Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, a child who meets either of the conditions in subsection (2)(c)(i) or (ii) but is less than 13 years of age must be restrained with a properly adjusted and fastened safety belt that meets the standards prescribed in 49 CFR 571.209.

MCL 257.710d(4). The child may stay in a booster until reaching the booster manufacturer's weight or height limit.

What the law sets

Seat belt alone from age
8 years
Seat belt alone from height
57 in (4 ft 9 in)
Moving to the seat belt
Meeting any one listed limit is enough

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
A driver transporting a child as required under subsection (1) shall position the child in the child restraint system in a rear seat, if the vehicle is equipped with a rear seat. If all available rear seats are occupied by children, then a child may be positioned in the child restraint system in the front seat. A child in a rear-facing child restraint system may be placed in the front seat only if the front passenger air bag is deactivated.

MCL 257.710d(2). Subsection (4) applies the same rear-seat rule to belted children under 13.

Minimum age for the front seat
13 years

Under MCL 257.710d(2) and (4), a child under 13 must ride in a rear seat when the vehicle has one, unless all available rear seats are occupied by children.

Conditions
Applies only if the vehicle has a rear seat; a child may ride in front when all available rear seats are occupied by children. A rear-facing seat may be in front only if the passenger air bag is deactivated.

Penalties

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

First offense — fine
Up to $10

MCL 257.710d(7): civil infraction. MCL 257.907(2)(n) sets the civil fine at not more than $10, plus costs.

Repeat offense — fine
Up to $10

MCL 257.907(2)(n) sets the same maximum for every violation; there is no separate repeat penalty.

License points
None

MCL 257.710d(8): points must not be assessed under section 320a, and no abstract is sent to the Secretary of State.

Fine waiver
The court may waive the fine, costs and assessment if, before the appearance date, the driver shows evidence of acquiring a compliant child seating system and of receiving education from a certified child passenger safety technician (MCL 257.907(11), as amended by 2024 PA 22).

Exemptions

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

Taxis
Exempt

MCL 257.710d(6) excludes taxicabs by name.

Rideshare (Uber, Lyft)
Not addressed in statute

MCL 257.710d does not address transportation network companies.

Buses
Exempt

MCL 257.710d(6) excludes buses and school buses by name.

Medical exemption
Not addressed in statute

Only by rule: MCL 257.710d(9) lets the Secretary of State exempt by rule a class of children for physical unfitness, a medical problem or body size. MCL 257.710d(9) only authorises the Secretary of State to create such an exemption by rule; no promulgated rule is cited here, so the statute itself does not exempt a child on medical grounds.

Out-of-state vehicles
Not addressed in statute

MCL 257.710d does not address nonresident drivers or out-of-state vehicles.

How Michigan compares

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

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

Law compared with the AAP recommendation

  • Michigan law: a rear-facing seat is required until the child reaches age 2. 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.
  • Michigan law: a forward-facing harness seat is required until the child reaches age 5. 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.
  • Michigan law: a booster seat is required until the child reaches age 8 or 57 in, whichever comes first. 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.
  • Michigan law: a child may use the seat belt alone once reaching age 8 or 57 in, whichever comes first. 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 Michigan

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 Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning.

State law

Recommendations

Disclaimer

This page summarizes Michigan 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 Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning before relying on anything here.