What Age or Weight Can a Child Use a Booster Seat?

What age or weight can a child use a booster seat? According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), children should ride in child safety seats or "car seats" in the car until they can no longer fit in them, at which time they can be graduated to booster seats.

The CDC does not advise a specific age or weight at which a child can use a booster seat. Instead, they suggest a child should begin using a booster seat when he reaches the weight limit for his car seat or when the child's ears are level with the back of the car seat.

The specific age or weight at which this will occur will vary entirely based on the manufacturer and style of safety seat you use, as well as the size of your child.

• Most forward-facing safety seats are designed to accommodate children up to a weight of 40 or 60 pounds. When the child reaches that size it’s probably time to switch to a booster seat.
• The child should use the forward-facing safety seat until he or she is too large for it, at which time they can graduate to a booster seat.

When Is Child Too Large for a Car Seat

Since there is no specific age or weight when your child should use a booster seat, how do you tell if the child is too large for the car seat and ready for a booster?

• If the child is uncomfortable or literally no longer fits in the seat, you’ve probably waited more than long enough.
• Move up to the booster seat when the child’s ears are level with the back of the safety seat, and when their shoulders are higher than the place where the top straps are attached.
• Check the restriction information on the booster seat you plan to use. Many of them are designed for children 40 pounds and up, or something similar to that weight.

In other words, they are designed to pick up where most forward-facing safety seats leave off.  Ideally your child can graduate smoothly from one type of seat to the other.

Height and Weight Limits of a Booster Seat

So, once you've determined what age and weight your child needs to be at to graduate to a booster seat, how do you determine when he is done with the booster seat as well? Determining when it’s time to move on from the booster seat  is largely based on some more common-sense judgment calls.

• The booster seat is designed to be used until the child is at least 58 inches tall, with a sitting height of 29 inches (height of head when seated), and/or when he or she weighs at least 80 pounds.
• This typically occurs around age 10, although it varies by child, sometimes drastically.
• The child should be able to sit with his back against the car seat back, and his knees bent comfortably and naturally over the edge.

At this point, he’s ready to sit in the regular seat and use the lap and shoulder belts, provided they fit comfortably and safely.