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Seatbelt & truck bed laws by state

People search “Seatbelt & truck bed by state”, “Seatbelt & truck bed laws by state”, and “Belts map” when a road trip, boat, bike, or load is about to cross a line. This page is the 50-state index for seatbelt & truck bed. Colors and quotes are written for someone in that state today, not for what that state demands of its own registered vehicles.

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How states differ

Which seats must buckle, and whether a pickup bed is legal here.

  • All seats · truck-bed ride banned or restricted
  • All seats · no statewide truck-bed ban
  • Front seats (adults) · truck-bed banned or restricted
  • Front seats (adults) · no statewide truck-bed ban

Searches this page is meant to answer

If you typed any of these — or a close variant with a state name — this is the Crosstatelaws topic that should show up:

  • Seatbelt & truck bed by state
  • Seatbelt & truck bed laws by state
  • Belts laws by state
  • Seatbelt & truck bed map
  • Seatbelt & truck bed traveling across state lines
  • does seatbelt & truck bed change by state
  • seatbelt laws by state
  • do I have to wear a seatbelt
  • truck bed passenger laws by state
  • riding in truck bed legal
  • seat belt required all seats
  • Seatbelt & truck bed in California / Texas / Florida / New York
  • is seatbelt & truck bed legal while traveling

All 50 states

One-line traveler summary for each state. Open the map for the quoted rule and footnotes.

Alabama (AL)
Alabama: all seats, ages 15+. primary (rear secondary) enforcement. First-offense belt fine $25. Truck bed: no statewide truck-bed ban.
Alaska (AK)
Alaska: all seats, ages 16+. primary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $15. Truck bed: no statewide truck-bed ban.
Arizona (AZ)
Arizona: front 8+; all seats ages 8–15. secondary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $10. Truck bed: no statewide truck-bed ban.
Arkansas (AR)
Arkansas: front only, ages 15+. primary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $25. Truck bed: banned (on-duty employee and merchandise-space exceptions).
California (CA)
California: all seats, ages 16+. primary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $20. Truck bed: banned unless an FMVSS restraint; farm/parade ≤8 mph and emergency exceptions.
Colorado (CO)
Colorado: front only, ages 18+. secondary (primary under 18) enforcement. First-offense belt fine $71. Truck bed: restricted — cargo must be enclosed on all 4 sides.
Connecticut (CT)
Connecticut: all seats, ages 8+. primary; rear secondary for occupants over 16 enforcement. First-offense belt fine $50. Truck bed: banned under 16 unless belted; parade/farm/hayride exceptions.
Delaware (DE)
Delaware: all seats, ages 16+. primary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $25. Truck bed: no statewide truck-bed ban.
Florida (FL)
Florida: front 6+; all seats ages 6–17. primary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $30. Truck bed: banned under 18 on limited-access (enclosed-bed / added-belt / employee exceptions).
Georgia (GA)
Georgia: front 18+; all seats ages 8–17. primary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $15. Truck bed: banned under 18 on an interstate unless a covered bed.
Hawaii (HI)
Hawaii: all seats, ages 10+. primary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $45. Truck bed: restricted under 16 (cab-full + seated on the floor + racks/tailgate closed; parade/farm/employee exceptions).
Idaho (ID)
Idaho: all seats, ages 7+. secondary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $10. Truck bed: no statewide truck-bed ban.
Illinois (IL)
Illinois: all seats, ages 16+. Primary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $25. Truck bed: 625 ILCS 5/11-1403 — ride only in passenger-designed areas.
Indiana (IN)
Indiana: all seats, ages 16+. primary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $25. Truck bed: no statewide truck-bed ban.
Iowa (IA)
Iowa: front only, ages 18+. primary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $70. Truck bed: no statewide truck-bed ban.
Kansas (KS)
Kansas: all seats, ages 14+. primary; rear secondary for 18+ enforcement. First-offense belt fine $60 (ages 14–17) / $30 (18+). Truck bed: banned under 14 (parade/employment; not on a state highway / city limits).
Kentucky (KY)
Kentucky: all seats, ages 8+ (also 7-and-under if over 57 in). primary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $25. Truck bed: no statewide truck-bed ban.
Louisiana (LA)
Louisiana: all seats, ages 13+. primary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $50. Truck bed: banned under 12 on an interstate; non-interstate 12+ OK; parade under 15 mph / emergency exceptions.
Maine (ME)
Maine: all seats, ages 18+. primary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $50. Truck bed: banned under 19 (ag/hunter/parade/OEM outside-cab seat exceptions).
Maryland (MD)
Maryland: all seats, ages 16+. primary (rear secondary) enforcement. First-offense belt fine $50. Truck bed: banned under 16 unless ≤25 mph or farm/work; covered beds exempt.
Massachusetts (MA)
Massachusetts: all seats, ages 13+. secondary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $25. Truck bed: banned under 12 (short/slow trip, parade, farm exceptions).
Michigan (MI)
Michigan: front only, ages 16+. primary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $25. Truck bed: banned under 18 unless ≤15 mph; parade/farm/construction/emergency exceptions.
Minnesota (MN)
Minnesota: all seats, ages 18+. primary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $25. Truck bed: no statewide truck-bed ban.
Mississippi (MS)
Mississippi: all seats, ages 7+. primary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $25. Truck bed: no statewide truck-bed ban.
Missouri (MO)
Missouri: front only, ages 16+. secondary (primary under 16) enforcement. First-offense belt fine $10. Truck bed: banned under 18 on a state/federal highway or in a city (farm/parade/family-truck exceptions).
Montana (MT)
Montana: all seats, ages 10+. secondary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $20. Truck bed: no statewide truck-bed ban.
Nebraska (NE)
Nebraska: front only, ages 18+. secondary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $25. Truck bed: banned under 18 (parade exception).
Nevada (NV)
Nevada: all seats, ages 6+. secondary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $25. Truck bed: banned under 18 (farm/parade/unpaved/camper-shell exceptions).
New Hampshire (NH)
New Hampshire: no adult seat-belt mandate. Child restraint still applies (under 2 rear-facing; 6 and younger under 57 in). No statewide truck-bed ban. First-offense adult belt fine: none.
New Jersey (NJ)
New Jersey: all seats, ages 8+ (also 7-and-under if over 57 in). primary (rear secondary) enforcement. First-offense belt fine $20. Truck bed: banned (on-duty employee exception).
New Mexico (NM)
New Mexico: all seats, ages 18+. primary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $25. Truck bed: banned under 18.
New York (NY)
New York: all seats, ages 16+. primary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $50. Truck bed: restricted: 5-mile trips OK; longer trips need seats/rails/tailgate or adult + standing-minor rules.
North Carolina (NC)
North Carolina: all seats, ages 16+. primary (rear secondary) enforcement. First-offense belt fine $25.50 front / $10 rear. Truck bed: banned under 16 unless a supervising adult / belted / ag / parade / emergency.
North Dakota (ND)
North Dakota: all seats, ages 18+. primary (effective 2023-08-01) enforcement. First-offense belt fine $20. Truck bed: no statewide truck-bed ban.
Ohio (OH)
Ohio: front 15+; all seats ages 8–14. secondary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $30 driver / $20 passenger. Truck bed: banned under 16 unless ≤25 mph or an OEM belted seat; covered beds exempt.
Oklahoma (OK)
Oklahoma: front only, ages 9+. primary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $20. Truck bed: no statewide truck-bed ban.
Oregon (OR)
Oregon: all seats, ages 16+. primary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $115. Truck bed: banned under 18 unless belted/harness; parade/hunt/work floor-seated exceptions.
Pennsylvania (PA)
Pennsylvania: front only, ages 18+. secondary (primary under 18) enforcement. First-offense belt fine $10. Truck bed: banned under 18 in an open bed; 18+ only if under 35 mph; parade/hunt/farm exceptions.
Rhode Island (RI)
Rhode Island: all seats, ages 18+. primary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $40. Truck bed: banned under 16 unless secured in the cargo area.
South Carolina (SC)
South Carolina: all seats, ages 8+. primary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $25. Truck bed: banned under 15 unless an adult is present / belted / ≤36 mph + metal tailgate / ag/hunt/parade.
South Dakota (SD)
South Dakota: front only, ages 18+. secondary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $20. Truck bed: no statewide truck-bed ban.
Tennessee (TN)
Tennessee: front only, ages 16+. primary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $30. Truck bed: banned under 12; ages 6–11 off interstate/state highway OK; parade under 20 mph / ag exceptions.
Texas (TX)
Texas: all seats, ages 8+ (also 7-and-under if ≥57 in). primary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $200. Truck bed: banned under 18 (only-vehicle / parade / hayride / beach / emergency / farm exceptions).
Utah (UT)
Utah: all seats, ages 16+. primary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $45. Truck bed: no statewide truck-bed ban.
Vermont (VT)
Vermont: all seats, ages 18+. secondary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $25. Truck bed: no statewide truck-bed ban.
Virginia (VA)
Virginia: all seats, ages 18+. secondary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $25. Truck bed: banned under 16 (farmer field-crossing exception).
Washington (WA)
Washington: all seats, ages 16+. primary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $250. Truck bed: no statewide truck-bed ban.
West Virginia (WV)
West Virginia: front 8+; all seats ages 8–17. primary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $25. Truck bed: no statewide truck-bed ban.
Wisconsin (WI)
Wisconsin: all seats, ages 8+. primary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $10. Truck bed: restricted (enclosed / farm / parade / deer hunt / employee exceptions).
Wyoming (WY)
Wyoming: all seats, ages 9+. secondary enforcement. First-offense belt fine $25 driver / $10 passenger. Truck bed: no statewide truck-bed ban.

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Not legal advice. Confirm statutes before you travel. Disclaimer.