Florida Car Seat Rules for UK Visitors: Your simple Guide

Monday, December 1st, 2025

🤔 Why You Must Check Florida Car Seat Rules For UK Visitors

Planning a Florida trip? You must know the car seat rules. For example, many UK visitors ask about US laws. Therefore, always put your child in a safe seat in your rental car. The driver must follow Florida law. Ultimately, this rule applies to anyone driving in Florida.

🚨 Compliance: UK Seats are Not Legal Here

The US and the UK use different safety rules. This is the main reason why Florida car seat rules for UK visitors are so important.

First, UK seats carry an ECE R44 or R129 (i-Size) mark.
However, US law requires the FMVSS 213 label.

US police look for this specific US label. As a result, most UK or EU seats do not meet the US standard. You face fines if you use the wrong seat. Therefore, experts highly recommend you rent or buy a seat when you arrive.

Standard	Region	Certification Label	Legal for Use in Florida?
FMVSS 213	USA	Must be present	YES
ECE R44/R129	UK/EU	E-Marked sticker	NO

🛑 Florida Law: Safety Rules by Age

Florida law sets rules based only on a child’s age. Specifically, the law demands crash-tested, US-approved seats for young children. You must always use the seat correctly.

👶 Ages 0 to 3: Rear-Facing Seats

Kids up to age three must use a dedicated child safety seat.
For example, this means a separate car seat or a built-in vehicle seat.
Safety Tip: Experts strongly suggest keeping your child rear-facing as long as you can. Continue this practice until they hit the seat’s weight or height limit. Typically, this is often until age two or older. Rear-facing seats offer better protection for the head and neck.

Safety Best Practice: While Florida law permits forward-facing after age one, safety experts recommend keeping your child rear-facing for as long as possible—until they reach the maximum height or weight limit allowed by the car seat manufacturer, which is often until age two or older. Rear-facing offers superior protection for the child’s head, neck, and spine.

🧒 Ages 4 and 5: Booster Seats Start

Kids who are four or five years old get more choices.
They must use a child safety seat or a booster seat.
Remember, the booster seat must also have the US safety approval. In addition, many children need a booster seat past age five.

🧑 Ages 6 to 17: Seat Belt Use

After age five, the specific car seat rules end.
However, mandatory seat belt rules then take effect.
All passengers under 18 must wear a seat belt.
Safety Tip: Keep your child in a booster seat until they reach 4 feet 9 inches (145 cm) tall. This ensures the adult belt fits right. Finally, keep all kids under 13 in the back seat.

🛒 How to Get a Compliant Seat

Rent a Seat

Rental companies, such as Avis, offer seats for hire. Book them early! Infant seats often sell out.
Note: Rental seats may be older or less clean. For better service, try a local baby gear rental service. Often, they deliver right to your hotel.
Do not risk fines. Instead, book your Florida car rental with a company that guarantees US-approved child restraints.

Click here to secure your compliant vehicle and car seats: Book Your Florida Car Hire & FMVSS 213 Seats at SmarterCarHireFlorida.com

Buy a Seat

For longer stays, buying a budget seat is often cheaper than renting.
Look for US-approved seats at these stores when you arrive:

Walmart
Target
Major Grocery Stores (sometimes stock inexpensive backless boosters)
Specialty Baby Stores (e.g., MacroBaby in Orlando)

You can often find a safe booster for under $50 USD. Always check the box to confirm it meets FMVSS 213 standards.

🚨 What Happens If You Break the Law?

Florida Highway Patrol officers strictly enforce these Florida car seat rules.
If you break the law, the driver gets a fine.
You also receive three penalty points on your US license record.
Therefore, make sure your child is safe before every drive!

📘 Official Sources (The Law)

We used these official sources to write this guide:

Florida Statute 316.613: Establishes mandatory child restraint requirements by age, specifying separate carriers/integrated seats (0-3) and including booster seats (4-5), and outlines the associated penalty.

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 213: This standard dictates the crash testing and certification requirements for all child restraints legally used in the United States.