👶 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 and the child must travel in the back seat as normal.

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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