🚸 Does my child need a car seat?

With conditions

Quick answer

Yes — every child under 135 cm must use an approved car seat when travelling in a car. This is set out in the Traffic Act, and the fine for the wrong safety equipment, or none, for a child is 30,000 kr. The same fine falls on the driver if a child over 135 cm but under 15 does not use a seatbelt. Children under 150 cm may not sit in front of an active airbag — if the airbag is switched off it is safe. The myth that costs safety: that you can "turn the child forward" as soon as it turns one. A rear-facing seat is recommended at least until age three, because a child's head and neck are far better protected facing backwards. The new R129 (i-Size) standard is the only one that may be sold in Iceland, but older R44/04 seats may stay in use until the end of their lifespan.

📋 The rules

Every child under 135 cm must use an approved car seat or safety equipment suited to their height and weight.
Children under 150 cm may not sit in front of an active airbag. If the airbag is switched off or made inactive, it is safe for the child to sit in front.
The fine for the wrong child safety equipment is 30,000 kr, and the same fine falls on the driver if a child over 135 cm but under 15 does not use a seatbelt.
Seats must meet a European standard: R129 (i-Size) is the only one that may be sold in Iceland, but older R44/04 seats may be used until the end of their lifespan.
A rear-facing seat is recommended at least until age three. R129 requires a child to face backwards at least until 15 months and 76 cm.

🔓 Exceptions

If an airbag is switched off or made inactive, a child under 150 cm may sit in the front seat — that is the only way to allow it lawfully.
A child may use a car seat beyond the 135 cm mark, as long as the seat is made for their height and weight — taller is safer.
Older R44/04 seats already in circulation may stay in use until the end of their lifespan, even though only R129 may be sold new.

⚠️ Penalties & fines

The fine is 30,000 kr for not using the right safety equipment for a child, and exactly the same amount falls on the driver if a child over 135 cm but under 15 is beltless — the responsibility is the driver's, not the child's or a parent's in the back seat. But the amount is not the main point here. The hidden cost is the child's safety: a wrongly fitted seat, or a belt lying over a thick coat, can become useless in a crash, because the air in the garment gives way and the child is not held firmly. A rear-facing seat protects a child's head and neck many times better than a forward-facing one. Second-hand seats from strangers are risky, because cracks can hide under the cover after an impact. In serious crashes wrong use can also affect liability and insurance, but the worst consequence will never be measured in króna.

📎 Official sources

Last verified: 2026-07-12

❓ Frequently asked

When can my child stop using a car seat?

Once the child reaches 135 cm it may use a seatbelt on its own, but there is nothing against using a car seat for longer if the seat suits the height and weight. Taller is safer, so many children use a booster or seat up to 150 cm.

Can my child sit in the front?

Children under 150 cm may not sit in front of an active airbag. If the airbag has been switched off or made inactive it is safe for the child to sit in front, but otherwise the child should be in the back seat in suitable safety equipment.

What does it cost if the child is not in a seat?

The fine for the wrong child safety equipment, or none, is 30,000 kr. The same fine falls on the driver if a child over 135 cm but under 15 does not use a seatbelt, and the responsibility lies with the driver regardless of who drove the child or where it sat.

Which standard must the seat meet?

Seats in Iceland must meet a European standard, either the older R44/04 or the newer R129 (i-Size). Only R129 may be sold new today, but older R44/04 seats already in circulation may be used until the end of their lifespan.

How long should the child face backwards?

A rear-facing seat is recommended at least until age three, because a child's head and neck are far better protected facing backwards in a crash. The new R129 standard requires a child to face backwards at least until 15 months and 76 cm.

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