How Much Are Tickets for Driving Without a Seatbelt?

Fines for seatbelt tickets can potentially range from $10 to $200, with factors like your location, age, driving record and more determining how much a seatbelt ticket is. Wearing a seatbelt is crucial to mitigate the risk of serious injury or death in the event of a car accident, as a whopping 50% of people killed in car crashes in 2022 were not wearing their seatbelt at the time of the collision.^[1]

Keep reading to learn more about the factors that can impact your seatbelt ticket cost and how specific regulations related to seatbelts are enforced in each state.

On This Page

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  How Much Is a Seatbelt Ticket?

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  Am I Required by Law To Wear a Seatbelt While Driving?

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  Who Gets Fined for Not Wearing a Seatbelt?

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  Is Not Wearing a Seatbelt a Moving Violation?

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  Do Seatbelt Tickets Impact Car Insurance Rates?

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  What Should I Do if I Get a Seatbelt Ticket?

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  FAQs

How Much Is a Seatbelt Ticket?

The fine for getting a seatbelt ticket can range from as little as $10 to as much as $200, depending on a wide array of factors, including your state, your age, whether you are the driver or passenger and whether you have received a seatbelt ticket before.^[2]

Keep in mind that your seatbelt ticket may come with a base fine and extra charges that add up to create your actual fine.

Seatbelt Ticket Costs by State

Below, you’ll find a state-by-state overview of how much you can expect your seatbelt ticket to cost you.^[2]

Am I Required by Law To Wear a Seatbelt While Driving?

Drivers are broadly required by law to wear seatbelts in every state except for New Hampshire, where the requirement only applies to drivers under the age of 18. That said, whether you can be pulled over simply for driving without a seatbelt depends on whether you live in a primary or secondary enforcement state.^[2]

In most states and Washington, D.C., police officers practice primary enforcement, meaning they are allowed to pull you over anytime they see you driving without a seatbelt. However, there are some secondary enforcement states where police officers cannot pull you over just for driving without a seatbelt, but they can give you a ticket for driving without a seatbelt if they pull you over for some other reason, such as speeding.^[2]

The following table goes over the enforcement mechanism used for drivers and passengers in each state, including states that use a mix of both primary and secondary enforcement.^[2]

Are All Passengers in Cars Required To Wear Seatbelts?

Whether your passengers need to wear seatbelts may depend on your location, how old your passengers are and where they are sitting. Some states do not require passengers in the back seat to wear seatbelts, although the vast majority of states do require seatbelts for front-seat passengers. See the below table for each state’s requirements regarding which passengers must wear seatbelts.^[2]

Who Gets Fined for Not Wearing a Seatbelt?

In general, anyone who rides in a vehicle without wearing a seatbelt must pay their own fine, though there are some situations where a driver may have to pay a fine on behalf of their passenger. For example, in North Carolina, the driver is held responsible for any passengers under the age of 16 who aren’t wearing seatbelts.^[3]

Is Not Wearing a Seatbelt a Moving Violation?

Most states do not broadly classify driving or riding in a car without a seatbelt as a moving violation, although there are some exceptions, such as New Mexico. In addition, certain other states may consider seatbelt violations and similar offenses to be moving violations when minors are involved.^[4]

For example, drivers in Nebraska could be charged with moving violations and have points added to their licenses if they let children under the age of 8 ride without proper child safety seats and corresponding car seat belts.^[4]

Do Seatbelt Tickets Impact Car Insurance Rates?

Whether a seatbelt ticket impacts your car insurance rates will likely depend on how the ticket is classified in your state. Nonmoving violations generally don’t affect your auto insurance premiums, so adult drivers in most states shouldn’t have to worry about a rate hike after a single seatbelt ticket.^[5]

However, if your seatbelt offense is considered a moving violation, your insurance company may be more likely to raise your premiums.

Keep in mind that your car insurance costs are based on the likelihood that you will need to file a claim and be reimbursed by your insurance carrier, and it is possible that an insurance company could view you as a higher risk after you receive a seatbelt citation.

For example, if your driving history indicates that you regularly drive without a seatbelt, your insurer may think that you are more likely to be severely injured in a car accident. As a result, it may charge you more for medical payments coverage (Medpay) or personal injury protection (PIP) to offset the risk that it will need to pay out a costly claim.

What Should I Do if I Get a Seatbelt Ticket?

If you were wearing your seatbelt at the time you received a ticket or otherwise believe that the seatbelt ticket was issued unjustly, you should collect evidence to support your case and contest the ticket in court. You may also be able to get your ticket dismissed if you can show proof that your seatbelt was damaged or malfunctioning when you were pulled over but has since been repaired.^[6]

Of course, the simplest way to respond to a seatbelt ticket may be to pay the fine and move on. In many cases, a seatbelt violation results in a fine of less than $50 and has no impact on your car insurance, meaning an attempt to fight the ticket may be more costly and time-consuming than it’s worth.