Until what age must a child sit in a car seat?
Height decides, not age alone — under 150 cm a restraint system suited to the child's body mass is compulsory. Article 88 ZPrCP requires a child shorter than 150 cm to be secured while driving in a suitable child seat or other restraint system. A child under three years may not be transported in a vehicle without a restraint system. A child over three and shorter than 150 cm may be carried in a vehicle without a restraint system only on seats that are not front seats. If you place a child in a rear-facing seat on the front passenger seat, you must switch off the front airbag — otherwise it can seriously injure the child if it deploys. The myth that 'at twelve a child no longer needs a seat' is not the rule: a twelve-year-old who is not yet 150 cm tall must stay in a suitable system, for example a booster. The fine is 120 euros and 1 penalty point.
📋 The rules
- Article 88 ZPrCP: a child shorter than 150 cm must be secured while driving in a restraint system suited to their body mass — a child seat, a booster or a similar type-approved device.
- A child under three years may not be transported in a vehicle that has no fitted restraint system; without a seat, such a journey is not allowed at all.
- A child over three and shorter than 150 cm may be carried in a vehicle without a restraint system only on seats that are not front seats — that is, in the back, secured by the fitted seat belt.
- If a child sits in a seat facing the rear on the front passenger seat, the front airbag must be switched off, because it would seriously injure the child if it deployed.
- The fine for breaching the child-transport rules is 120 euros and 1 penalty point; the driver is responsible, even if not the child's parent.
🔓 Exceptions
- You may place a rear-facing child on the front seat only with the front airbag switched off; with the airbag active, such placement is prohibited and dangerous.
- When no restraint system is available in the vehicle, a child over three and shorter than 150 cm may be carried on a rear seat with the fitted seat belt — never in the front and never under three years old.
- Public-transport vehicles (buses of categories M2 and M3) follow separate rules, so the requirement for a child seat there is not the same as for a private car.
⚠️ Penalties & fines
The fine is 120 euros and 1 penalty point, which seems small, but it is the least of the risk. The driver is responsible, not the child's parent — whoever carries the child answers for correct placement. One penalty point goes into the two-year record, where the threshold of 18 points for a regular driver and 7 points for a novice driver ends the licence. The real cost shows in a crash: a wrongly secured or too-small child suffers far worse injuries, and an airbag deploying onto a rear-facing child can be fatal. After a crash caused by improper placement the insurer can reduce a payout and seek recovery, and the driver answers not only for the traffic offence but for consequences that far exceed the fine. A child seat is therefore a safety duty, not merely a prescribed one.
📎 Official sources
- PISRS · statute register (Road Traffic Rules Act, Article 88) →
- AVP · Traffic Safety Agency (children in traffic, Pasavcek) →
- Police · guidance on safe transport of children →
❓ Frequently asked
Until what age must a child use a car seat?
The law measures height, not age: a restraint system is compulsory for every child shorter than 150 cm. This means that even a twelve- or thirteen-year-old who is not yet 150 cm tall must stay in a suitable system, for example a booster, regardless of age.
May a child sit in the front seat?
A child under three may not be carried without a restraint system, and a child from three to 150 cm only in the back without a seat. If the child is in a rear-facing seat on the front seat, the front airbag must be switched off without exception.
How much is the fine for a child without a seat?
The fine for breaching the child-transport rules is 120 euros and 1 penalty point. The driver is responsible, even if not the child's parent, because whoever drives answers for the correct placement of every passenger shorter than 150 cm.
Why must I switch off the airbag?
A front airbag deploys with great force and would push a child in a rear-facing seat into the backrest and injure them seriously. That is why fitting such a seat in the front is allowed only if the airbag is switched off, and otherwise it is prohibited.
Does a child under 150 cm need a seat in a taxi too?
The restraint rule applies to private cars, while buses in public transport follow separate rules. For a taxi and a private car the general rule applies, so it is safest to carry the child in a suitable child seat there as well.
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