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Tennessee car seat laws

Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-9-602 · 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

Any person transporting any child, under one (1) year of age, or any child, weighing twenty pounds (20 lbs.) or less, in a motor vehicle upon a road, street or highway of this state is responsible for the protection of the child and properly using a child passenger restraint system in a rear facing position, meeting federal motor vehicle safety standards in the rear seat if available or according to the child safety restraint system or vehicle manufacturer's instructions.

§ 55-9-602(a)(1). The official code is published through LexisNexis public access; the text was cross-read on two independent copies.

What the law sets

Rear-facing seat required by law
Yes
Rear-facing until age
1 year
Rear-facing until weight
20 lb

The statute covers a child of "twenty pounds (20 lbs.) or less", so a child of exactly 20 pounds is still covered.

Rear-facing until height
Not addressed in statute

Not set in § 55-9-602(a)(1).

Leaving rear-facing
Every listed limit must be met

The rule covers a child under one OR 20 pounds or less, so a child must be at least one AND over 20 pounds to leave rear-facing.

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

Notwithstanding § 55-9-603, any person transporting any child, one through three (1-3) years of age weighing greater than twenty pounds (20 lbs.), in a motor vehicle upon a road, street or highway of this state is responsible for the protection of the child and properly using a child passenger restraint system in a forward facing position, meeting federal motor vehicle safety standards in the rear seat if available or according to the child safety restraint system or vehicle manufacturer's instructions.

§ 55-9-602(a)(2).

What the law sets

Forward-facing harness required by law
Yes
Harness until age
4 years

"One through three" years of age: the rule covers a child until the fourth birthday.

Harness until weight
Not addressed in statute

No upper weight in § 55-9-602(a)(2); 20 pounds is the entry weight.

Harness until height
Not addressed in statute

Not set in § 55-9-602(a)(2).

Leaving the harness
Meeting any one listed limit is enough

Age is the only exit limit: the forward-facing rule ends at four.

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

Notwithstanding § 55-9-603, any person transporting any child, four through eight (4-8) years of age and measuring less than four feet, nine inches (4′ 9″) in height, in a passenger motor vehicle upon a road, street or highway of this state is responsible for the protection of the child and properly using a belt positioning booster seat system, meeting federal motor vehicle safety standards in the rear seat if available or according to the child safety restraint system or vehicle manufacturer's instructions.

§ 55-9-602(a)(3).

What the law sets

Booster required by law
Yes
Booster until age
9 years

"Four through eight" years of age: the rule covers a child until the ninth birthday.

Booster until weight
Not addressed in statute

Not set in § 55-9-602(a)(3).

Booster until height
57 in (4 ft 9 in)
Leaving the booster
Meeting any one listed limit is enough

A child leaves the booster on turning nine 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

Notwithstanding § 55-9-603, any person transporting any child, nine through twelve (9-12) years of age, or any child through twelve (12) years of age, measuring four feet, nine inches (4′ 9″) or more in height, in a passenger motor vehicle upon a road, street or highway of this state is responsible for the protection of the child and properly using a seat belt system meeting federal motor vehicle safety standards. It is recommended that any such child be placed in the rear seat if available.

§ 55-9-602(g)(1)(A).

What the law sets

Seat belt alone from age
9 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
properly using a child passenger restraint system in a rear facing position, meeting federal motor vehicle safety standards in the rear seat if available or according to the child safety restraint system or vehicle manufacturer's instructions.

§ 55-9-602(a)(1); subsections (a)(2) and (a)(3) use the same "in the rear seat if available" wording for forward-facing and booster seats.

Minimum age for the front seat
Not addressed in statute

No minimum front-seat age in § 55-9-602; the rear-seat wording is tied to the seat stage, not to an age.

Conditions
Children who must use a rear-facing, forward-facing or booster seat under § 55-9-602(a) ride in the rear seat if available. For belted children 9 through 12 the rear seat is only recommended (§ 55-9-602(g)(1)(A)).

Penalties

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

First offense — fine
Up to $50

A violation is a Class C misdemeanor (§ 55-9-602(c)(1)), punishable by a fine not to exceed $50 under § 40-35-111(e)(3). For the belt rule in subsection (g), a $50 fine may be paid in lieu of a court appearance (§ 55-9-602(g)(2)).

Repeat offense — fine
Up to $50

§ 55-9-602 sets no separate repeat penalty; the Class C misdemeanor cap of $50 applies.

License points
None

Not set in § 55-9-602. The Department of Safety schedule of point values does not list child restraint violations.

Fine waiver
No dismissal on proof of buying a seat. For a first offense the court may require a child passenger safety class in addition to or instead of the penalty (§ 55-9-602(c)(2)). A charge may be dismissed on proof that a physician-prescribed special restraint was in use (§ 55-9-602(a)(4)(C)).

Exemptions

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

Taxis
Car seat law applies

The rear- and forward-facing rules in § 55-9-602(a)(1)–(2) cover any motor vehicle. The booster and belt rules in (a)(3) and (g) apply only to a "passenger motor vehicle", which § 55-9-602(h) defines to exclude public or livery conveyances.

Rideshare (Uber, Lyft)
Not addressed in statute

§ 55-9-602 does not name transportation network companies.

Buses
Car seat law applies

The rear- and forward-facing rules in § 55-9-602(a)(1)–(2) cover any motor vehicle. The booster and belt rules apply only to a "passenger motor vehicle" of 10,000 lb GVWR or less that must have seat belts (§ 55-9-602(h)).

Medical exemption
Car seat law applies

§ 55-9-602(a)(4) gives no exemption: a child who cannot use a conventional seat must use a specially modified restraint, and the driver must carry the physician's prescription.

Out-of-state vehicles
Not addressed in statute

§ 55-9-602 does not address nonresident drivers or out-of-state vehicles.

How Tennessee compares

Tennessee is tied for 1st of 47 jurisdictions with a numeric booster age: 5 jurisdictions, including Tennessee, require a booster until age 9.

Compared with Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, and Virginia, Tennessee differs on: rear-facing rules (from Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, and Virginia), booster rules (from Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, and Virginia), and front-seat rules (from Georgia and North Carolina).

Law compared with the AAP recommendation

  • Tennessee law: a rear-facing seat is required until the child reaches age 1 and 20 lb. 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.
  • Tennessee law: a forward-facing harness seat is required until the child reaches age 4. 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.
  • Tennessee law: a booster seat is required until the child reaches age 9 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.
  • Tennessee law: a child may use the seat belt alone once reaching age 9 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 Tennessee

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 Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security.

State law

Recommendations

Disclaimer

This page summarizes Tennessee 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 Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security before relying on anything here.