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In France, children under 10 must travel in an approved child seat suited to their size, in the back of the car. They can only sit in the front in a few cases, such as a rear-facing baby seat with the airbag turned off. Your UK car seat can be used if it carries the E approval label with R129 or R44. The fine for a child without the right seat is up to €750, usually €135, and it’s the driver who pays.
Car seat checker: what does your child need?
From France's road safety service (Sécurité routière) and GOV.UK, checked 10 October 2026. Always follow your seat maker's size and weight limits.
Car seat laws in France
- Under 10: an approved child seat suited to the child’s size and weight, in the back. The only exceptions are a child whose build already suits an adult belt, a medical exemption, and taxis and public transport.
- 10 and over: a seat belt, in the front or the back, wherever the seat has one.
- Everyone in the car must wear a seat belt where one is fitted.
- The driver is responsible for making sure children are secured.
From France’s road safety service (Sécurité routière) car seat leaflet, October 2024, and the French government’s guide to seat belts and car seats (updated 3 October 2025).
You may read that French children need a seat until they’re 135 cm tall. The French rule is based on age, 10, not height: 135 cm is the UK rule. But child seats are designed for children up to about 1.50 m tall, so a small 10-year-old is still safer in a booster.
When can a child sit in the front?
A child under 10 can only travel in the front, in an approved seat, if:
- they’re in a rear-facing seat, with the front passenger airbag turned off
- the car has no rear seats
- the rear seats have no seat belts, or are temporarily unusable
- the rear seats are already taken by other children under 10
If you fit a rear-facing seat in the front, you must turn off the airbag: an airbag going off against a rear-facing seat can seriously injure a baby.
Which seat for which age?
France’s road safety service gives this guide for seats approved to the newer R129 (i-Size) standard, which goes by the child’s height:
| Child | Seat |
|---|---|
| Up to 83 cm, about 15 months | Rear-facing baby seat, semi-reclined |
| Up to 1 metre | Seat with a harness, or with an impact shield. Rear-facing for as long as possible. |
| Over 1 metre, up to 10 years | High-back booster seat, used with the car’s seat belt |
Sizes vary between brands, so follow the seat maker’s instructions. Some seats are still approved by weight (R44), roughly 15 to 25 kg and 22 to 36 kg for boosters.
Booster seats
Under French law, a child who has outgrown a harness seat moves to a booster seat used with the car’s own seat belt, and keeps using it until age 10. For children over 1 metre, France’s road safety service’s guide shows a high-back booster. Boosters are approved by height (R129, usually from about 1 metre) or by weight (R44 groups 2 and 3, roughly 15 to 36 kg).
Make sure the upper part of the belt goes over the child’s shoulder, as the road safety service advises.
Using your UK car seat in France
The UK and France approve child seats to the same UN standards, so a seat that’s legal in the UK can be used in France. Check the label:
- R129 (i-Size): a capital E in a circle and “R129”. Sized by height, usually fitted with ISOFIX.
- R44: a capital E in a circle and “ECE R44”. Sized by weight. In France, R44 seats can no longer be sold since 1 September 2024, but you can still use one.
The number after the E shows which country approved the seat; it doesn’t matter which.
France and UK compared
| Rule | France | UK |
|---|---|---|
| Child seat needed until | 10 years old | 12 years old or 135 cm tall, whichever comes first |
| Rear-facing | Up to about 15 months (83 cm) for R129 seats, and recommended for as long as possible | R129 seats rear-facing until over 15 months |
| Rear-facing seat in the front | Allowed, airbag off | Allowed, airbag off |
A 10 or 11-year-old under 135 cm can legally use an adult belt in France but still needs a booster in the UK. A belt fits a smaller child badly, so it’s safer to keep using the booster until they reach 135 cm.
Hiring a car
Hire companies usually rent child seats for an extra charge. If you’re travelling by ferry or train in your own car, bring your own seats. If you’re flying and hiring a car, book seats in advance and check the type when you collect the car. More in hiring a car in France.
Tips for the long drive
- Stop every two hours. France’s government advises a break of at least 15 minutes every two hours, and children usually need one sooner. Autoroute rest areas usually have picnic tables and space to stretch.
- Take off thick coats before buckling children in, so the harness or belt fits snugly, as France’s road safety service advises.
- Never leave children alone in the car, especially in summer: a parked car heats up fast.
- Plan the drive: our France route planner shows the drive time from each port to 38 French cities, so you can work out breaks or an overnight stop.
- Hi-vis vests: French law requires one for each person in the car, children included. Child sizes are available.
- Getting out at the roadside: in France the side away from the traffic is the right. In a UK car that’s the driver’s side, so children sitting on the left must slide across and get out on the right.
Planning a family trip? See our driving holidays in France guide and the driving kit checklist.
Car seat laws in France: driving in France with children FAQs
What are the car seat rules in France?
Children under 10 must travel in an approved child seat suited to their size, in the back. They can only sit in the front in a few exceptions, such as a rear-facing baby seat with the airbag turned off, or when there are no rear seats or the back is full of other under-10s.
At what age can a child sit in the front seat in France?
From 10. Under 10, a child can only ride in the front in an approved seat and in specific cases: a rear-facing baby seat with the front airbag turned off, a car with no rear seats or no rear seat belts, rear seats temporarily unusable, or rear seats all taken by other children under 10.
Can I use my UK car seat in France?
Yes, if it carries the approval label with an E in a circle and R129 (i-Size) or ECE R44. The UK and France use the same UN approval standards. In France, R44 seats can no longer be sold since September 2024, but they can still be used.
What is the fine for not using a child seat in France?
Up to €750, usually a €135 fixed fine. The driver is responsible for making sure children are properly secured.
Do I need to turn off the airbag for a baby seat in France?
Yes. If you fit a rear-facing seat in the front, you must turn off the passenger airbag. The same rule applies in the UK.
Is the child seat law different in France and the UK?
Slightly. In France a child seat is compulsory until 10; in the UK until 12 or 135 cm tall, whichever comes first. Keeping to the UK rule in France keeps you within both.
Can a 7-year-old travel without a car seat in France?
Normally not. Children under 10 need an approved child seat or booster. French rules only let a child under 10 use an adult belt alone if their build is suited to it, and child seats are designed for children up to about 1.50 m tall, so very few 7-year-olds qualify.
Does a 10-year-old need a car seat in France?
Not under French law: from 10, a seat belt is enough. In the UK a child needs a seat until 12 or 135 cm tall, so if your 10-year-old is shorter than that, keep using the booster for safety.
Can I use an American car seat in France?
No. Seats must be approved to the UN R129 or R44 standards, with an E in a circle on the label. Seats approved only to US standards aren't approved for use in France.
Do children need a seat in a French taxi?
French rules exempt taxis and public transport from the child seat requirement. The exemption mentions taxis, not private-hire cars (VTC) such as Uber, so ask for a seat when you book. A seat is still the safest option in any car.