The Car Seat Rules
MCL 257.710d — rear facing to 2, harness to 5, booster to 8 or 4 feet 9
In Michigan, each driver transporting a child properly secures the child in a child restraint system meeting the federal standard, in a rear seat if the vehicle has one. A child goes in the front only if every rear seat is taken by children, and a rear facing seat goes in front only if the passenger air bag is deactivated.
| Step | Until the child meets either condition |
|---|---|
| StepRear facing | Until the child meets either conditionReaches the seat's weight or height limit, or is 2 years of age or older |
| StepForward facing with an internal harness | Until the child meets either conditionReaches the seat's limit, or is 5 years of age or older |
| StepA belt positioning booster with a lap and shoulder belt | Until the child meets either conditionReaches 4 feet 9 inches, or is 8 years of age or older |
| StepA properly adjusted safety belt, in a rear seat if there is one | Until the child meets either conditionIs 13 years of age |
- A violation is a civil infraction.
- No points are assessed, and no abstract of the violation goes to the secretary of state.
- The section does not apply in a bus, school bus, taxicab, moped, motorcycle, or vehicle federal law does not require to have safety belts.
- A child 13 or older but under 16 is covered by the separate seat belt section.
Sources for this section (1)
- MCL 257.710d — Child restraint system
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Michigan attorney.