Car seat laws in Portugal

Traveling to Portugal with kids? Ensuring their safety on the road is essential. Portugal has strict car seat regulations designed to protect young passengers and reduce the risk of injury. Whether you're renting a car, using a taxi or Uber or taking a private transfer, it's crucial to understand and follow these laws.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through Portugal’s car seat rules, exceptions and essential travel tips to help you stay compliant and keep your child safe on the road.

For detailed information on child passenger safety regulations, you can consult Article 55 of the Código da Estrada in the Diário da República [here].

Who needs a car seat?

• All children under 12 years old or shorter than 135 cm (whichever comes first) must use an appropriate car seat.
• Children who meet both the age and height requirements can use a regular seatbelt.

Important considerations:

• Children's sizes vary and age recommendations are only approximate. For optimal safety, always prioritize the child's actual height and weight over their age.
• Some children may be 130-140 cm before they properly fit in a seatbelt.
  

What's an appropriate car seat?

It’s not just any car seat - it must be approved and suited to the child’s weight and/or weight + height.

Here are some common misconceptions:

• A backless booster is not suitable for a 3-year-old.
• A forward-facing car seat using the harness is not appropriate for a 25 kg child.
• A forward-facing car seat without a harness is not appropriate for a child shorter than 100 cm.
• A forward-facing car seat is not suitable for an 8 kg baby.

These are just a few examples - there are more. What’s appropriate depends on the safety standard of the car seat (see below), the brand’s guidelines and the instructions in the manual. Always check these carefully to ensure the best protection for your child.

Where can children sit?

Children using car seats must ride in the back seat, unless:

• The car has only two seats (e.g., a sports car).
• The car seats in the back are already occupied by other children in car seats.
• The car seat is rear-facing and installed in the front seat, but only if the passenger airbag is deactivated.

Fines for non-compliance

Failing to use a proper car seat can result in fines ranging from €120 to €600 per child. Authorities strictly enforce these rules and children are not allowed in the front seat unless they are at least 150 cm tall or 12 years old.

Exceptions to the law

Children may travel without a car seat only in the following cases, as long as they are not seated in the front seat:

• Public transport (buses, trams, trains).
• Taxis and rideshare vehicles (Uber, Bolt, TVDE services).
• Emergency transport (ambulances).

However, legal doesn’t mean safe. Children should always travel in an appropriate car seat whenever possible.

Rear-facing requirement

• If the car seat follows the R129 standard, your child must travel rear-facing until at least 15 months old.
• Rear-facing for longer is strongly recommended, as it offers the best protection for young children.

Car seat safety standards in Portugal

There are two ECE regulations in force in Portugal: ECE R44, the older one and ECE R129, the more recent and updated standard.

1. R44/04 standard (weight-based classification)

• Group 0: 0-10 kg 
• Group 0+: 0-13 kg 
• Group 1: 9-18 kg 
• Group 2: 15-25 kg
• Group 3: 22-36 kg 

Important notes:

• R44 seats allow forward-facing from 9 kg, but rear-facing is much safer and should be continued as long as possible.
• R44 car seats are no longer available for purchase in Portugal - they can only be rented.
• Still safe: Many R44 seats have excellent safety ratings despite no longer being manufactured.
  

2. R129 standard (weight and height-based classification)

• Infant car seats (from 40 cm up to a height that varies by brand/model) → Must be rear-facing with ISOFIX or seatbelt installation.
• Convertible car seats (height/weight limits vary) → Can be used rear-facing and later forward-facing but rear-facing is required until at least 15 months.
• Child car seats (height/weight limits vary) → High-back booster seats used with the car’s seatbelt (booster cushions/seats without a backrest are no longer allowed under R129).

Key differences R44 <> R129:

• Rear-facing required until at least 15 months (R44 allows forward-facing from 9 kg).
• Height-based classification, ensuring a better fit.
• Side-impact crash testing is mandatory (not required under R44).
• Some R129 car seats are also i-Size, which means they are ISOFIX-compatible, reducing installation mistakes.

Renting a car seat in Portugal or using one that isn't yours?

When renting a car seat from a company or using one that doesn't belong to you, ensure you select it based on your child’s height and weight, rather than just their age. Key considerations for choosing the right car seat:

• Safety standards:

  • Check if the car seat complies with R44/04 or R129 regulations.
  • Opt for rear-facing for as long as possible.
  • Remember, compliance alone doesn’t guarantee the highest safety. Always (try to) choose car seats that have undergone independent safety tests, such as ADAC or the Plus Test, to ensure the best protection for your child.
    

     

• Verify required labels:
  
  
  • ECE approval label (regulation number, serial number, manufacture date, weight/height range, UN logo).
  • ISOFIX label (if applicable).
  • Instruction label (installation diagrams and proper usage).
    
    

• Proper size:

  • Never accept a car seat that doesn’t match your child’s weight and height.
    
    

• Proper adjustments:

  • Ensure the car seat has adjustable components like the headrest, harness, shoulder pads, canopy and infant reducer/insert to properly fit your child.
  • These adjustments help maintain the seat’s effectiveness and provide optimal protection.
    
    

• Avoid unsafe accessories:

  • Do not use third-party accessories or add-ons, as they may compromise safety.
    
    

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