PriceProtect™
DriveShield™
GarageGuard™
Services
Insurance
Car Insurance
Compare Car Insurance with Jerry
Jerry’s Expert Advice
Car Insurance Estimates
Home & Renters Insurance
Renters Insurance
Repairs
Car Repair Estimates
Repair Estimates for Popular Services
Advice
Read Car Content
Browse Jerry Car Advice
Check Out Expert Car QnA
Learn About How We Create Content
Jerry Data & Research
Can kids ride in the front seat in California?
For the last few months, my son has been begging to ride in the front seat. My husband and I have always told him no, but we might be starting to cave! He just turned nine this month—is he allowed to ride in the front seat in California?
Samuel Todd · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
There’s no doubt that kids can be very persuasive! Under California’s state law, children can ride in the front seat as long as they’re older than 8 years old and taller than 4’ 9”. So, legally speaking, it’ll come down to your son’s height (and, of course, what you’re comfortable with!).
Safety experts are a little more cautious with their rules—most recommend that kids who are younger than 13 ride in the back seat, where they’ll be better protected from collisions. They also encourage drivers to place children who weigh more than 65 pounds in a booster seat, which will help their seatbelts to work properly.
To sum it all up: if your son is taller than 4’9”, he’s allowed to ride in the front. If he isn’t quite that tall yet (or if you want to be a little cautious), you can let him know that he needs to wait just a bit longer before he can ride up front.
Here’s something you don’t have to wait for—insurance savings! Download
Jerry
, our car insurance
super app, sign up in less than a minute, and let Jerry show you all of the cheapest rates on insurance.Best of all, we’ve got an awesome team that will help you cancel your old policy. The average Jerry user saves $887 on car insurance!
View full answer
- Gregory R.
WHY YOU CAN TRUST JERRY
Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.
Join 4M+ members in lowering their car insurance
You Might Also Be Interested
Read Advice From Car Experts At Jerry
What Others Are Asking
Browse More Content
Insurance in Your State
Easiest way to compare and buy car insurance
No long forms
No spam or unwanted phone calls
Quotes from top insurance companies