👶 Can a child sit in the front seat of the car in Albania?

With conditions

Quick answer

Yes, but only in two cases: a child over 1.5 m wearing a seat belt, or a small child in an approved rear-facing seat with the passenger airbag deactivated. A child under 1.5 m should as a rule travel in the back, in an approved restraint matched to age and weight. Failing to use a restraint for passengers up to 12 years is fined 5,000–15,000 lekë plus a licence suspension of 6–12 months. The myth: “mum can hold the baby on her lap for a few minutes”. No — a lap is not an approved restraint and does not satisfy the legal duty. Note: the Road Code amendments passed on 17 June 2026 had still not been published in the Official Gazette as of 12 July 2026; we will re-check them on publication.

📋 The rules

A child over 1.5 m may sit in the front seat, always wearing a seat belt.
A child under 1.5 m must, as a rule, sit in the rear seat in an approved restraint matched to age and weight.
In the front, a dedicated rear-facing seat is allowed only when the passenger airbag is deactivated.
Failing to use a restraint system for passengers up to 12 years is fined 5,000–15,000 lekë plus a licence suspension of 6–12 months.
Altering a restraint, obstructing it or using a non-approved seat is fined 250–1,000 lekë; the official material also explains the additional 6–12 month measure against the driver.

🔓 Exceptions

The rear-facing exception in the front seat applies only with the airbag switched off and with installation following the manufacturer's instructions.
Height of 1.5 m — not age alone — decides when a child moves to the standard seat belt in the front.
A short trip, a taxi ride or holding the child on your lap must not be assumed to be an exception without checking the Code itself; DPSHTRR's official guidance grants no such general permission.

⚠️ Penalties & fines

The main offence — a passenger up to 12 years old with no restraint — brings 5,000–15,000 lekë and a licence suspension of 6–12 months: not just an invoice, but potentially half a year off the road. Using a non-approved seat is fined 250–1,000 lekë, with the additional 6–12 month measure described in the official material. This page does not claim your insurer automatically refuses every payout: an insurance consequence depends on the policy, the cause and the applicable law. On the figures: 15,000 new lek is what people call “150 thousand lekë”.

📎 Official sources

Last verified: 2026-07-12

❓ Frequently asked

At what age can a child sit in the front?

DPSHTRR's official guidance ties the rule to height rather than age: a child over 1.5 m may sit in front wearing a belt. Below that height, the normal place is the rear seat in an approved restraint.

Can I put the baby seat in the front?

Only if the seat is approved, rear-facing and the passenger airbag is deactivated. It must be installed according to the manufacturer's instructions, otherwise the exception does not apply.

What is the fine if a child travels without a seat?

Failing to use a restraint for passengers up to 12 years is fined 5,000–15,000 lekë plus a 6–12 month licence suspension. Locals will quote it as “50 to 150 thousand lekë”, because they speak in old lek.

Why does the police say age and DPSHTRR say 1.5 metres?

A 2022 police post describes the rule mainly by age, while DPSHTRR's 2023 guidance uses the 1.5 m height and sets out the rear-facing exception. We follow the newer, more detailed guidance tied to article 170.

Will insurance still cover a crash if the child had no seat?

It is not true that the insurer automatically refuses every payout; that depends on the policy, the cause and the applicable law. The legal duty to use a restraint stands independently of the insurance question.

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