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The Car Seat Rules

Iowa Code § 321.446 — rear facing under one year and 20 pounds, a child restraint under six

  • A child under one year of age and weighing less than 20 pounds rides in a rear facing child restraint system.
  • Any other child under six years of age rides in a child restraint system used as the manufacturer directs.
  • A child at least six but under 18 rides in a child restraint system or a safety belt.
  • Peace officers on duty, older vehicles, buses and emergency vehicles, and a child a physician certifies cannot be restrained, are excepted.
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Sources for this section (1)
  1. Iowa Code § 321.446 — Child restraint devices

Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Iowa attorney.

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