Nebraska car seat laws require every child under two to ride in a rear-facing seat, every child two through seven to use an age- and size-appropriate forward-facing seat or booster, and every passenger under eighteen to wear a seat belt. Children under eight must ride in the back seat whenever one is available. The driver is legally responsible for every young passenger, and a violation costs $25 plus $49 in court costs.1Nebraska Legislature. Nebraska Revised Statute 60-6,2672Nebraska Legislature. Nebraska Revised Statute 60-6,268
Children Under Two: Rear-Facing
Every child under two has to ride in a rear-facing child passenger restraint system that meets Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213, correctly installed in the vehicle.1Nebraska Legislature. Nebraska Revised Statute 60-6,267
If your toddler reaches the seat manufacturer’s height or weight ceiling before their second birthday, the fix is a larger rear-facing seat, not a forward-facing one. The law doesn’t let you move a child forward-facing early because one particular seat ran out of room. Most convertible seats accommodate rear-facing use well past age two, and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends keeping children rear-facing up to the maximum limits of the seat for better head, neck, and spine protection.3HealthyChildren.org. Car Seats: Information for Families
Ages Two Through Seven: Forward-Facing Seats and Boosters
Once a child turns two and outgrows their rear-facing seat, they move to a forward-facing child restraint with an internal harness. When they outgrow that seat’s manufacturer limits, they shift to a booster, which positions the lap and shoulder belt across the hips and chest instead of the neck and stomach. Some form of approved child restraint is required for every child under eight.1Nebraska Legislature. Nebraska Revised Statute 60-6,267
The statute doesn’t set specific height or weight numbers for moving between stages. It defers to the seat manufacturer, so check the labels and manual on your particular seat. A tall child may outgrow a forward-facing harness sooner; a smaller child may stay in one longer.
A practical way to tell whether a child is ready to leave the booster is the five-step test: their back sits flat against the vehicle seat, their knees bend naturally over the seat edge, the lap belt rests low across the hips touching the thighs, the shoulder belt crosses the middle of the shoulder rather than the neck, and they can hold the position for the whole trip without slouching. A child who fails any step still needs the booster, even past the age the law stops requiring one.
Ages Eight Through Seventeen: Seat Belts
Every passenger eight and older but under eighteen has to use a seat belt or other occupant protection system in every seating position, front or back.1Nebraska Legislature. Nebraska Revised Statute 60-6,267 There is no exception for short trips or back-seat passengers, and the driver gets the ticket.
Enforcement for this age group is secondary. An officer cannot pull you over solely for spotting an unbuckled teenager; they can only add the citation after stopping you for something else. The child restraint law for children under eight is primary, so an officer who sees an unrestrained young child can stop you for that alone.2Nebraska Legislature. Nebraska Revised Statute 60-6,268
Where the Child Sits
Children under eight must ride in a rear seat whenever one is available and equipped with the proper restraint, because the back seat reduces exposure to front airbag deployment.1Nebraska Legislature. Nebraska Revised Statute 60-6,267
A child may ride in front only when every rear seat is already occupied by another child under eight, or when the vehicle has no rear seat at all. If you have to place a rear-facing seat in front because of limited space, deactivate the front passenger airbag; an airbag deploying into a rear-facing seat can cause severe injury.
When the Rules Don’t Apply
Nebraska carves out a few situations where the child restraint and seat belt requirements don’t apply:
- Taxicabs are explicitly exempt from both the under-eight restraint rule and the eight-through-seventeen seat belt rule. Rideshare vehicles like Uber and Lyft are not classified as taxicabs under the statute, so the standard car seat rules apply when you use those services.1Nebraska Legislature. Nebraska Revised Statute 60-6,267
- A licensed physician can waive the restraint requirement for a child whose weight, physical condition, or other medical reason makes using one harmful. The driver must carry a signed written statement from the physician identifying the child and explaining the reason.1Nebraska Legislature. Nebraska Revised Statute 60-6,267
- Drivers of authorized emergency vehicles on duty are exempt.
- Vehicles in a lawful parade or exhibition are exempt.
- Vehicles manufactured in 1963 or earlier that were never equipped with an occupant protection system are exempt.
Mopeds and motorcycles fall outside the statute because they aren’t equipped with the restraint systems the law contemplates.
Fines, Points, and Who Pays
A child restraint violation costs $25 per occurrence plus $49 in court costs, for a total of $74.2Nebraska Legislature. Nebraska Revised Statute 60-6,2684Nebraska Judicial Branch. Waiver Fine Schedule Rule Amendments Multiple unrestrained children in the same vehicle at the same time count as one violation, not a separate offense for each child.
Child restraint violations for children under eight carry one point on your driving record, according to the Nebraska Department of Transportation.5Nebraska Department of Transportation. Child Passenger Safety The Nebraska DMV’s point schedule excludes “violations involving occupant protection system” from its one-point category, which means seat belt violations for the eight-through-seventeen age group likely do not add points.6Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles. Nebraska Point System Accumulating 12 points in two years triggers automatic license revocation.
The driver bears the legal responsibility. If you’re driving someone else’s children and they aren’t properly restrained, you’re the one cited. That catches people off guard during carpools and family trips where kids pile into a vehicle without enough seats installed.
Replacing a Car Seat After a Crash
After a moderate or severe crash, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends replacing the car seat entirely, because crash forces can weaken the internal structure in ways you can’t see. NHTSA calls a crash minor only if all of the following are true: the vehicle could be driven from the scene, the door nearest the car seat wasn’t damaged, no passengers were injured, no airbags deployed, and the seat has no visible damage. If any one of those conditions fails, replace the seat.7NHTSA. Car Seat Use After a Crash
If the crash wasn’t your fault, the at-fault driver’s liability insurance typically covers the replacement. Under your own collision coverage, most insurers will reimburse a seat of equivalent quality. Keep the original receipt, or at minimum the brand, model, and approximate price for the claim.
Free Car Seat Inspections
An incorrectly installed car seat can fail in a crash even when it’s the right type for your child’s age and size. Nebraska runs a network of inspection stations staffed by certified child passenger safety technicians through hospitals, health departments, and fire stations across the state, and inspections are free. The Nebraska Department of Transportation publishes a directory.8Nebraska Department of Transportation. Inspection Stations in Nebraska A technician will confirm the seat suits your child, check that it’s properly anchored, and adjust the harness. NHTSA also maintains a national locator at nhtsa.gov if you’re traveling out of state.