Car Seats
Veh. Code 27360 — under eight in the back seat, under two facing the rear
In California, a parent, legal guardian or driver transporting a child under eight years of age in a motor vehicle on a highway secures the child in a rear seat in an appropriate child passenger restraint system that meets federal safety standards.
Under two, the seat faces the rear, unless the child is 40 pounds or 40 inches. A child under two years of age rides in a rear facing child passenger restraint system, unless the child weighs 40 or more pounds or is 40 or more inches tall, and is secured within the height and weight limits the seat's manufacturer sets.
The section does not apply to a driver when the child's parent or legal guardian is a passenger in the vehicle. Its exceptions are in a separate section, not set out here, and so are the adult safety belt rules.
Sources for this section (1)
- Veh. Code 27360 — Child passenger restraint systems
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed California attorney.