Legal requirements

Correct child car seats for children's age and size

All children must be safely fastened in the correct child car seat for their age and size. A child who is properly secured in an approved child car seat is less likely to be injured or killed in a car crash than one who is not.

Up to 6 months

Approved rear facing child car seat.

Up to 30 months

Approved rear facing child car seat recommended.

6 months to 4 years

Approved rear or forward facing child car seat.

4+ years

Approved forward facing child car seat or booster seat.

145cm or taller

Recommended minimum height to use adult lap-sash seatbelt.

National child restraint laws

Children up to the age of six months must be secured in a suitable and properly fastened and adjusted approved rearward facing restraint
Children aged from six months old but under four years old must be secured in either a suitable and properly fastened and adjusted rear or forward facing approved child restraint with an inbuilt harness
Children under four years old cannot travel in the front seat of a vehicle with two or more rows
Children aged from four years old but under seven years old must be secured in a suitable and properly fastened and adjusted forward facing approved child restraint with an inbuilt harness or an approved booster seat
Children aged from four years old but under seven years old cannot travel in the front seat of a vehicle with two or more rows, unless all other back seats are occupied by children younger than seven years in an approved child restraint or booster seat
Children aged from seven years old but under 16 years old who are too small to be restrained by a seatbelt properly adjusted and fastened are strongly recommended to use either a forward-facing seat with an in-built harness for older children, an approved booster seat, or an approved child safety harness in conjunction with the vehicle’s seatbelt
Children in booster seats must be restrained by a suitable lap and sash type approved seatbelt that is properly adjusted and fastened, or by a suitable approved child safety harness that is properly adjusted and fastened.

If your child is too small for the child restraint specified for their age, they should be kept in their current child restraint until it is safe for them to move to the next level.

If your child is too large for the child restraint specified for their age, they may move to the next level of child restraint.

For more information, see When can I move my child to the next type of car seat?