Car seat laws in Australia

What car seat does my child need?

There are laws in each Australian state and territory that regulate which car seat you need for your child from birth to 16 years (CREP nda, NRA and Kidsafe Australia 2013):

Up to six months: Your baby must be restrained in an approved rearward-facing child car seat, such as an infant capsule or a convertible car seat specially designed for babies.

From six months to four years old: Your child must be in either an approved rearward-facing or forward-facing child car seat.

From four to seven years old or older: Your child must be in either an approved forward-facing child car seat with an inbuilt harness, or a booster seat restrained by a correctly adjusted and fastened adult lap-sash seatbelt or an approved safety harness.

Once your child is 145cm or taller: Your child may use an adult lap-sash seatbelt, properly adjusted and fastened. Although it's legal for children to stop using a booster seat once they're seven years old, safety experts strongly recommend that children between seven and 16 years old who are less than 145cm tall continue to use an approved booster seat.

You can check with the road authority in your state or territory for more information.

When can my child be forward-facing in a seat?

It’s the law that your baby must stay rearward-facing until she’s at least six months old. But many experts recommend that it’s safest for you to keep your baby rearward-facing as long as possible.

Read more about when to move your baby to a forward-facing position.

When can my child sit in the front seat?

The back seat of the car is the safest place for all children to sit. Until your child turns four, she must be in an appropriate car seat in the back seat of the car, if your car has two or more rows of seats (CREP nda).

Between the ages of four and seven years, your child musn’t sit in the front seat unless all the other seating positions in the car are taken by children under seven years old in suitable child restraints or booster seats (CREP nda, NRA and Kidsafe Australia 2013).

Read more about when it’s safe for your child to be in the front seat.

What if my child doesn't fit in the seat that's required for her age?

The majority of children will fit in the seat that’s legally appropriate for their age group, as described above. If your child is too tall to fit in the car seat that’s designated for her age, she’s allowed to sit in the next age category.

Make sure that your baby, toddler or child is in a seat that’s safely adjusted to give her the most protection (CREP nda, NRA and Kidsafe Australia 2013).

Does my child need a car seat in a taxi or bus?

For buses, no. A bus of 12 seats or more is exempt from rules about child restraints (CREP ndb). The rules still apply, though, for buses with fewer than 12 seats.

For taxis, the rules vary across states and territories, so it’s best to check the local laws before you travel (CREP ndb). In some states and territories, taxi drivers don’t have to provide a child car seat, but must have an anchor point so a child car seat can be fitted. In other states and territories, taxi drivers must ensure that children under 16 are properly restrained.

Road safety experts recommend you bring your own suitable child restraint and fit it properly into the bus or taxi to ensure your child is kept as safe as possible if there’s an accident (CREP ndb, NRA and Kidsafe Australia 2013). Many taxis carry approved child car seats, so request one when you book, if you don’t have your own car seat with you.

Check out our handy hints for fitting a car seat properly.

How do I know if a car seat is approved?

To be an approved child restraint, a car seat or booster must be labelled with an Australian Standards sticker for the standard AS/NZS 1754 (CREP ndb, PSA nd). It’s one of the most stringent child restraint standards in the world.

All car restraints sold in Australia must comply with the standards that cover materials, design, construction, performance, testing and labelling.

Car seats bought overseas don’t comply with the Australian standard, so it’s illegal to use them in Australia (CREP ndb, NRA and Kidsafe Australia 2013).

Are you getting it right? Common car seat mistakes parents make.

Can I use an ISOFIX-compatible car seat in Australia?

ISOFIX-compatible child restraints are available for sale in Australia. These are seats that can click directly into your car, and are popular in Europe and America.

Only ISOFIX seats that meet Australian standards are legally allowed here, which means using restraints bought overseas is illegal.

Find out more about ISOFIX-compatible child restraints.

More information about car seat laws in Australia

Find out about the specific laws on child restraints in your state or territory by visiting your local roads and traffic authority website.

For the latest information about safety ratings for car restraints in Australia, check out Child Car Seats, a website devoted to improving safety for children travelling in vehicles. It includes more details on national guidelines and Australian standards for car seats. You can also see how the car seat you’re considering buying rates against others in the market.

Also check out:

• how to fit a car seat safely
• when to move your child out of his capsule
• when you can move him into a forward-facing seat
• when he’s ready for a booster seat