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Only use a second-hand car seat if you can confirm every item on the checklist below, including that it has never been in a collision. You can check the safety label, the expiry date, recalls, parts and condition yourself. You can't check crash history by looking, which is why Health Canada says not to use a seat if the seller or lender doesn't know its history. In practice, that means a seat from someone you know and trust, not a stranger online.
What you can check yourself
| Check | Where to look | Walk away if… |
|---|---|---|
| National Safety Mark | A label on the seat | There's no mark. It isn't legal to use in Canada. |
| Date of manufacture | The label with the model number | It was made before January 1, 2012, or the label is missing or unreadable |
| Expiry date | Moulded into the shell or on a label; the manual says which | It's expired, or will expire before your child outgrows it |
| Recalls | Search the model number on Transport Canada's recall database | It's recalled and the fix hasn't been done |
| Manual and parts | Download the manual from the manufacturer and compare the parts list | Anything is missing or isn't original |
| Condition | Shell, harness, buckle, chest clip, padding, tether | There are cracks, a frayed or torn strap, or a buckle that doesn't latch every time |
Our guide to car seat expiry shows where to find the date on common brands.
What you can't check
Crash history. A seat that's been in a collision can look perfectly normal. Health Canada says not to buy or borrow a seat that has been in a vehicle during a collision. Since there's no test you can do at home, the only way to know is the word of someone who's had the seat since it was new.
Questions to ask the owner:
- Did you buy it new, in Canada?
- Has it ever been in a car during a collision, even a minor one, or even when no one was in the seat?
- Do you still have the manual and every part that came with it?
If the answer to any of these is "I'm not sure", treat it as a no.
Seats made before 2012
Canada's car seat standards changed in 2012. Transport Canada says a seat made before January 1, 2012 may not meet the current requirements, so it may be illegal to advertise, sell or give it away. If a seat from before 2012 is offered to you, don't take it.
Recalls on a second-hand seat
Manufacturers send recall notices to registered owners, so the original owner may have had notices you never saw, and future ones won't reach you. Before you use the seat, search its model number on Transport Canada's recall database. Then contact the manufacturer with the model number and date of manufacture to ask about any recalls and whether you can register the seat in your name.
Seats from the US or online marketplaces
A seat bought in the US won't have the National Safety Mark, even if the same model is sold here. Our guide to US car seats in Canada explains why. Online marketplaces add another problem: you usually can't confirm where the seat was bought or what it's been through.
If you're selling or passing on a seat
- Pass on the manual and every part, and tell the next family the seat's history honestly.
- Don't sell or give away a seat that's expired, recalled without the fix, missing parts or has been in a collision.
- For a seat that shouldn't be reused, cut the harness straps so no one else can use it, and dispose of it through your local waste services.
If your seat was in a crash in BC, ICBC may pay for a replacement. Our guide to ICBC car seat reimbursement explains who qualifies.
Buying a used stroller too?
A used stroller has its own checks, from recalls to warranty to what to test before you pay. See our guide to buying a used stroller.
Buying new instead
If the used seat doesn't pass every check, a new one removes the guesswork. You can browse our car seats online. 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. Call ahead to book, and to ask which seats we have on display.
Neo W. is a BCAA-certified Child Passenger Safety Educator at baby enRoute (BCAA CPS Educator II Course).
