When Can My Child Stop Using a Booster Seat? BC and Ontario Rules

In BC, a child who has outgrown their forward-facing car seat must ride in a booster until they're 145 cm (4 ft 9 in) tall or turn 9. In Ontario, the booster rule ends when your child turns 8, weighs 36 kg (80 lb) or reaches 145 cm, whichever comes first. Those are the legal minimums. Transport Canada's advice is to keep the booster until the seat belt fits your child on its own, which may be later than the law requires. Here's what each province says, the exemptions, and the fit test to use.

BC and Ontario side by side

In BC, the child seating rules apply to children under 9, so the booster requirement ends at 145 cm or age 9. ICBC adds that every child under 16 must be correctly restrained in a car seat, booster or seat belt, and that it's okay to go beyond the legal requirements.

Exemptions

• Taxis. Both provinces exempt taxis carrying passengers for hire. In BC, a vehicle that operates only as a ride-hailing vehicle isn't covered by the taxi exemption. In Ontario, a taxi isn't exempt when it's used for personal reasons or under contract with a school board.
• Buses. Buses and public vehicles carrying passengers for hire are exempt in Ontario, and larger buses are exempt in BC.
• Medical reasons. In BC, a driver with a valid medical certificate saying the child can't use a restraint is exempt.
• Visitors. In Ontario, the rules apply to all drivers, including visiting drivers. In BC, a vehicle licensed outside Canada is exempt if the driver follows the rules of the place where it's licensed.

An exemption only means the law doesn't require a booster. It doesn't change how the seat belt fits your child, so the fit test below still applies.

The law is the minimum

A child can be legally old enough to stop using a booster before the seat belt fits them. Transport Canada says to keep using the booster until your child has outgrown it and the seat belt fits snugly. Ontario's own guidance says it's safest to outgrow the car seat first. If your child is 8 in Ontario, or 9 in BC, but still shorter than 145 cm, try the test below before you take the booster out.

Is your child ready for the seat belt alone? The fit test

Have your child sit in the vehicle seat without the booster and check, from Transport Canada and Ontario's guidance:

1. Back against the seat, with knees bending over the edge of the seat cushion, not legs straight out.
2. Lap belt low and snug on the hips, not on the stomach.
3. Shoulder belt across the middle of the shoulder and chest, not the neck or face, and not slipping off the arm.
4. The belt stays in place: never under the arm or behind the back, and no seat belt adjusters.
5. Your child can sit up straight against the seat for the whole ride.

If any one fails, keep the booster. Check in each vehicle your child rides in, since belt positions vary. If your child is still within the booster's limits but needs a different one, our guide to the best booster seats in Canada compares nine, and our high-back vs backless guide explains when to remove the back.

What about the front seat?

Ontario recommends that children under 13 ride in the back seat. Transport Canada notes that most provinces and territories allow children 13 and older in the front. Wherever your child sits, they still need a seat belt that fits, or a booster if it doesn't.

Not sure about the fit?

Our car seat terms guide explains the stages and limits. We also offer car seat installation and check-ups by appointment at our Richmond and Burnaby stores, free for seats bought from us and $50 for other seats. Here's what happens at a car seat check. Browse booster seats online, and call ahead to ask which ones we have on display.

Neo W. is a BCAA-certified Child Passenger Safety Educator at baby enRoute (BCAA CPS Educator II Course).