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Iowa Booster Seat Laws (2023)

The state of Iowa legally requires children under 6 years old to be secured in a child-restraint system.

Children under 1 year old or who weigh less than 20 pounds must be secured in a rear-facing car seat.

But children over a year old and 20 pounds may be restrained in car seat or booster seat as long as they meet the minimum requirements for the seat.

Booster Seat Requirements Iowa

brother and sister hold hands in booster seats

Per Iowa’s child restraint law, children must ride in a booster seat (or car seat) in Iowa until they reach ONE of the following:

  • Booster Seat Age: 6 years
  • Booster Seat Weight: unspecified
  • Booster Seat Height: unspecified

This is by law.

Booster Seat Guidelines Iowa

While the law only dictates children must be secured in booster seats until age 6, the state recommends (based on National Safety Standards) that children continue to be secured in booster seats until they reach a safe seatbelt height and weight, or about 80 pounds and 4’9”.

  • Booster Seat Age: unspecified
  • Booster Seat Weight: 80 pounds
  • Booster Seat Height: 4’9”

Where can I get my booster seat checked or installed in Iowa?

Car seat installations and checks are done on a local/regional basis in Iowa.

To find a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician in Central Iowa, you can fill out the Car Seat Appointment Request at UnityPoint Health.

In other areas of the state, police departments and fire departments have certified Child Seat Safety Technicians on staff who can help you install a booster seat (or check your installation) by appointment.

In Iowa City, inspections are available through the Iowa City Fire Department.

In Ames, you can set up an inspection with the Ames Police Department.

And in Dubuque, the Dubuque Police Department holds child safety seat fit stations at Anderson-Weber Toyota every third Saturday of the month. (Appointments are encouraged.)

General Booster Seat Laws FAQ

Are booster seats effective?

Yes. Very.

According to the CDC, “booster seat use reduces the risk for serious injury by 45% for children age 4-8, when compared with seat belt use alone.”

When can a child use a booster seat?

A child can use a booster seat when she outgrows her forward-facing car seat with a harness.

Though the laws on front-facing car seats and booster seats differ by state, for safety’s sake your child should stay in a front-facing (harnessed) child seat until he reaches the maximum height or weight on the seat.

When can a kid stop using a booster seat?

The minimum safe height for use of a regular seat belt without a booster seat is 4’9”.

Due to this, it is recommended your child ride in a booster seat until they are at least 4’9” tall, regardless of their age.

Not all state laws support this.

Many states have minimum ages at which children may transition to regular seatbelts, no matter how tall they are.

But if you want your child to be the safest they can be on the road, you should keep them in a booster seat until they reach 4’9”.

What is the booster seat weight limit?

Different booster seats have different weight limits, typically 100-120 pounds.

But weight isn’t the main determiner of when a child should move from a booster seat to a seat belt.

Height is more important to a seat belt’s fit.

That said, your child should never ride in a booster seat once they exceed the weight limit.

The seats are designed to be safe only for those under the maximum weight.

So, if your child has outgrown the weight limit on their booster, upgrade them to a booster with a higher weight limit or make the transition to a regular seatbelt.

What’s the best booster seat?

The best booster seat is the one that will do the most effective job of keeping your child safe in the event of an accident.

According to Consumer Reports, the top-performing booster seats on the market (as of July 2022) are:

Nuna AACE

Nuna AACE

Buy at:

Graco Turbobooster Grow

Graco Turbobooster Grow

Buy at:

Peg Perego Viaggio Shuttle Plus 120

Peg Perego Viaggio Shuttle Plus 120

Buy at:

But you don’t have to buy a separate booster seat if you have a convertible car seat.

For convertible toddler-booster seats and all-in-one car seats with booster functionality, see our car seat buying guide Which Car Seat To Buy: Making Sure Your Little Ones Stay Safe On The Road.

When were booster seats invented?

The very first child seats for cars were more booster seats than car seats.

They were literally designed to “boost” children up so they could see better (and so parents could see them), but they had no built-in safety features.

Booster seats as we know them today, with their focus on transitional safety between car seats and seatbelts, have only been around since the late-1990s to early 2000s when laws requiring them started being implemented.

When did booster seats become mandatory?

Booster seats are not mandatory in all states.

Some states have younger minimum ages and no height requirements for transitioning children from child seats to seatbelts.

In those states, children can typically move directly from forward-facing car seats to regular seatbelts.

As for the states that do have mandatory booster laws, the first laws (Tennessee and South Carolina) went into effect in 2001.

Bridging the Gap Between Car Seats and Seatbelts

Car seats are designed to protect the smallest of children, while seatbelts are only safe for children over a certain height (4’9”).

Booster seats bridge the gap between the two.

While booster seats are not legally required in Iowa if your child is over 6 years old, for safety’s sake we recommend ignoring the minimum age requirement and keeping your kid in a booster until they reach 4’9”.

Prior to that, follow Iowa’s laws regarding car seats.

For more on Iowa’s car seat laws, see Iowa Car Seat Laws.

And for more on child passenger safety in Iowa, see Iowa Front Seat Law.