On this page you’ll find links to trusted local and national resources for Maine car seat laws. Here, everyone in the car must buckle up. The child passenger safety laws in Maine have age AND weight requirements for kids under 8 years old. Kids over 8 must meet the 4′-9″ height requirement to use only an adult seatbelt. To ride in the front seat safely, kids must be 12 years old and weigh at least 100 pounds.
Babies under 2 years old need to be in a rear facing car seat until they max out the weight or height limit. At that point they need to ride in a front facing car seat with a 5-point harness. This also applies to children over 2 years old but under 55 pounds.
Children under 8 years old, who are also less than 80 pounds and 4′-9″ tall are required to ride in either a front facing car seat or a booster seat that is appropriate for their height and weight.
Children thru age 11 must ride in the back seat. Children under 18 must wear a seat belt.
In Maine, the driver of the vehicle is responsible for properly securing children. Fines range from $50 to $250 for each offense.
For more information, click on the links below.
State Resources for Maine Car Seat Laws
Maine Legislature – Title 29-A. These are the Maine Car Seat Laws and seatbelt laws.
Maine Department of Public Safety
Tall Pines Safety – A calendar of SafeKids Maine car seat check events.
National Resources for Maine Car Seat Laws
nhtsa.gov – U.S. Department of Transportation / National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website
iihs.org – Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, child safety page