California Will Require Booster Seats for Kids Up to 16

Starting January 1, 2027, California children aged 8 to 16 will need booster seats unless they pass a safety test.

Updated on Sept. 21, 2026 in Children’s Health

Gouache-painted illustration of an empty car booster seat on a vehicle bench, representing new California vehicle safety regulations. — Starting January 1, 2027, California will require children aged 8 to 16 to use booster seats in vehicles unless they meet specific safety criteria. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Beginning January 1, 2027, a new California mandate requires children between the ages of 8 and 16 to use booster seats in vehicles. Families can be exempt from this requirement if their child passes a specific five-step safety test.

Why it matters

This policy change is intended to standardize vehicle safety requirements for older children across California. Understanding the exemption criteria is essential for parents and caregivers to ensure compliance with the upcoming regulations.

The upcoming state regulation establishes a mandatory booster seat requirement for children aged 8 to 16. It introduces a five-step safety test as the sole basis for an exemption, though the specific clinical or technical metrics for that test are not yet fully defined.

The details

Booster seats are designed to elevate a child so that the vehicle's seat belt system fits correctly across the strongest parts of the body, such as the hips and chest. The five-step test acts as a mechanical validation that a child's height and bone structure are sufficiently developed to maintain safe seat belt positioning without an auxiliary seat. Compliance ensures the belt does not cross the neck or abdomen, which are vulnerable areas during a collision.

January 1, 2027: The new booster seat law takes effect in California.

Health Landscape

This mandate aligns with evolving vehicle safety standards aimed at protecting children as they transition out of restraint systems. It reflects an ongoing trend to bridge the safety gap for older children who are often moved to standard seat belts prematurely.

Parents and guardians should prepare for this change by assessing their older children's fit in vehicle seat belt systems. It is worth discussing current safety protocols with your pediatrician to determine when a child has outgrown the need for a booster seat based on standardized physical metrics.

The takeaway

Vehicle safety for older children is shifting toward a reliance on specific physical safety tests rather than age alone. You should proactively identify the five-step safety criteria to ensure your child meets the necessary physical requirements before the new mandate takes effect.