Keep Factually independent
Whether you agree or disagree with our analysis, these conversations matter for democracy. We don't take money from political groups - even a $5 donation helps us keep it that way.
What are the fines for violating the booster seat law in California 2025?
Executive summary
California’s new booster-seat-related law (a watered-down version of AB 435 signed by Gov. Newsom) keeps the core booster rules for children under 8 and, beginning in 2027, adds a five‑step seat‑belt fit test for 8–16 year olds; media reporting consistently states that drivers who cannot answer “yes” to all five items could receive a ticket and about $490 in fines (CalMatters and multiple reprints) [1] [2]. Earlier legislative drafts and some reporting cited much smaller fines ($20/$50) for different proposed provisions; those lower figures refer to earlier versions of the bill during committee consideration, not the final description many outlets report [3] [2].
1. What the finalized law requires and when it takes effect
The law preserves the existing baseline: children under 8, or under 4'9", must be in a car seat or booster in the back seat; it then adds that, starting Jan. 1, 2027, children ages 8–16 must pass a five‑step test to be legally “properly restrained” by an adult seat belt — if the belt doesn’t fit per the test, advocates want the child to remain in a booster [1] [2] [4].
2. Media consensus on the fine amount — about $490
Multiple outlets republishing the CalMatters story state the penalty for failing the test (i.e., when a driver can’t answer “yes” to all five fit questions about a child passenger) is a ticket and fines of $490; that number appears repeatedly in CalMatters and its reprints in Mercury News, LAist, KPBS, Desert Sun, SF Chronicle and others [1] [2] [5] [4] [6] [7].
3. Why earlier reports quoted much smaller fines
Earlier versions of AB 435 that were debated in committee included different mechanics and penalty language; at that stage some coverage cited a $20 first‑offense/$50 subsequent fine structure for proposed front‑seat or booster requirements — that reporting reflects a prior draft or alternative enforcement approach discussed in committee, not necessarily the final implementation described in the CalMatters accounts [3]. The two figures (about $490 versus $20/$50) therefore come from different moments of the bill’s evolution and different provisions under consideration.
4. What the five‑step test is and enforcement implications
The five‑step test asks whether the child: sits all the way back; has knees bending at the seat edge; has the shoulder belt crossing between neck and arm; has the lap belt low on the thighs; and can stay seated like that for the whole trip. If a driver cannot truthfully answer “yes” to all five about a seat‑belted child, reporting says the driver could be ticketed [1] [8]. Coverage frames the test as guidance codified into law to encourage continued booster use until a proper fit, rather than mandating a specific booster model [8].
5. Conflicting coverage and how to read it
Most outlets republishing CalMatters describe the ~$490 fine; some earlier local coverage of draft language described $20/$50 penalties tied to different draft restrictions [3] [2]. That divergence is procedural: legislative language often changes between committee votes and the final enrolled bill, and news outlets captured different versions. Readers should treat the $490 figure as the one most consistently reported about the signed, post‑Amendment measure in October 2025 [1] [2].
6. What official sources say / what’s not found in current reporting
California Highway Patrol guidance reiterates existing vehicle‑code thresholds (under age 8 or 4'9") and advises keeping children in harnessed seats until they outgrow them; CHP material does not restate the post‑2026 five‑step enforcement fine amount in the provided snippets — “not found in current reporting” of the CHP page provided here [9]. The CalMatters-origin pieces and reprints are the clearest news accounts tying the five‑step test to a driver ticket and the ~$490 figure [1] [2].
7. Practical takeaway for parents and drivers
If you transport children aged 8–16 in California after the law takes effect, use the five‑step test: if a child’s seat belt does not pass the test, reporting advises keeping the child in a booster until it does — both for safety and because multiple news outlets report that drivers who can’t verify a proper fit risk a ticket and an approximately $490 fine [1] [4]. If you want absolute legal certainty on the exact fine language and statutory text, consult the enrolled bill text or the California Vehicle Code as amended (available sources do not mention the exact code section or statutory text in the provided reporting) [1] [2].
Limitations: This analysis relies on CalMatters reporting and its reprints (the sources provided). Earlier committee‑stage reporting cited lower penalty amounts tied to draft language; the $490 figure is the one most widely reported about the post‑Amendment law as of October 2025 [3] [2].