Car seat rules in New Zealand and taking your baby home

What the law requires

New Zealand's legal line is age 7. Whānau Āwhina Plunket summarises the law this way: the driver is responsible for making sure any child under seven is properly restrained in a car seat appropriate for their age, size and development, and a child under seven must not travel in the vehicle if you cannot put them in an approved child restraint. KidsHealth, the Paediatric Society of New Zealand's site, puts the same rule as "until their 7th birthday".

Plunket's guidance is that your child must use an approved car seat until they are seven, or eight if one is available. Approved restraints include baby capsules, car seats for toddlers and preschoolers, booster seats, and child safety harnesses for older children.

The law and the safe choice are far apart

The legal minimum ends years before the recommended stages do.

Plunket recommends rear-facing until your child is at least two, and ideally beyond. Infants and toddlers are more at risk of head and spinal cord injury because their spine, neck, head and pelvis are immature, and in most crashes the shell of a rear-facing seat supports the body and keeps the spine straight. Plunket and Starship Children's Hospital both recommend a booster until 148cm; Starship says this applies regardless of age, and that many children will not reach that height until about 12. The five-step test asks whether your child can sit right back, bend their legs comfortably over the seat edge, keep the shoulder belt off their neck and the lap belt low on their thighs, and stay that way for the whole trip.

Which seats are approved in New Zealand

All child restraints sold in New Zealand must meet an approved standard. Unlike Australia, New Zealand accepts three, and Plunket explains how to recognise each:

• a tick mark: the joint Australian/New Zealand Standard, AS/NZS 1754
• an E mark: the European standard, ECE 44 or ECE 129 (the number in the circle depends on the country of certification)
• the United States standard, FMVSS 213, but only if the seat also shows the New Zealand 'S' mark certifying it for use here.

If you are moving from Australia, note that Australia accepts only AS/NZS 1754 seats; see our Australian car seat guide. Some imported Japanese vehicles have built-in child restraints. If the vehicle came into New Zealand after 27 February 2005, the restraint will have been checked; if it was first registered before that date, Plunket recommends having it checked by an NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi agent.

Harness height differs by standard: level with or just above the shoulders for AS/NZS seats, level with or below for US seats, and as the manufacturer says for European seats.

Bringing your baby home

You need the car seat ready when you leave hospital. You can hire capsules and car seats from community groups, health providers and retailers; Plunket itself does not hire them out. Fit the seat in the back, facing the rear window, and:

• install a rear-facing seat at around a 45-degree angle; if your baby's head slumps forward, check the angle is between 40 and 45 degrees
• check it cannot wobble; Starship's test is that it should not move more than 2.5cm in any direction
• do the pinch test: if you can pinch the harness strap between finger and thumb at shoulder height, it is too loose
• take off puffer jackets and bulky clothing, which compress in a crash; put a blanket over your baby once they are strapped in
• use a chest clip only if one came with the seat, placed at armpit level
• never put a baby's car seat in a front seat with an airbag.

Do not add padding or inserts unless the seat's manufacturer approves them. A capsule is for the journey; see can my baby sleep in a car seat. The car seat stage checker can help you plan the next seat.

When to turn forward, and when to move to a booster

Your baby has outgrown a rear-facing seat when they reach its maximum height or weight. AS/NZS seats have height markers; for other standards, a head within 2.5cm of the top of the seat is a good sign they are outgrowing it. Feet hanging over the end are not a problem. Outgrowing the infant capsule does not mean it is time to face forward: Plunket suggests a rear-facing convertible seat next. See when can babies face forward.

A forward-facing seat goes on a forward-facing vehicle seat, in the centre of the back if it fits well there, with the top tether attached where required. Your child moves to a booster only when they exceed that seat's weight or height limit. A full booster seat gives better protection than a booster cushion.

Taxis, shuttles and rideshare

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi publishes the legal requirements for using child restraints, including which restraint to use at each age; check them before relying on any vehicle that is not your own. The practical answer does not change: bring your own capsule or booster, or ask the company whether it can supply an approved seat when you book. See can my baby travel in a taxi without a car seat.

Second-hand and borrowed seats

Plunket advises being wary of second-hand seats: crash damage is not always obvious, and parts may be missing. Before buying or borrowing one, check that it:

• meets an approved standard for use in New Zealand and comes with the correct instruction manual
• is within the manufacturer's recommended life expectancy and has never been in a crash
• has no rust on metal fittings, and webbing that is not frayed, worn or discoloured by sunlight
• has original or manufacturer-approved covers and a buckle that works properly.

If in any doubt, do not use it. More in are second-hand car seats safe.

Where to get help

Plunket has child restraint technicians around the country; contact your regional Plunket injury prevention team for advice on choosing and fitting a seat. NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi keeps a list of certified child restraint technicians and publishes the legal requirements and fitting videos in English and te reo Māori. For the stages after the infant seat, see toddler car seat stages.

Frequently asked questions

What age can a child stop using a car seat in NZ?

Legally, a child must be in an approved car seat until their 7th birthday, and Plunket's guidance is that a seven-year-old uses one if one is available. Safety advice goes much further: keep your child in a booster until they are 148cm tall and pass the five-step test, often around age 12.

Can I use a car seat from Australia, Europe or the US in New Zealand?

Often, yes. New Zealand accepts seats with the AS/NZS 1754 tick mark or a European E mark for ECE 44 or ECE 129. A US seat built to FMVSS 213 is approved only if it also carries the New Zealand 'S' mark. Check the label before you rely on it.

How long should my baby be rear-facing in NZ?

As long as possible. Plunket, Starship and KidsHealth all recommend rear-facing until at least age 2, and Plunket says ideally beyond, until your child reaches the seat's height or weight limit. Outgrowing the infant capsule is a reason to move to a rear-facing convertible seat, not to turn forward.

What is the 148cm rule for booster seats?

It is a safety recommendation, not the law. Plunket advises keeping your child in a booster until they can safely fit the vehicle seat and seatbelt, which it puts at 148cm plus passing the five-step test. Starship says staying in a booster until 148cm is much safer regardless of age, and many children reach it around 12.