Editor’s note: This article was updated in 2022 to link to a more appropriate section of the relevant statute and to provide important information from the Tennessee Department of Public Safety.
The Tennessee Child Restraint Law states that a child up to one year old or weighing up to twenty pounds must use a rear-facing child passenger restraint system in a rear seat, if available. A child between one and three years old and weighing more than twenty pounds must use a forward-facing child passenger restraint system in a rear seat, if available. A child between the ages of four and eight years old and under 4’9” tall must use a belt-positioning booster seat system in a rear seat, if available. A child between the ages of nine and twelve years old, or up to twelve years old and 4’9” or taller, must use a seat belt system. A child between the ages of thirteen and fifteen years old must use a passenger restraint system, including a safety belt.
Babies and Children Up to One Year Old or Weighing Twenty Pounds or Less
A child up to one year old or weighing twenty pounds or less must properly use a rear-facing child passenger restraint system meeting federal motor vehicle safety standards in a rear seat if available or according to the child safety restraint system or vehicle’s manufacturer’s instructions when being transported in a motor vehicle upon Tennessee’s roads, streets, or highways.
The Tennessee Department of Public Safety states that children riding in child safety car seats with a higher rear-facing weight rating, which is usually thirty or thirty-five pounds, can continue to ride in a rear-facing position until the child outgrows the weight rating.
Children One to Three Years Old and Weighing More Than Twenty Pounds
A child between the ages of one and three years old and weighing more than twenty pounds must properly use a forward-facing child passenger restraint system meeting federal motor vehicle safety standards in a rear seat if available or according to the child safety restraint system or vehicle’s manufacturer’s instructions when being transported in a motor vehicle upon Tennessee’s roads, streets, or highways.
Children Four to Eight Years Old and Under 4’9” Tall
A child between the ages of four and eight years old and under 4’9” tall must properly use a belt-positioning booster seat system meeting federal motor vehicle safety standards in a rear seat if available or according to the child safety restraint system or vehicle’s manufacturer’s instructions when being transported in a passenger motor vehicle upon Tennessee’s roads, streets, or highways.
The Tennessee Department of Public Safety recommends that children that aren’t between the ages of four and eight but are still under 4’9″ tall must still use a seat belt system that meets federal motor vehicle safety standards.
Children Nine to Twelve Years Old or Up to Twelve Years Old and 4’9” or Taller
A child between the ages of nine and twelve years old, or up to twelve years old and 4’9” or taller, must properly use a seat belt system meeting federal motor vehicle safety standards when being transported in a passenger motor vehicle upon Tennessee’s roads, streets, or highways. It is recommended that the child be placed in a rear seat if available.
The Tennessee Department of Public Safety recommends that children that aren’t between the ages of nine and twelve but are still 4’9″ or taller must still use a seat belt system that meets federal motor vehicle safety standards.
Children Thirteen to Fifteen Years Old
A child between the ages of thirteen and fifteen years old must properly use a passenger restraint system, including a safety belt, meeting federal motor vehicle safety standards when being transported in a passenger motor vehicle upon Tennessee’s roads, streets, or highways. It is recommended that the child be placed in a rear seat if available.
Penalties for Violations
For a violation of Tennessee’s child passenger restraint systems law involving a child under sixteen years old, which is a Class C misdemeanor, you may be sentenced to up to thirty days in jail, fined up to $50.00, or both. For a first offense, you may be required to pay for and attend a court-approved class on the hazards of not properly transporting children in motor vehicles in addition to, or as a substitute for, jail time and a fine.
For a violation of Tennessee’s child passenger restraint systems law involving a child between nine and fifteen years old, you may pay a fine of $50.00 instead of appearing in court. You may be issued one citation for a violation per vehicle per occasion.
Exemptions
Your child may be exempt from Tennessee’s child passenger restraint systems law if he or she cannot be safely transported in a conventional child passenger restraint system. Children required to ride in a child passenger restraint system by law cannot be transported in a vehicle with only a seat belt (a shoulder belt or a lap belt) without using another child passenger restraint system. Children may ride in a specially modified, professionally manufactured restraint system that meets the purpose of the Tennessee Child Restraint Law. The driver transporting the passenger using the modified child passenger restraint system must carry in the vehicle a prescription signed by a physician authorizing the professional manufacture of the specially modified child passenger restraint system. The driver must show a copy of the prescription to the arresting officer or the court.
FAQ
What are the child booster seat laws in Tennessee?
Tennessee car seat laws state that children between four and eight years old who are less than 4’9” tall must ride in a belt-positioning booster seat system in a rear seat (if available) when they are transported in a passenger vehicle on roads, streets, or highways in Tennessee. The booster seat must meet federal motor vehicle safety standards and follow the child safety restraint system’s instructions or the vehicle manufacturer’s instructions.
Do Tennessee child car seat laws say when I can switch my child from a rear-facing to a forward-facing car seat?
Rear facing car seat laws in TN state that children less than a year old or children who weigh 20 pounds or less must be transported in a rear-facing child passenger restraint system. Children who are between one year old and three years old who weigh more than twenty pounds must ride a forward-facing child passenger restraint system.
The Department of Public Safety recommends that if your rear-facing child passenger restraint system has a higher weight rating, such as 30 or 35 pounds, your child can safety ride in the rear-facing position as long as your child falls within the manufacturer’s weight rating.
When can a child sit in the front seat in TN?
The Tennessee Child Restraint Law does not provide details on when children can ride in the front seat. However, the law does state that children under 13 should always ride in a child passenger restraint system or use a seat belt in the back seat if it is available. The law does not state if children between 13 and 15 years old need to ride in the back seat.
* Ms. Blake is licensed in the state of Maryland. The information provided in this article does not constitute legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship.
