How long must a child use a car seat?
Until they are 150 cm tall — not until a given age. The Road Traffic Act requires children to travel in a restraint system (seat or booster), approved to a UN standard and matched to their height and weight, until they reach 150 cm. Age is only a rough guide — height is what counts. A child under 3 may not travel in a car without a restraint system at all — there is no "just two minutes to the shop" exception. Children over 3 and under 150 cm should not travel in the front seat; where that is unavoidable, the airbag must be deactivated, and a rear-facing seat in front of a live airbag is outright dangerous. The fine under art. 183(7) of the Road Traffic Act is BGN 50 (≈€26).
📋 The rules
- A restraint system is required until 150 cm — not until an age
- Under 3: the child may not travel without a restraint at all
- Over 3 and under 150 cm: not in the front seat
- In the front seat the airbag must be deactivated
- Fine under art. 183(7) RTA: BGN 50 (≈€26)
🔓 Exceptions
- The seat must be approved to a UN standard and matched to height and weight
- Taxis operate under a lighter regime in a number of situations
- On buses fitted with belts, the vehicle's own belt is used
⚠️ Penalties & fines
The fine under art. 183(7) is BGN 50 (≈€26) — a figure small enough to mislead people into treating the offence as trivial. It is not. In a crash, an unrestrained child is the leading cause of severe and fatal injury in otherwise minor impacts, and on a comprehensive policy or a compensation claim the insurer can cut or refuse payment on grounds of contributory conduct. In a serious accident, carrying a child without a restraint can also bring criminal liability for the driver, and persistent offending can trigger a referral to child protection services. Check the seat's expiry date too: the plastic ages, and a seat that has been in a crash must be replaced.
📎 Official sources
- lex.bg · Road Traffic Act (art. 183) →
- Ministry of the Interior · Traffic police →
- State Agency for Road Safety →
❓ Frequently asked
Until when does a child need a car seat?
Until they reach 150 cm in height. Age is only a guide — the law looks at height and weight, so a tall seven-year-old may leave the seat sooner than a small ten-year-old.
What is the fine?
BGN 50 (≈€26) under art. 183(7) of the Road Traffic Act. The sum is small, but in a crash the absence of a seat has consequences beyond any comparison with the fine.
Can the child sit in the front?
As a rule, a child over 3 and under 150 cm should not travel in the front seat. Where it is unavoidable, the airbag must be deactivated — a rear-facing seat in front of a live airbag is dangerous.
What about a short trip without the seat?
No. A child under 3 may not travel without a restraint system at all, and distance is irrelevant — most serious crashes happen within a few kilometres of home.
Can I use a second-hand seat?
Only if you know its history. A seat that has been in a crash must be replaced even if it looks intact, and the plastic has an expiry date. The seat must be approved to a UN standard.
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