Texas Seatbelt & Child Seat Laws
Primary vs secondary seatbelt enforcement, which seats are covered, and child-seat / booster age and weight thresholds.
- Seatbelt law enforcement
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primary
Source: Texas Driver Handbook, Chapter 14: Additional Safety Tips, Safety Belts and Penalties for Driving Without a Safety Belt, p. 64 Verified Sep 2026
- Seats required to belt
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all seats
Source: Texas Driver Handbook, Chapter 14: Additional Safety Tips, Safety Belts, p. 64 Verified Sep 2026
- Child seat: age threshold
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under 8 years old (unless taller than 4'9")
Source: Texas Driver Handbook, Chapter 14: Additional Safety Tips, Safety Belts, p. 64 Verified Sep 2026
- Booster seat: weight threshold
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Texas sets its child seat requirement by age and height, not by weight. A child younger than eight must ride in a child passenger safety seat system used according to the seat manufacturer's instructions, unless the child is taller than four feet, nine inches. There is no weight figure in the law, so a heavy six-year-old still belongs in a seat and a tall seven-year-old does not.
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