Car Seat Laws Kentucky (2024) – Age, Weight, Height Requirements

According to the Kentucky State Law, children under 8 years old and less than 57 inches in height must be secured in a child restraint system or a booster in accordance with the federal motor vehicle safety standards.

The new Kentucky laws are effective on July 15, 2016.

What is the car seat law in Kentucky?

Kentucky Law Section Code KRS 189.125 (3) (a) (b) says "Any driver of a motor vehicle, when transporting a child of forty (40) inches in height or less in a motor vehicle operated on the roadways, streets, and highways of this state, shall have the child properly secured in a child restraint system [...] or transporting a child under the age of eight (8) years who is between forty (40) inches and fifty-seven (57) inches in height [...] shall have the child properly secured in a child booster seat. ”

Kentucky State Law

Rear-Facing

Kentucky Rear-facing Car Seat Laws

Forward-Facing

Kentucky Forward facing Car Seat Rules

Booster

Kentucky Booster Seat Laws

Front Seat Laws

When can child sit in front seat Kentucky

Car Seats List

Best car seat to meet Kentucky laws

US Car Seat Laws

Seat Laws across the United States

Kentucky Rear-Facing Car Seat Laws

The section of KRS 189.125 3(a) of Kentucky law states the regulations that children less than 40 inches in height shall travel in a proper child restraint system.

The law does not mention any age, weight, or height requirements on rear-facing car seats.

However, according to the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety, you should keep your children in a rear-facing infant seat until they are 20 pounds and 12 months.

It’s best to keep a child in rear-facing as long as possible until they exceed the safety limit of the rear-facing car seats.

Kentucky Forward Facing Car Seat Laws

When can a baby face forward in a car seat in KY?

The Kentucky law does not indicate any age or size requirements on a forward-facing car. The common rule is to use a forward-facing seat once the child outgrows the rear-facing highest weight or height recommended by the car seat manufacturer.

The Kentucky Transportation department answers the question of when can a child go forward-facing and states that one child should be at least one year of age and 20 pounds to ride in a forward-facing car seat.

But it’s best to wait on your child’s second birthday and until they are 30 pounds or more to turn them from rear-facing to front-facing.

What is the Kentucky Law for booster seats?

What is the height and weight of a booster seat in KY?

By law, in Kentucky legislature Regulations Section 189.125 (3) (b), a child shall ride in a booster seat if:

The child has outgrown the rear-facing/forward-facing seat
They are less than 8 years old
They are between 40” to 57” tall

If a child is over 57 inches tall, they are not required by law to ride in a booster seat. The booster should be installed with a lap-shoulder belt.

The height is the deciding factor in the KY booster seat law, it’s best to keep your child in a booster seat until they reach 57 inches, regardless of age, or weight.

Seat Belt Laws for Child in Kentucky

The KY law is not clear on the age, weight, or height requirement for a child to use the vehicle seat belt.

It just says that children are not required to use a booster seat when they are more than 57 inches tall.

That means, children who meet this height requirement are ready to use a seat belt like an adult.

You can also check if the seat belt fits your child properly or not by asking yourself several questions. When your child is sitting all the way back:

Does his or her knees bend comfortably over the edge of the seat?
Does the lap belt stay low across the hips?
Does the shoulder belt across the chest and stay between the neck and shoulder?
Can your child sit like this for the whole trip without slouching?

If the answers to these questions are “Yes”, then your child can get out of the boosters and use a seat belt.

When can a child sit in the front seat in Kentucky?

There is no age mentioned when a child can sit in the front seat in the Kentucky law. However, the Kentucky Department of Transportation says that you should follow the best practice of keeping your child in the back seat until the age of 12.

That’s also a common rule suggested by child safety experts and NHTSA guidelines.

Penalty for Breaking Car Seat Laws in Kentucky

Failure to comply with this law will result in a fine of $50 for not using a child restraint system.

Violating the booster seat law in KY will be fined $30.

The penalty and fine is not the most important thing. It’s a good habit to use an appropriate child restraint system for a child to make sure their safety in a motor vehicle, for EVERY trip. That’s the most important job to be a reliable parent.

Kentucky Car Seat Laws Apply for

The drivers are responsible for securing a child in a proper child safety seat.

Exceptions

The KY law rules do not apply for the below cases, according to Section 189.125 (1):

(a) Motorcycles;
(b) Motor-driven cycles; or
(c) Farm trucks registered for agricultural use only and having a gross weight of
one (1) ton or more.

Section 189.125 (6) in the KY law says another two exceptions on wearing a seat belt:
(a) A person for medical or physical reasons, or
(b) Postal service officers in a motor vehicle while engaged in the performance of their duties.