All passengers 8 years of age and older are required by the Texas Transportation Code to wear a seatbelt—no matter where they are seated in the vehicle.

Children under the age of eight must be properly restrained with a federally-approved car restraint system, safety seat, or booster seat.

The driver of the motor vehicle is responsible for ensuring that passengers who are 15 or younger are belted in.

Passengers 17 and older are responsible for themselves.

In other words, if you’re the parent of a 15-year-old who refuses to buckle up, you’ll be the one getting in trouble—not your teen.

According to the Texas Department of Transportation (TXdot)’s “Click It or Ticket” campaign, 1,258 unbuckled drivers and passengers died in car crashes in 2022—that’s 2.5% more than in 2021
On any given day, 10% of drivers in Texas will fail to do up their seat-belts
Texas roadways haven’t seen a day without fatalities from collisions since as far back as November 7, 2000

You’ll be fined if you break the Texas seatbelt laws

Breaking the Texas seatbelt laws is a misdemeanor and could result in a fine.

Driver or passenger 17 or older: $25 to $50 fine for the offender

Passenger 15 or younger: $100 to $200 fine for the driver

Passenger 16 years old: Potential fine for both the driver and offender

Subsequent offenses could garner drivers or passengers up to $250 in fines.

A seatbelt violation won’t impact your driving record

In Texas, breaking the seatbelt law is considered a nonmoving violation—so you won’t get any

driver's license points

on your driving record.

A seatbelt ticket will show up on your driver abstract but shouldn’t have serious consequences or increase your

Texas car insurance rates

Still, if you’re in a car accident and you aren’t wearing a safety belt, the consequences to your life—in the form of serious injuries and heavy fines—could be very serious. Take the time to buckle up.

FAQs

Does everyone have to wear a seatbelt in Texas?

For the most part, yes. But the state laws set forth a few exceptions to the seatbelt use rule. The following people do not have to wear a seat belt:

US postal workers

Garbage/waste collectors

Utility meter readers

Newspaper delivery drivers

Drivers of registered farm vehicles

Drivers with a doctor’s note stating that for medical reasons, they do not have to wear a seatbelt—you have up to 10 days to produce a physician’s note to dispute a ticket

School bus drivers and passengers under the age of 17 years old must wear seatbelts in Texas.

Can you argue your way out of a seatbelt ticket in court in Texas?

It’s reportedly difficult to argue your way out of a seatbelt fine in Texas, where judges tend to take a dim view of offenders. You should probably consult with an attorney before attempting to dispute your seatbelt ticket in court.

Is the Texas seatbelt law constitutional?

According to the 1987 Richards v. Texas case, Texas’s seatbelt law is in fact constitutional. The court determined that citizens are not guaranteed absolute freedom from government-imposed bodily restraint.

Could violating the seatbelt law affect my insurance in Texas?

Possibly. Seatbelt traffic tickets won’t affect your

car insurance

in most states—but your insurance company will notice if you rack up a ton of seatbelt tickets.

If you don’t pay your fine immediately, your credit score might go down. Either scenario could trigger a larger increase in your premiums.

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