Seat Belt Laws By State

Alabama

In Alabama, the seat belt laws state that everyone must wear a seatbelt while driving in a motor vehicle. Whether the passengers are in the front or back doesn't matter. The old law stated that only minors needed to be buckled in the back seats of a vehicle, but they have recently changed to require everyone to wear a seatbelt.

Alaska

In Alaska, seatbelt laws state that every vehicle passenger must wear a seatbelt. The driver is legally responsible for anyone under 16, and anyone over 16 is responsible for themselves. All child safety and restraint laws must be met as well.

Arizona

According to Arizona state law, any passenger under 16 must wear a seat belt in any area of the vehicle. Passengers over 16 are only required to wear a belt up front. Passengers under 16 are the driver's responsibility and are responsible for their own safety when over 16.

Arkansas

In Arkansas, all front passengers must be buckled. Anyone under 15 years old must be buckled properly. Anyone under six years old or under 50 pounds must be in a child safety seat.

California

In California, every passenger must wear a seatbelt no matter where they sit. Any child under nine years of age or 4'9" tall must also be secured in the proper child safety seat.

Colorado

Colorado requires all minors under 18 years old to wear a seatbelt in all positions of a vehicle. Everyone must wear a seatbelt up front, but adults can skip the seatbelt in the back seat without a legal penalty.

Connecticut

In Connecticut, all vehicle passengers must wear seatbelts wherever they ride.

Delaware

The seatbelt laws in Delaware state that anyone in a moving vehicle must wear a seatbelt, front or back.

Washington DC

Washington, D.C. has backseat seatbelt laws and requires everyone to wear a seat belt at all times, regardless of their age or position in the vehicle.

Florida

In Florida, seat belts are required by every passenger in a vehicle unless a doctor's note states otherwise.

Georgia

In Georgia, everyone under 18 must wear a seatbelt no matter what. Passengers under eight must be in the proper child safety seat. If you are over 18, you can avoid seatbelts in the rear seats but must wear them up front.

Hawaii

Hawaii is another state with a backseat seatbelt law. Everyone must buckle at all times, no matter their age or seat in a vehicle, and children must be in the appropriate child safety seats.

Idaho

Everyone is required to wear a seatbelt at all times. Adults over 18 will receive an individual ticket, and the driver will be ticketed for anyone under 18.

Illinois

Everyone must be buckled at all times. Children under eight must be in special child safety restraints.

Indiana

All riders must wear seatbelts. The driver is responsible for anyone under 16, and everyone over 16 is responsible for themselves.

Iowa

Everyone under 18 must wear a seatbelt in all areas of a vehicle. If you are over 18, seat belts are not required in the back seats.

Kansas

In Kansas, seatbelts are required at all times by anyone under 18. Passengers under 14 are the driver's responsibility and can be ticketed themselves if they are over 14. Passengers over 18 aren't required to buckle in the rear seats.

Kentucky

Everyone must wear a seatbelt regardless of age or location in the vehicle. Passengers who are 12 and under should remain in the vehicle's rear seats.

Louisiana

Everyone in a moving vehicle must be buckled at all times.

Maine

All riders must buckle up, and those under 12 should remain in the back of the vehicle.

Maryland

All passengers must wear seatbelts in all the seats in Maryland.

Massachusetts

Every rider must wear a seatbelt regardless of where they sit.

Minnesota

Everyone must buckle up in all positions in a vehicle. Children must be in proper child restraints.

Mississippi

All vehicle passengers and drivers must wear a seatbelt in all locations.

Missouri

Everyone must have a seatbelt on. Passengers under 16 are the driver's responsibility, and everyone else is responsible for themselves.

Montana

Everyone needs to have a seatbelt on in all positions.

Nebraska

Minors under 18 must wear a seatbelt in all positions, and adults over 18 must wear seatbelts in the front of the vehicle.

Nevada

Each passenger in a vehicle must wear a seat belt at all times while moving.

New Hampshire

Children under 18 must remain buckled at all times, but no adult seat belt laws exist.

New Jersey

Each person in a moving vehicle must be buckled at all times.

New Mexico

Everyone in a moving vehicle must be properly buckled.

New York

Every rider must be buckled properly regardless of their seat position.

North Carolina

Everyone under 16 must wear a seat belt in all positions. Riders over 16 may avoid seat belts in the back seat legally.

North Dakota

Everyone under 18 must wear a seat belt in all positions. Adults 18 and over aren't required to buckle in the back seat by law.

Ohio

Everyone under 15 is required by law to wear a seatbelt in all vehicle positions. When over 15, rear seat buckling isn't legally required.

Oklahoma

In Oklahoma, any child under eight must be buckled in every position in a vehicle. Everyone must be buckled in the front seats, but anyone 9 and over isn't legally required to buckle in the rear seats.

Oregon

All passengers in a moving vehicle must be buckled at all times.

Pennsylvania

Everyone younger than 18 must wear a seat belt in all positions. Passengers over 18 aren't legally required to buckle up in the back seats.

Rhode Island

Seat belts must be worn in every seat position of a vehicle in Rhode Island. Passengers under the age of eight must be in the proper child restraint.

South Carolina

Everyone in a vehicle must wear a seat belt when it's moving. Adults in the back seats are not exempt.

South Dakota

In South Dakota, any passenger under 18 must wear a seat belt in all seat positions. Adults 18 and older are not required to wear a belt in the back seats by law.

Tennessee

All passengers in all positions must wear seat belts.

Texas

All passengers must wear seat belts in moving vehicles at all times. Children under eight must be in child safety seats.

Utah

Children under eight must wear proper child restraints. Everyone in a vehicle, front or back,

must wear a seat belt at all times.

Vermont

All passengers and the driver must be buckled at all times, front and back.

Virginia

All drivers under 18 must be buckled in all positions. Adults over 18 can be unbuckled in the back without being in violation of the law.

Washington

Every rider must wear a seat belt, and children under 13 should sit in the back. Children under eight require child safety restraints.

West Virginia

Adults 18 and over don't need seatbelts in the back seats by law. Everyone else must wear seat belts in all positions.

Wisconsin

Everyone in a moving motor vehicle must wear a safety belt.

Wyoming

All the passengers and the driver must wear a seat belt in any position while moving.

Nearly all the states with seat belt laws have slightly different requirements for their residents. You should take time to learn the specifics of your state and the states you travel through to avoid any problems while driving.