No. California AB 435 does not require every teenager to use a booster seat. Its new belt-fit rules take effect January 1, 2027. Until then, current child-restraint law applies. Starting on that date, the law makes a child’s ability to pass a five-step seat-belt fit test central to when a belt may be used instead of an appropriate child restraint.
What changes on January 1, 2027
AB 435, authored by Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson, became Chapter 434 of the Statutes of 2025. The governor approved it and it was filed with the Secretary of State on October 7, 2025; the chaptered text was published October 8. The relevant new provisions become operative January 1, 2027. Read the enacted bill text.
From that date, California’s rules for children ages 8 through 15 allow an appropriate restraint system or a safety belt that meets all five statutory fit conditions. Related age-band rules generally require children under 10 to use an appropriate restraint system in a rear seat. Children ages 10 through 12 generally must also use one, but may use a safety belt if they pass the five-step test. The law does not create a booster-seat requirement for every teenager; it sets conditions for the belt option. See Vehicle Code Section 27360.5 as enacted.
What the law requires today
As of October 4, 2026, AB 435’s new five-step definition is not yet in effect. Under the current rules, children under 8 generally must ride in an appropriate child passenger restraint system in the rear seat. Children ages 8 to under 16 must be properly secured in an appropriate child restraint or a safety belt. Do not apply the 2027 test as though it were already a current legal requirement. Check the current Vehicle Code text.
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The five-step seat-belt fit test
Beginning January 1, 2027, the child must be able to:
- Sit all the way back against the vehicle seat.
- Bend their knees over the edge of the vehicle seat.
- Wear the shoulder belt snugly across the center of the chest and shoulder, not the neck.
- Wear the lap belt as low as possible and touching the thighs.
- Stay seated in that position for the whole trip.
The statute’s fifth condition says: “The child or ward can stay seated like this for the whole trip.” The test is about whether the vehicle belt fits the child properly and can be used as permitted under the law; it is not a rule that all teens must ride in boosters.
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How to choose a restraint in practice
California’s Office of Traffic Safety recommends using a booster seat until a child reaches 4 feet 9 inches. That is safety guidance, not a blanket statutory booster mandate for teenagers. OTS also advises against rushing a child into a booster before they are ready and recommends that children 13 and under ride in the back seat. See California OTS child safety seat guidance.
If the belt does not fit according to the five conditions, consider an appropriate child restraint for the child’s size. Check that the restraint meets applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards and follow its maker’s height and weight limits. A belt-positioning booster may help position the vehicle belt, but the right choice depends on the child, the vehicle and the restraint’s limits.
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For hands-on help, OTS says local CHP offices conduct child safety seat checks. Contact your local CHP office for dates and details.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why the bill discusses restraint misuse
The California Assembly Committee on Transportation’s March 24, 2025 analysis cited figures about car-seat misuse to explain the safety context for AB 435. These are numbers reported by the committee, not rules created by the statute or independently verified findings here:
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- Graco ProtectPlus Engineered: a combination of the most rigorous crash tests that helps to protect your child in frontal, rear, and rollover crashes; additional testing based on the New Car Assessment Program and for extreme car interior temperatures
- The boost your child will love
- Height-adjustable armrests for your child's comfort
- Approximately 46% of car seats are misused, citing NHTSA’s 2015 Results of Child Restraint Use Special Study.
- 52% of car seats inspected by child passenger safety technicians were improperly installed, citing a 2021 AAA and National Safety Council study.
- 73% of forward-facing car seats were incorrectly installed, citing the same 2021 study.
- 90% of children under age 10 using adult lap-and-shoulder belts should still be in a booster seat, citing the same study.
These committee-reported figures help explain why correct fit and installation matter; they do not mean AB 435 requires every teen to use a booster. Read the Assembly Transportation Committee analysis.
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