How Old Does Your Child Have to Be to Sit in the Front Seat in Virginia?

Virginia law allows children over the age of 8 to ride in the front or rear seats using only a seat belt. There is no law prohibiting children from riding in the front seat of a car, but the Virginia Department of Health recommends that children younger than 13 years of age be restrained in the rear seats when possible.

Under Virginia law, all children must ride in child safety seats or booster seats until their eighth birthday. In the state of Virginia, it is illegal for a child under the age of 8 to ride in a car using only the car seat belt. The Virginia Department of Health recommends that infants and toddlers ride in rear-facing safety seats secured in the rear seats of the vehicle. If the vehicle does not have a rear seat, the child safety seat may be positioned in the front seat, but only if the seat does not have an airbag or the airbag has been deactivated. After the age of 2, children may ride in front-facing safety seats, and after the age of 4, they may ride using booster seats, following the specific weight and height requirements of the safety or booster seat. Children over the age of 8 who are tall enough to fit safely in a seat belt may ride in the front or rear seats using only the seat belt.