Seat Belt Laws in the USA
Everyone would agree that protecting lives with seat belts is at least as important as a broken tail light or littering. Yet, while virtually every state has primary laws that allow law enforcement officers to stop and ticket a violator for having a broken tail light or for tossing trash out the window, not all states have primary laws for seat belt use.
Failure to buckle up contributes to more fatalities than any other single traffic safety-related behavior. Despite terrible traffic problems such as aggressive driving, increasing seat belt use is still the single most effective thing we can do to save lives and reduce injuries on our roadways.
The information present in this article and following table should only be used as a guide.
Specific questions should be directed to a qualified attorney licensed in your state. Nothing in this summary should be construed as legal advice.
Seat Belt Laws by State
Click on the name of the state to access relevant statutory authority.
State |
Required |
Primary or |
Authority |
Yes, required for those 15 and older in the front seat. |
Primary |
Alabama Code §32-5B-4. |
|
Yes, required for those 16 and older in all seats. |
Primary |
Alaska 28 A.A.C. 05.095. |
|
Yes, required for all in the front seat, and those under the age of 16 in other seats. |
Secondary |
Arizona Revised Statute §28-909. |
|
Yes, required for front seat passengers. |
Secondary |
Arkansas Code §27-37-707. |
|
Yes, required for those passengers 16 and older in all seats. |
Primary |
California Vehicle Code, Division 12, Chapter 5, Article 3, Section 27315. |
|
Yes, required for the driver and front seat passengers. |
Secondary |
Colorado Revised Statute §42-4-237. |
|
Yes, required for front seat passengers 7 and older. |
Primary |
Connecticut C.G.S. Title 14, Chapter 246, §14-100a. |
|
Yes, required for those 16 and older in all seats. |
Primary |
Delaware Code Title 21, Chapter 48, Subchapter XI, §4802. |
|
District of Columbia |
Yes, required for those 16 and older in all seats. |
Primary |
|
Yes, required for those under 18 for all seats. Also required for passengers in the front seat over 18. |
Secondary |
Florida Statute Title XXIII §316.614. |
|
Yes, required for those 6-17 in all seats. Also required for those in the front seat over 18. |
Primary |
Georgia Code Title 40, Chapter 8, Article 1, §40-8-76. |
|
Yes, required for those 8-17 in all seats. Also required for those in the front seat over 15. |
Primary |
Hawaii H.R.S. Volume 5, Chapter 291, Part IV, § 291-11.6. |
|
Yes, required for all passengers over the age of 7. |
Secondary |
Idaho Statutes Title 49, Chapter 6, § 49-666. |
|
Illinois |
Yes, required for those over 16 in the front seat. Also, if the driver is younger than 18, all other passengers under 18 must wear seat belts. |
Primary |
|
Yes, required for those 16 and older in all seats. |
Primary |
Indiana Code Title 9, Article 19, Chapter 7, § 9-19-7-1. |
|
Iowa |
Yes, required for those 11 and older in all seats |
Primary |
|
Yes, required for those 14-17 in all seats. Also required for those over 18 for front seats. |
Secondary |
Kansas Statute Chapter 8, Article 15, § 8-1598. |
|
Yes, required for all seats if person is more than 40 inches tall. |
Primary |
Kentucky K.R.S. Title XVI, Chapter 189, § 285. |
|
Yes, 13+ years in front seat. |
Primary |
Louisiana Statute Title 32, Chapter 1, Part IV, Subpart G, § 190. |
|
Yes, children under the age of 8 must be in child restraint system; all others must be in seatbelt. |
Primary, effective 04/2008 |
Maine M.R.S. Title 29-A, Chapter 19, Subchapter I, § 2081. |
|
Yes, required for those 16 and older for front seats. |
Primary |
Maryland Code Transportation Section, Title 21, Subtitle 13, § 21-1306. |
|
Yes, required for those 12 and older in all seats. |
Secondary |
General Laws of Massachusetts Part I, Title XIV, Chapter 90, § 7. |
|
Yes, required for those over 4 in the front seat. Also required for those 4-15 in all seats. |
Primary |
Michigan Compiled Laws Chapter VI, § 257.658. |
|
Yes, required for all in the front seat. Also required in the back seat for those 3-10. |
Secondary |
Minnesota Statute Chapter 169, § 169.974. |
|
Yes, required for those 4-7 in all seats. Also required for those 8 and older for front seats. |
Primary |
Mississippi Code Title 63, Chapter 7, § 63-7-64. |
|
Yes, required for those 16 and older for front seats. |
Secondary |
Missouri M.R.S. Title XIX, Chapter 302, § 302.020. |
|
Yes, required for those 6 and older in all seats. |
Secondary |
Montana Code Annotated Title 61, Chapter 9, Part 4, § 61-9-417. |
|
Yes, required for those 18 and older for front seats. |
Secondary |
Nebraska Statutes Chapter 60, Article 6, § 60-6, 279. |
|
Yes, required for those 6 and older in all seats. |
Secondary |
Nevada N.R.S. Title 43, Chapter 486, § 486.231. |
|
New Hampshire |
Not required |
|
|
Yes, required for those 7 and younger and ore than 80 pounds, 8-17 in all seats, and 18 and over for the front seats. |
Primary |
New Jersey Statutes Title 39, Subtitle 1, Chapter 3, Article 3, § 39:3-76.7. |
|
Yes, required for those 18 and over in all seats. |
Primary |
New Mexico Statutes Chapter 66, Article 7, Part 4, § 66-7-356. |
|
Yes, required for those 16 and over for front seats. |
Primary |
N.Y. Consolidated Laws Chapter 71, Title III, Article 9, § 381. |
|
Yes, required for those 16 and over in all seats. |
Primary; law is secondary in the rear seats. |
N.C. General Statutes Chapter 20, Article 3, § 20-140.4. |
|
Yes, required for those 18 and over for front seats. |
Secondary |
N.D. Century Code Title 39, Chapter 39-10.2, §39-10.2-06. |
|
Yes, required for those 4-14 in all seats, and 15 and older for front seats. |
Secondary |
Ohio Revised Code Title XLV, Chapter 4511, § 4511.53. |
|
Yes, required for those 13 and older for front seats. |
Primary |
Oklahoma Statutes Title 47, § 47-12-609. |
|
Yes, required for those 16 and over in all seats. |
Primary |
Oregon O.R.S. Volume 17, Title 59, Chapter 814, § 814.269. |
|
Yes, required for those 8-17 in all seats and for those 18 and over for front seats. |
Secondary |
PA 75 Pa. Code Chapter 35 § 3525. |
|
Yes, required for those 13 and over in all seats. |
Secondary |
R.I. General Laws Title 31, Chapter 10.1, § 31-10.1-4. |
|
Yes, required for those over 6 in the front seats and over 6 in the rear seats with a shoulder belt. |
Primary |
S.C. Code of Laws Title 56, Chapter 5, Article 29, § 56-5-3660. |
|
Yes, required for those 18 and older for front seats. |
Secondary |
S.D. Codified Laws Title 32, § 32-20-4. |
|
Yes, required for those 16 and older for front seats. |
Primary |
Tennessee Code Title 55, Chapter 9, Part 3, § 55-9-302 (a). |
|
Yes, required for those 4 and younger and 36 inches or more, required for 5-16 in all seats, and required for those over 17 for front seats. |
Primary |
Texas Statutes Transportation Code Title 7, Subtitle G, Chapter 661, § 661.003. |
|
Yes, required for those 16 and over in all seats. |
Secondary |
Utah Code Title 41, Chapter 6a, § 41-6a-1505. |
|
Yes, required for those 16 and over in all seats. |
Secondary |
Vermont Statutes Title 23, Chapter 13, Subchapter 14, Article 2, § 1256. |
|
Yes, required for those 16 and over for front seats. |
Secondary |
Code of Virginia Title 46.2, Subtitle II, Chapter 8, Article 13, § 46.2-910. |
|
Yes, required for all occupants 16 years and older. |
Primary |
Revised Code of Washington Title 46, Chapter 46.37, § 46.37.530. |
|
Yes, required of all 8 years and older in front seat and 8-17 in all other seats. |
Secondary |
West Virginia Code Chapter 17C, Article 15, § 17C-15-44. |
|
Yes, required of all occupants 8 years of age and older. |
Secondary |
Wisconsin Statutes Chapter 347, § 347.48. |
|
Yes, required of all driver and passenger and all passengers under 12. |
Secondary |
Wyoming Statutes Title 31, Chapter 5, Article 1, § 31-5-1402. |
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