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Oklahoma car seat laws

47 O.S. § 11-1112 · 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 under four (4) years of age shall be properly secured in a child passenger restraint system. Except as provided in subsection G of this section, the child passenger restraint system shall be rear-facing until the child reaches two (2) years of age or until the child reaches the weight or height limit of the rear-facing child passenger restraint system as allowed by the manufacturer of the child passenger restraint system, whichever occurs first; and

47 O.S. § 11-1112(A)(1). Subsection G allows a forward-facing seat under four for a driver with a disability placard or plate and a Department of Public Safety exemption letter.

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 47 O.S. § 11-1112(A)(1); the limit is the rear-facing weight or height limit set by the seat manufacturer.

Rear-facing until height
Not addressed in statute

No number in 47 O.S. § 11-1112(A)(1); the limit is the rear-facing 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's manufacturer weight or height limit, whichever occurs first.

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 47 O.S. § 11-1112; subsection A.1 requires a child passenger restraint system for a child under four and names only the rear-facing position, not a forward-facing harness.

What the law sets

Forward-facing harness required by law
Not addressed in statute

Not set in 47 O.S. § 11-1112; subsection A.1 requires a child passenger restraint system for a child under four and names only the rear-facing position, not a forward-facing harness.

Harness until age
Not addressed in statute

Not set in 47 O.S. § 11-1112.

Harness until weight
Not addressed in statute

Not set in 47 O.S. § 11-1112.

Harness until height
Not addressed in statute

Not set in 47 O.S. § 11-1112.

Leaving the harness
Not addressed in statute

Not set in 47 O.S. § 11-1112.

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 at least four (4) years of age but younger than eight (8) years of age, if not taller than 4 feet 9 inches in height, shall be properly secured in either a child passenger restraint system or child booster seat.

47 O.S. § 11-1112(A)(2).

What the law sets

Booster required by law
Yes

A booster or another child passenger restraint system is required.

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

Not set in 47 O.S. § 11-1112(A)(2).

Booster until height
57 in (4 ft 9 in)

The statute says "if not taller than 4 feet 9 inches", so a child of exactly 57 inches is still covered.

Leaving the booster
Meeting any one listed limit is enough

A child leaves the booster on turning eight or on growing taller than 4 feet 9 inches (47 O.S. § 11-1112(B)).

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

If a child is eight (8) years of age or is taller than 4 feet 9 inches in height, a seat belt properly secured to the vehicle shall be sufficient to meet the requirements of this section.

47 O.S. § 11-1112(B).

What the law sets

Seat belt alone from age
8 years
Seat belt alone from height
57 in (4 ft 9 in)

Taller than 57 inches, per 47 O.S. § 11-1112(B).

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
Not addressed in statute

No front-seat provision in 47 O.S. § 11-1112.

Minimum age for the front seat
Not addressed in statute

No front-seat provision in 47 O.S. § 11-1112.

Conditions
Not addressed in statute

No front-seat provision in 47 O.S. § 11-1112.

Penalties

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

First offense — fine
$50

47 O.S. § 11-1112(F): a fine of $50 plus all court costs.

Repeat offense — fine
$50

47 O.S. § 11-1112(F) sets the same $50 fine for every conviction; there is no separate repeat penalty.

License points
None

47 O.S. § 11-1112(F): the Department of Public Safety shall not assess points for a violation of this section.

Fine waiver
For a first offense the fine is suspended and court costs are capped at $15 on proof of purchasing or borrowing a child passenger restraint system (47 O.S. § 11-1112(F)).

Exemptions

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

Taxis
Exempt

47 O.S. § 11-1112(C)(1) excludes the driver of a taxicab.

Rideshare (Uber, Lyft)
Not addressed in statute

47 O.S. § 11-1112 does not name transportation network companies.

Buses
Exempt

47 O.S. § 11-1112(C)(1) excludes the driver of a school bus or of any vehicle not required to have seat belts.

Medical exemption
Exempt

47 O.S. § 11-1112(C)(4) exempts children who cannot use the devices for medical reasons documented in writing by a physician.

Out-of-state vehicles
Not addressed in statute

47 O.S. § 11-1112 does not address nonresident drivers or out-of-state vehicles.

How Oklahoma compares

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

Compared with Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, and Texas, Oklahoma differs on: rear-facing rules (from Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, and Texas), booster rules (from Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, and New Mexico), and front-seat rules (from Colorado and New Mexico).

Law compared with the AAP recommendation

  • Oklahoma 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.
  • Oklahoma 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.
  • Oklahoma 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.
  • Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma

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 Oklahoma Highway Safety Office.

State law

Recommendations

Disclaimer

This page summarizes Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma Highway Safety Office before relying on anything here.