Driving Through Vermont? Know The Booster Seat Laws (2024)
The state of Vermont requires all children under 8 years old to be secured in a child restraint system of some kind.
Children under the age of 1 and who weigh less than 20 pounds must be secured in rear-facing car seats.
But children age 1 and older who weigh more than 20 pounds may be secured in either a car seat (with internal harness) or booster seat as soon as they meet the minimum requirements for the seat.
Booster Seat Requirements Vermont
Children must ride in a booster seat in Vermont until they reach ONE of the following requirements:
- Booster Seat Age: 8 years
- Booster Seat Weight: unspecified
- Booster Seat Height: unspecified
Once a child reaches 8 years old, the child may legally transition to a regular seatbelt.
However, it is recommended a child ride in a booster seat until the child reaches the safe seatbelt height of 4’9″.
Where can I get my booster seat checked or installed in Vermont?
The Vermont Department of Health’s Be Seat Smart program maintains a list of Child Safety Seat Inspection Stations in the state.
These inspection stations are based out of police departments, rescue departments, health departments, and family centers.
Each inspection station has a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician on staff who can help you with booster seat installation (or check your installation) by appointment.
To find the inspection station nearest you, see the list of stations by county on the Be Seat Smart page.
General Booster Seat Laws FAQ
Are booster seats effective?
Yes. Very.
According to the CDC, “booster seat use reduces the risk for serious injury by 45% for children age 4-8, when compared with seat belt use alone.”
When can a child use a booster seat?
A child can use a booster seat when she outgrows her forward-facing car seat with a harness.
Though the laws on front-facing car seats and booster seats differ by state, for safety’s sake your child should stay in a front-facing (harnessed) child seat until he reaches the maximum height or weight on the seat.
When can a kid stop using a booster seat?
The minimum safe height for use of a regular seat belt without a booster seat is 4’9”.
Due to this, it is recommended your child ride in a booster seat until they are at least 4’9” tall, regardless of their age.
Not all state laws support this.
Many states have minimum ages at which children may transition to regular seatbelts, no matter how tall they are.
But if you want your child to be the safest they can be on the road, you should keep them in a booster seat until they reach 4’9”.
What is the booster seat weight limit?
Different booster seats have different weight limits, typically 100-120 pounds.
But weight isn’t the main determiner of when a child should move from a booster seat to a seat belt.
Height is more important to a seat belt’s fit.
That said, your child should never ride in a booster seat once they exceed the weight limit.
The seats are designed to be safe only for those under the maximum weight.
So, if your child has outgrown the weight limit on their booster, upgrade them to a booster with a higher weight limit or make the transition to a regular seatbelt.
What’s the best booster seat?
The best booster seat is the one that will do the most effective job of keeping your child safe in the event of an accident.
According to Consumer Reports, the top-performing booster seats on the market (as of July 2022) are:
Nuna AACE
Buy at:
Graco Turbobooster Grow
Buy at:
Peg Perego Viaggio Shuttle Plus 120
Buy at:
But you don’t have to buy a separate booster seat if you have a convertible car seat.
For convertible toddler-booster seats and all-in-one car seats with booster functionality, see our car seat buying guide Which Car Seat To Buy: Making Sure Your Little Ones Stay Safe On The Road.
When were booster seats invented?
The very first child seats for cars were more booster seats than car seats.
They were literally designed to “boost” children up so they could see better (and so parents could see them), but they had no built-in safety features.
Booster seats as we know them today, with their focus on transitional safety between car seats and seatbelts, have only been around since the late-1990s to early 2000s when laws requiring them started being implemented.
When did booster seats become mandatory?
Booster seats are not mandatory in all states.
Some states have younger minimum ages and no height requirements for transitioning children from child seats to seatbelts.
In those states, children can typically move directly from forward-facing car seats to regular seatbelts.
As for the states that do have mandatory booster laws, the first laws (Tennessee and South Carolina) went into effect in 2001.
Bridging the Gap Between Car Seats and Seatbelts
Car seats are designed to protect the smallest of children, while seatbelts are only safe for children over a certain height (4’9”).
Booster seats bridge the gap between the two.
While Vermont doesn’t require children over 8 years old to be secured in a booster seat, we recommend following expert guidelines and keeping your kid in a booster until they reach the safe seatbelt height of 4’9″.
And, before that, follow the state’s car seat laws.
For more on Vermont’s car seat laws, see Vermont Car Seat Laws.
And for more on child passenger safety in Vermont, see Vermont Front Seat Law.
