California’s car seat laws for Uber are the same as the car seat laws for any other vehicle on the road. There is no rideshare exemption. If your child needs a rear-facing seat, a forward-facing harness, or a booster in your own car, they need the same restraint in an Uber, and the responsibility for providing it falls on you as the rider.
Who Gets the Ticket in an Uber
When a parent or legal guardian is in the vehicle with the child, the citation goes to the parent, not the driver. Since most Uber trips with a child include the parent, the legal risk sits with you. If the parent isn’t present, the driver gets the ticket instead. Drivers know this, which is why many will cancel a trip the moment they see a young child without a proper seat: accepting the ride can still expose them to liability, and a traffic conviction can affect their standing with the platform, since rideshare companies periodically review driving records.
Uber’s own community guidelines place the responsibility for supplying and installing a car seat on the rider. Drivers are not required to carry one, and they can cancel without penalty if a child arrives without the correct restraint.1Uber. Uber’s Community Guidelines – Following the Law
The Rules That Apply in Every Uber
Vehicle Code Section 27360 covers all motor vehicles on public roads, and the narrow exemptions in Section 27363 are limited to medical conditions, life-threatening emergencies in authorized emergency vehicles, and situations where no rear seat is available or all rear seats are occupied by other young children.2California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code 27363 A standard Uber sedan always has an open back seat, so that exception rarely helps.
Under Two: Rear-Facing
Children under two must ride in a rear-facing car seat. The only children under two who may ride forward-facing are those who already weigh 40 pounds or stand 40 inches tall.3California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code 27360.5 Never place a rear-facing seat in front of an active airbag.
After the Rear-Facing Stage: Forward-Facing Harness
Once a child outgrows the rear-facing seat, they move to a forward-facing seat with an internal harness, snug across the chest and shoulders. They stay in that seat until they exceed the manufacturer’s height or weight limits.
Under Eight: Booster
Children under eight must ride in a booster seat. The one way out before the eighth birthday is reaching four feet nine inches tall, because at that height the vehicle’s lap-and-shoulder belt sits correctly across the collarbone and hips.2California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code 27363 Children under eight also must ride in the back seat unless one of the narrow exceptions in Section 27363 applies.
Uber Car Seat Service in California
In two California markets, you can skip bringing your own seat. Uber offers a dedicated Uber Car Seat option in Los Angeles and San Francisco (as well as New York, Orlando, Miami, Washington D.C., and Atlanta). The service includes a professionally installed Nuna RAVA seat that works rear-facing or forward-facing for children between 5 and 65 pounds, and adds a $10 surcharge to the standard fare.4Uber. Uber Car Seat
Even when you request Uber Car Seat, you remain responsible for confirming that the seat is installed correctly and that your child is properly buckled. Uber disclaims liability for injuries related to car seat use.4Uber. Uber Car Seat
Everywhere else in California, you bring your own seat. Most rideshare vehicles don’t have passenger-accessible LATCH anchors, so plan to install using the vehicle seat belt. A booster for an older child is quick; a harnessed seat for a toddler takes a few minutes at each end of the trip. If a driver doesn’t think the installation looks safe, they can decline to drive.
What a Violation Costs
The base fine for a first violation is $100. A second or subsequent offense carries a $250 base fine that cannot be waived.5California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code VEH 27360.6 Those base figures understate the real cost because California adds mandatory penalty assessments, surcharges, and court fees on top of every traffic fine.
- First offense: $100 base fine, roughly $490 total. A court may reduce or waive the fine for economically disadvantaged defendants who complete a child passenger safety education program.
- Second or subsequent offense: $250 base fine, roughly $1,065 total. The base cannot be waived, though courts retain discretion to reduce it based on economic hardship combined with program completion.
The conviction is also reported to the DMV.5California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code VEH 27360.6
Before You Request the Ride
- In Los Angeles or San Francisco, check whether Uber Car Seat is available for your pickup and plan for the $10 surcharge and potentially longer wait.
- Everywhere else in California, bring a seat appropriate for your child’s age, weight, and height. A compact travel seat makes airport pickups workable.
- Learn the seat belt installation method in advance. You likely won’t have LATCH access in a rideshare vehicle.
- Confirm the harness or belt is snug with no slack before the car moves. The driver can refuse the trip if the installation looks unsafe.1Uber. Uber’s Community Guidelines – Following the Law
- Put the child in the back seat. For children under eight, that’s the legal default, and in a standard Uber the back seat is always available.
- Never place a rear-facing seat in front of an active airbag.