Family travel · Child seats
NYC car seat laws car service
What New York’s taxi and livery rules say about children, and how to reserve infant, convertible or booster seats at $25 each.
Quick answer
New York City allows children under 8 to ride in a taxi or for-hire car without a child restraint under the taxi and livery rules. For a safer ride, reserve the right seat. Chauffeur Service NYC supplies infant, convertible and booster seats for $25 each in SUVs and Sprinters. Every child counts as a passenger.
When you reserve a car with child seats, give us each child’s age, height and weight, and the chauffeur helps with placement while a parent checks the final fit.
Taxi Rules
Does a child need a car seat in a New York City taxi or car service?
Under age 8, the New York rules for a taxi or livery differ from the ordinary private-car rules. NYC311 explains that car restraints are encouraged in taxis and for-hire vehicles and that riders can bring their own. A New York taxi or livery passenger age 8 or older must wear a seat belt, including in the back seat. The statutory taxi and livery provision is Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1229-c(3-c), read alongside subdivision 9.
A family arriving at JFK can reserve an age- and size-appropriate seat for the ride into Manhattan. A yellow cab queue does not give a parent a written reservation for a particular seat. With our car service with child seats, put the setup on your reservation before the flight. This guide covers travel in New York. For a trip crossing into New Jersey or Connecticut, book restraints for the entire journey and check each state’s rules.
Private Cars
What changes if we rent or drive a private car?
New York’s general rule calls for an appropriate child restraint for children under 8 in an ordinary passenger car. Children under 2 generally ride rear-facing until they reach a manufacturer’s height or weight limit for rear-facing use. For older children, use the seat’s height and weight ranges and check how the vehicle belt fits. Reaching a birthday does not automatically mean a particular seat fits the child.
| Situation | What a parent can arrange |
|---|---|
| Prebooked NYC for-hire SUV | Reserve an infant, convertible or booster seat and give dispatch the child’s measurements |
| NYC taxi with your own seat | Bring the restraint, allow time to install it and check the fit before moving |
| Private or rental car in New York | Follow the ordinary passenger-car rules and bring or reserve a suitable restraint |
| Family needs two different seat types | Request each position separately, including direction of travel and child size |
Seat Types
Which child seat should I request?
Three categories are available when you reserve. Request a rear-facing infant seat for a baby who fits the seat’s limits. A convertible seat can serve a child who needs to continue rear-facing or one ready for a forward-facing harness. A booster positions the vehicle belt for a child who has outgrown the forward-facing harness. Give us the child’s age, height and weight along with the setup you use.
Keep a child rear-facing to the manufacturer’s rear-facing limit, then use a forward-facing harness to that seat’s limits before moving to a booster. For a belt-positioning booster, the lap belt should sit across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt should cross the chest and shoulder. An adult should check the fit in the vehicle on pickup day. The chauffeur helps with placement and the parent or guardian checks the final fit.
Rates
How much is an airport car with a child seat?
$25 buys one requested child seat for one direction, in addition to the vehicle fare. Two requested seats add $50 each way. The published Chevrolet Suburban transfer between JFK and Midtown starts at $202.53. With two operator-supplied seats, that starts at $252.53 before optional gratuity. Select a seat for each leg of a round trip so the return chauffeur receives the correct request.
| Vehicle class | Passengers / bags | Hourly (3-hour minimum) | JFK ↔ Midtown, one way |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Sedan | 2 / 2 | $110/hr | From $174.61 |
| Executive SUV (Chevrolet Suburban) | 6 / 6 | $130/hr | From $202.53 |
| Cadillac Escalade ESV | 6 / 6 | $150/hr | From $236.49 |
| Mercedes-Benz S-Class / BMW 7 Series | 3 / 2 | $180/hr | From $306.30 |
| Executive Sprinter | 13 / 14 | Quote on request | Quote on request |
| Jet Sprinter | 10 / 10 | Quote on request | Quote on request |
| Mercedes-Maybach | 2 / 2 | Quote on request | Quote on request |
| Rolls-Royce | 3 / 3 | Quote on request | Quote on request |
Quote on request: call (888) 883-8180 or request a quote online.
For this table, the sedans are useful price references for adult travelers. We offer child seats in SUVs and Sprinters only. A Chevrolet Suburban and a Cadillac Escalade ESV each carry up to six passengers and six ordinary bags, with up to two seats per booking. Include the stroller and any extra equipment in the luggage notes instead of counting a stroller as a person.
Two Families
How do two families book seats for the same pickup?
Two adults, two children and two grandparents with six ordinary bags use the full published passenger and bag capacity of one SUV. For a rear-facing child and a booster rider, give dispatch a separate line for each child. If cousins traveling on another flight also need restraints, call with the complete party size and flights so dispatch can arrange the appropriate vehicles.
Give the rider’s mobile number to the booker. At JFK, LaGuardia and Newark you can add an inside-terminal name-sign greeting for $25, separately from the seat charge. The chauffeur can help with bags on the way to the vehicle. Keep your hands free to secure the child before departure. Airport waiting runs from actual landing, with 60 minutes included after domestic arrivals and 90 after international arrivals.
Booking
How do we reserve the right setup?
Count every passenger, including babies. List the ordinary bags, stroller and any large gear. Use our luggage capacity guide when deciding how many vehicles to reserve.
Pick an SUV or request a Sprinter. Enter each child’s seat direction and add their height, weight and age in the booking notes. If you plan to bring your own restraint, identify it so it counts toward the two-seat maximum per booking.
Save the written confirmation and check both directions. At pickup, follow the instructions for your seat and the vehicle. Let the chauffeur know when each child is secured so the ride can begin.
Questions & answers
Frequently asked questions
Can I bring my own car seat?
Yes. Bring a seat in good condition, bring its instructions and tell us when you book. A seat you bring still counts toward the two-seat limit per booking. New York City also permits parents to install their own seats in TLC-licensed vehicles.
Is a booster the right choice for every four-year-old?
Age alone does not determine readiness for a booster. A child who still fits the forward-facing harness can continue using it according to the manufacturer’s limits. Give dispatch the current setup so a familiar restraint can be requested.
Can I reserve two rear-facing seats?
Request two seats when reserving the SUV and provide the measurements for each child in the booking notes. For twins, put each child on a separate line even when both require rear-facing seats. Read the equipment request on the written reservation before pickup.
Is an infant carried on a lap counted as a passenger?
Every infant counts toward capacity. Choose one place for each traveler and book an appropriate restraint for the baby. A group of three adults and one child needs a vehicle with at least four passenger places.
What if the trip begins at a hotel instead of an airport?
The same seat booking process applies. Meet the chauffeur at the hotel’s main entrance, using the exact spot sent by text. A regular pickup includes a 15-minute grace period. Have the party, luggage and personal restraint ready together.
Can an assistant arrange the seat for a visiting family?
Yes. Give the assistant the rider’s phone, flight, child measurements and seating directions. The chauffeur’s first name, phone, vehicle and plate are sent to the rider before pickup. Our child seat policy lists the booking details.
24/7 dispatch
Reserve your child seats
Call (888) 883-8180 or book online to reserve the vehicle and each child’s seat in advance. For a same-day ride, call 24/7 dispatch with the complete setup.