Must my child travel in a car seat?
Yes: a child under 150 cm tall must be carried in a car seat. In a vehicle fitted with belts, a child under 150 cm tall must be carried in a car seat or another restraint device (e.g. a booster), matched to their height and weight and meeting standards. A car seat must not be fitted rear-facing on a seat with an active airbag. There are exceptions: a child over 135 cm for whom, given height and weight, a suitable seat can't be provided may be carried using ordinary belts; a third child may be carried on the rear bench with belts when two seats occupy the other places. Carrying a child without a seat risks a fine and penalty points.
📋 The rules
- Child under 150 cm: a car seat/restraint device required
- Seat matched to the child's height and weight
- Ban on a rear-facing seat with an active airbag
- Exception: a child over 135 cm where no suitable seat is possible
- No seat: a fine and penalty points
🔓 Exceptions
- Child over 135 cm with no matching seat: belts allowed
- Third child on the rear bench: belts, when two seats occupy places
- Carrying by taxi or ambulance: special, lighter rules
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Carrying a child without the required seat or in breach of the rules risks a fine (as a rule 150 zł) and penalty points for the driver. More importantly, a correct seat genuinely protects the life and health of the child in a crash — an unbelted or poorly secured child faces serious injury. To carry a child safely and lawfully: match the seat to their current height and weight (check the standards and category), fit it per the instructions, don't place a rear-facing seat with an active airbag, always buckle the child, and for older children use raised boosters until they reach 150 cm.
📎 Official sources
- ISAP · Road Traffic Act (carrying children) →
- Police · Safe carriage of children →
- National Road Safety Council →
❓ Frequently asked
Up to what height must a child travel in a car seat?
Until they reach 150 cm. A child under 150 cm in a vehicle with belts must be carried in a car seat or other restraint device matched to their height and weight. Once over 150 cm, a car seat is no longer required.
Are there exceptions to the car-seat duty?
Yes. A child over 135 cm for whom, given height and weight, a suitable seat can't be provided may be carried using ordinary belts. A third child may also be carried on the rear bench with belts when two seats occupy the other places.
Can I fit a rear-facing seat with an airbag?
No, if the airbag is active. Carrying a child in a seat fitted rear-facing on a seat with an active airbag is prohibited. The airbag must first be deactivated, or the seat fitted in another, safe place.
What's the fine for no car seat?
Carrying a child without the required seat or in breach of the rules risks a fine, as a rule 150 zł, and penalty points for the driver. Above all, though, a correct seat protects the child's life and health in a crash, so it's not worth skipping.
How do I choose a car seat for my child?
Match the seat to the child's current height and weight, by category and approval standards. It should be correctly fitted per the instructions and adjusted with the belts. For older children, up to 150 cm, use raised boosters with or without a backrest.
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