In the U.S., child car seats must meet NHTSA Federal Safety Standards.
If your seat meets this standard, bring it! It’s free on the plane and your child will be as comfortable as at home.
Child car seats with an ISOFIX or LATCH system are authorized by car rental companies and the government.
If your seat does not have a LATCH/ISOFIX system or it is not certified FMVSS, you will not be covered by the rental company's basic insurance or additional insurance options.
In that case, you will need to rent a car seat with your vehicle. This option will be payable in advance or at the rental office, depending on the rental company.
Note that not all rental companies offer this option.
U.S. regulations by state
Children with a seated height under 63 centimetres or 8 years of age and under must be secured in a child seat or a booster seat appropriate for the child's height and weight. The child seat or booster must be installed in the back seat. For young babies, the seat must face the back of the seat. The following table provides a summary (not an exhaustive list).
| STATE | LAW | AGE | WEIGHT/HEIGHT |
| Arizona | yes | 8 | 150 cm |
| California | yes | 8 | 18 kg / 150 cm |
| Colorado | yes | 8 | 18 kg |
| District of Columbia | yes | 3 | N/A |
| Florida | yes | 5 | N/A |
| Maine | yes | 8 | 36 kg |
| Massachusetts | yes | 8 | 18 kg |
| Nevada | yes | 6 | 27 kg |
| New Hampshire | yes | 7 | 150 cm |
| New York | yes | 8 | N/A |
| Pennsylvania | yes | 8 | 36 kg |
| Rhode Island | yes | 8 | 36 kg / 150 cm |
| Utah | yes | 8 | 150 cm |
| Vermont | yes | 8 | N/A |
| Wyoming | yes | 8 | N/A |
For more information about different car seats and the regulations in effect, we invite you to consult the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website.
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