Michigan Car Seat Laws: Requirements and Guidelines

Michigan law (MCL 257.710d) requires children to ride rear-facing until age 2, forward-facing from ages 2 to 4, and in a booster seat from ages 5 to 7 or until they reach 4 feet 9 inches tall. All children under 13 must ride in the back seat.

Overview of Michigan Car Seat Laws

Michigan significantly strengthened its child passenger safety requirements with updated laws that took effect on April 2, 2025. The new law, codified in MCL 257.710d, sets clearer age-based standards for each type of child restraint and adds a requirement that all children under 13 ride in the back seat.

The Michigan State Police Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP) enforces these laws and provides educational resources for parents and caregivers. Michigan uses primary enforcement for child restraint violations, meaning an officer can pull you over solely because a child appears improperly restrained.

What Changed in Michigan's 2025 Car Seat Law Update

The April 2, 2025 update brought several important changes to Michigan's child passenger safety requirements. Here is a comparison of the key differences.

These updates align Michigan's law more closely with AAP recommendations and current best practices in child passenger safety.

Rear-Facing Car Seat Requirements in Michigan

Under the updated law, children must ride in a rear-facing car seat until they reach the maximum weight or height allowed by the car seat manufacturer or until the child turns 2 years old. This is a significant change from the previous law, which only recommended rear-facing but did not set a specific age requirement.

Two types of rear-facing seats are available.

The AAP recommends keeping children rear-facing as long as possible, even beyond age 2, as long as the child fits within the seat manufacturer's limits. Many convertible seats now support rear-facing children up to 40 or 50 pounds, allowing some children to remain rear-facing until age 3 or 4.

Rear-facing seats protect a child's head, neck, and spine by distributing crash forces across the back of the seat. Install the seat in the back of the vehicle according to the manufacturer's instructions. The harness straps should sit at or below the child's shoulders when rear-facing.

A rear-facing car seat may be placed in the front seat only if the front passenger airbag has been deactivated. This exception applies when the rear seat is not available or is fully occupied by other children.

Forward-Facing Car Seat Requirements in Michigan

Once a child outgrows the rear-facing seat or turns 2, the updated Michigan law requires the child to ride in a forward-facing car seat until the child reaches the seat manufacturer's maximum weight or height limit or turns 5 years old.

Forward-facing seats use a five-point harness that secures the child at the shoulders, hips, and between the legs. This system limits forward movement during a crash and distributes impact forces across the strongest parts of the body.

Most forward-facing seats support children from about 25 pounds up to 65 pounds. Many children can remain in a harnessed seat until age 6 or 7, depending on growth rate. When possible, keeping a child in a harnessed seat longer provides better protection than moving to a booster seat.

To check harness tightness, use the pinch test: if you can pinch any excess harness webbing between your fingers at the child's collarbone, the harness needs to be tightened. The chest clip should sit at armpit level. Always use the top tether strap to anchor the seat to the vehicle.

Booster Seat Requirements in Michigan

The updated law requires children ages 5 to 7 to ride in a belt-positioning booster seat with a lap and shoulder belt until they are 4 feet 9 inches tall or 8 years old. The child transitions out of the booster when he or she meets the height requirement or the age requirement, whichever comes first.

A booster seat lifts the child so the vehicle's seat belt fits correctly. Proper belt positioning means the following.

• The lap belt sits low and snug across the upper thighs, not across the stomach.
• The shoulder belt crosses the center of the chest and shoulder, not the neck or face.

Two types of booster seats serve different needs.

High-back boosters provide head and neck support and work well in vehicles without adjustable headrests.

Backless boosters are lightweight and portable but should only be used in vehicles with headrests that reach at least the top of the child's ears.

Both types require a lap and shoulder belt. Never use a lap-only belt with a booster seat.

The Seat Belt Fit Test

Before moving a child from a booster seat to a seat belt alone, check the following.

1. The child sits all the way back against the vehicle seat.
2. The knees bend comfortably at the edge of the seat.
3. The lap belt sits low across the upper thighs.
4. The shoulder belt crosses the chest and shoulder properly.
5. The child can maintain this position for the entire trip without slouching.

Even if a child has reached 4 feet 9 inches or turned 8, continue using a booster seat if the seat belt does not fit correctly.

Back Seat Requirements for Children in Michigan

One of the most significant changes in Michigan's 2025 update is the expanded back seat requirement. Under the new law, all children under 13 years old must ride in the rear seat of a vehicle when one is available.

Previously, only children under 4 were required to ride in the back seat. The new rule recognizes that the back seat is the safest position for all children, not just those in car seats.

Exception: If all available rear seats are occupied by children, then a child may ride in the front seat with a proper restraint. A child in a rear-facing car seat may ride in the front only if the front passenger airbag is deactivated.

Seat Belt Requirements for Older Children and Teens

Michigan law requires all children under 16 to wear a seat belt in any seating position. For passengers 16 and older, seat belts are required in the front seat.

Drivers are responsible for making sure every passenger under 16 is properly buckled. This applies to both the front and back seats.

Penalties for Car Seat Violations in Michigan

Under MCL 257.710d and MCL 257.907, the civil fine for a child restraint violation must not exceed $10. However, with court costs and fees, the total cost of a violation typically comes to approximately $120.

The 2025 update introduced a new fine waiver provision. The court may waive the civil fine, costs, and assessments if the driver provides evidence that he or she has acquired a qualifying child seating system and received education from a certified Child Passenger Safety (CPS) technician.

Exemptions to Michigan Car Seat Laws

Michigan provides the following exemptions to its child restraint requirements.

Taxis and ride-for-hire vehicles are exempt from Michigan's car seat laws. However, parents should bring a car seat whenever practical.

Emergency vehicles are exempt when transporting children in emergency situations.

Medical exemptions apply to children with physical conditions that prevent the use of standard restraints. A physician must certify the condition.

Leaving a Child Unattended in a Vehicle

Michigan law (MCL 750.135a) makes it illegal to leave a child under 6 years old unattended in a vehicle if doing so exposes the child to danger. A first violation with no injury is a misdemeanor (up to 93 days and a $500 fine), rising to a misdemeanor with up to 1 year and a $1,000 fine if the child suffers physical harm, and to a felony if the child is seriously harmed (up to 10 years and a $5,000 fine) or dies (up to 15 years and a $10,000 fine).

Even when the law may not technically apply (for example, with older children), it is never safe to leave a child alone in a vehicle. Vehicle interiors can reach dangerous temperatures within minutes.

Smoking in a Vehicle with Children

Michigan does not have a law that prohibits smoking in a vehicle when children are present. While it is legal, medical professionals strongly advise against exposing children to secondhand smoke in the enclosed space of a vehicle.

Car Seat Inspection and Replacement

Michigan does not require car seat replacement by law. However, the Michigan OHSP recommends against using any car seat that has been recalled, involved in a crash, is damaged or incomplete, lacks a model number or manufacture date, or has expired.

NHTSA recommends replacing car seats after any moderate or severe crash. Car seats typically expire 6 to 10 years after the date of manufacture.

The Michigan State Police and local fire departments offer free car seat inspections. Certified CPS technicians can check installation, verify the seat is appropriate for the child, and check for recalls. Find an inspection station at nhtsa.gov.

More Michigan Laws

• Michigan Car Accident Laws