Austria: Compulsory for occupants of all seats equipped with a seat belt.

Special seat belts for children under 12 years of age or less than 150 cm to be used both at the front and at the rear.

Belgium: Compulsory for occupants of all seats equipped with a seat belt.

Children aged between 0 and 12 years must use a seatbelt and child restraint suitable for their size and weight.

Possible exemption: taxi drivers when carrying passengers, drivers reversing their vehicles, delivery men.

Bulgaria: Compulsory on the front seats of a vehicle.

Children under 12 years of age may not travel in the front of a vehicle.

Belarus: Compulsory on the front seats of a vehicle.

Children under 12 years of age may not travel in the front of a vehicle.

Croatia: Compulsory for occupants of all seats equipped with a seat belt.

Children under 12 years of age may not travel in the front of a vehicle except for children up to two years if using rear facing child seat and airbag is disabled. Children from two to five must be in appropriate child restraint on back seat. Children from five to 12 must use adult seat belt on back seat, with booster cushion according to size.

Cyprus: Compulsory for all.

Children under five may not sit in the front passenger seat. Children from five to 10 years of age may occupy the front passenger seat if an appropriate child seat belt has been fitted.

Czech Republic: Compulsory on the front seats of a vehicle.

Children under 12 years of age must wear a restraint adapted to their size.

Also applies for persons under 18 years who are under 150 cm in height.

Denmark: Compulsory for occupants of all seats equipped with a seat belt.

Children up to 3 years old in the front or rear seat MUST use the correct child restraint. It is illegal to carry a child in a rear-facing child seat in a front seat with an active frontal airbag. Children aged 3 and above, until they reach EITHER their 12th birthday OR 135 cm in height MUST use the correct child restraint in the front seat. In the rear seat they MUST use the correct restraint where seat belts are fitted. Children over 1.35 metres in height or who are 12 or 13 years old must wear an adult belt if available in the front or back seat.

Possible exemption: medical reasons or drivers reversing their vehicles.

Estonia: Compulsory on the front seats of a vehicle. Rear seat belts must be worn when available.

Babies and young children must travel in a child seat adapted to their size.

Finland: Compulsory for all occupants on seats equipped with a seat belt.

Children below 135 cm in height must be seated in an approved child restraint suitable for their height and weight. Where a child restraint seat is not available, a child three years and over must travel in the rear seat of the vehicle using a seat belt or other safety device attached to the seat. A child under three years old may not be transported in a vehicle without child restraint/seat except in a taxi.

Drivers or passengers who are exempt from wearing a seat belt for medical reasons, must carry a medical certificate of exemption, accompanied by a translation into Finnish.

France: Compulsory for occupants of all seats equipped with a seat belt.

When in French registered cars, children under the age of 10 must travel in an approved child seat or restraint, adapted to their size. Under French law, a baby under nine months must be carried in a rear-facing seat or a carry cot. A child between nine months and three or four years must be seated in a special seat. A child up to 10 years can use a booster seat with a seat belt, or a harness.

A child must not be placed in the front with their back to the road if the vehicle is fitted with a passenger airbag.

Germany: Compulsory for occupants of all seats equipped with a seat belt.

A child under 150 cm travelling in any type of vehicle must be seated in a child seat or child restraint. Where a child restraint/seat is not available, a child 3 years and over must travel in the rear seat of the vehicle using a seat belt or other safety device attached to the seat. A child under 3 years old may not be transported in a vehicle without child restraint/seat.

Possible exemption: taxi drivers, delivery men etc.

Greece: Compulsory on the front seats of a vehicle.

It is prohibited for children under 12 years of age to travel in the front seat of a vehicle.

If a visitor is exempted from wearing the belt on medical grounds, he must carry the medical certificate of exemption accompanied by a translation into Greek.

Hungary: Compulsory on all seats, front and rear.

Children less than 150 cm must use a child restraint system adapted to their weight. They cannot be transported in the car otherwise. Children less than three years old are allowed to travel on the front seats if the child restraint system is rear-facing and there is no airbag or if it is deactivated. A child aged three or more, measuring 135 cm or over, can travel on the rear seat of a car using a seat belt.

Rear seat belts must be worn outside built-up areas if the vehicle is equipped with them.

Iceland: Compulsory for occupants of all seats equipped with a seat belt.

Children must be secured by either safety belts or safety seats.

Ireland: Compulsory for occupants of all seats equipped with a seat belt.

Children under 12 years of age cannot occupy a front seat unless the child has a suitable safety restraint.

This does not apply in the case of the carriage of a large number of children if all the rear seats are occupied.

Italy: Compulsory for occupants of all seats equipped with a seat belt.

It is compulsory for children travelling in cars, even those registered abroad, to be restrained.

Possible exemption: pregnant women, drivers and passengers of an emergency vehicle, persons holding a medical certificate proving that wearing a seat belt is contraindicated.

Latvia: Compulsory on the front seats of a vehicle.

Children under 150 cm in height must use a special seat or the lap strap of an adult seat belt.

Lithuania: Compulsory on the front seats of a vehicle.

Children under 12 years are not allowed in the front seats of cars unless there is a child restraint adapted to their size.

Luxembourg: Compulsory for occupants of all seats equipped with a seat belt.

From 1 June 2008: Children under three years of age must be placed in an approved restraint system (except if in a bus or coach). Children from three to 17 years of age, up to 150 cm must be seated in an appropriate restraint system. They must use a seat belt in a bus or coach, except local public transport vehicles.

In a taxi, the driver and all passengers must wear a belt. A child under three years of age must be placed in an approved restraint system.

Macedonia: Compulsory for occupants of all seats equipped with a seat belt.

Children under 12 years of age may not travel in the front of a vehicle.

Malta: Compulsory on the front seats of a vehicle.

Children under 11 years are not allowed to sit in the front seat of cars unless an adult seat belt or an appropriate child restraint is worn.

If there are no seat belts on the rear seats, children may only sit in the back if they are accompanied by an adult or if child-proof locks are fitted on the rear doors.

Moldova: Compulsory on the front seats of a vehicle.

Children under 12 years of age may not travel in the front of a vehicle.

Netherlands: Compulsory on the front seats of a vehicle.

Children under 12 years of age and measuring less than 150 cm must not be carried on the front seat, unless they are sitting in a specially adapted and approved seat for their size. If the vehicle does not have one, they must wear seat belts. Children aged between 0 and three must be secured in rear seats by a safety system suitable for their size. Children aged between three and 12 must be secured by a safety system suitable for their size.

No exceptions are made for cars without rear seats.

Norway: Compulsory for occupants of all seats equipped with a seat belt.

Children under four years of age must be in a special restraint system. Children over four years of age must use a child restraint system or a seat belt.

If visitors are exempted from wearing a seat belt on medical grounds, they must be in possession of a medical certificate of exemption. They will need a translation into Norwegian only if they wish to drive a vehicle registered in Norway.

Poland: Compulsory for occupants of all seats equipped with a seat belt.

Children under 12 years and less than 150 cm in height have to be restrained by a seat belt adapted to their size or seated in a special seat of an approved design. If the car is equipped with airbags at the front, it is prohibited to place a child in a rear-facing seat on the front passenger seat.

Possible exemption: taxi drivers, pregnant women, holders of a medical certificate.

Portugal: It is compulsory for all passengers of a vehicle to wear a seat belt at all times.

Children under 12 years of age are not allowed to travel on the front seat of a car unless there is a special child restraint system fitted and adapted to their size or unless the car has only two seats. Children under three years must use an approved child seat.

Romania: Compulsory for occupants of all seats equipped with a seat belt.

Children under 12 years of age may not travel in the front of a vehicle.

Russia: Compulsory for occupants of all seats equipped with a seat belt.

It is prohibited to carry a child under 12 years of age on the front seat of a car when there is no special child restraint. It is also prohibited to carry a child under 12 years of age on the rear seat of a motorcycle.

Serbia: Compulsory for occupants of all seats equipped with a seat belt.

Children under 12 years of age may not travel in the front of a vehicle.

Slovakia: Compulsory for occupants of all seats equipped with a seat belt.

Children under 12 years of age, or 150 cm in height, may not travel on the front seats of vehicles.

Slovenia: Compulsory for occupants of all seats equipped with a seat belt.

All children must be in a safety seat which is suitable for their age. Children over 12 years of age can wear an adult seat belt. Children under 12 years of age may not travel in the front of a vehicle.

Spain: Compulsory for occupants of all seats equipped with a seat belt.

Children over three years old, not exceeding 150 cm in height, must use a restraint if available. Children under three must be placed in a restraint system adapted to their size.

Sweden: Compulsory for occupants of all seats equipped with a seat belt.

It is compulsory for children up to the age of seven to be seated in child restraint or seat allowing them to use the seat belts in the car. This applies to both front and rear seats. The driver must also ascertain that a child from seven to 15 is suitably restrained.

If for medical reasons a visitor or resident cannot use a seat belt, it is necessary to carry a special concession document issued by the competent authorities. In the case of visitors, this will be issued in their country of residence and should preferably be translated into English.

Switzerland: Compulsory for occupants of all seats equipped with a seat belt.

A child aged between seven and 12 years must wear a seat belt or a restraint specially designed for children. A child under seven years must be in an appropriate child restraint adapted to his size.

The wearing of seat belts is also compulsory in the Principality of Liechtenstein.

Turkey: Compulsory on the front seats of a vehicle.

Ukraine: Compulsory for occupants of all seats equipped with a seat belt.

It is prohibited to transport children under 12 years old and less than 145 cm in height on the front seat Very young children may only be transported in the front seat of a car if there is a special seat provided.

United Kingdom: Compulsory for occupants of all seats equipped with a seat belt.

Children up to 3 years old in the front or rear seat MUST use the correct child restraint. It is illegal to carry a child in a rear-facing child seat in a front seat with an active frontal airbag. Children aged 3 and above, until they reach EITHER their 12th birthday OR 135 cm in height MUST use the correct child restraint in the front seat. In the rear seat they MUST use the correct restraint where seat belts are fitted. Children over 135 cm in height, or who are 12 or 13 years old, must wear an adult belt if available in the front or back seat.

A medical certificate which has been issued abroad and exempts the holder from wearing a seat belt is not accepted in the United Kingdom. The exempted person should obtain a British certificate on arrival.

Last updated in October 2008.