Seat Belts Driving Laws by State
Seat belt violations across the country
Lower Fines
Higher Fines
Higher Fines
Updated: October, 2024
All 50 states + Washington, DC require seat belt use, except for New Hampshire. The map above shows the standard fine for not wearing a seatbelt in each state. Fines range from $10 in Pennsylvania and Arizona to $200 in Texas.
Like cellphone laws there are two different types of enforcement for seat belt violations – Primary and Secondary. Primary enforcement means you can be stopped for violating the law. Secondary enforcement means that seat belt laws can only be enforced if you were already stopped for a separate violation.
The table below shows which states have which type of enforcement for seat belt laws and shows the fine for not wearing a seat belt.
| State | Seat Belt Laws | Enforcement Type | Seat Belt Violation |
|---|---|---|---|
 Alabama | Yes | primary | $25.00 |
 Alaska | Yes | primary | $15.00 |
 Arizona | Yes | secondary | $10.00 |
 Arkansas | Yes | primary | $25.00 |
 California | Yes | primary | $20.00 |
 Colorado | Yes | secondary | $71.00 |
 Connecticut | Yes | primary | $15.00 |
 Delaware | Yes | primary | $25.00 |
 District of Columbia | Yes | primary | $50.00 |
 Florida | Yes | primary | $30.00 |
 Georgia | Yes | primary | $15.00 |
 Hawaii | Yes | primary | $45.00 |
 Idaho | Yes | secondary | $10.00 |
 Illinois | Yes | primary | $25.00 |
 Indiana | Yes | primary | $25.00 |
 Iowa | Yes | primary | $25.00 |
 Kansas | Yes | primary | $60.00 |
 Kentucky | Yes | primary | $25.00 |
 Louisiana | Yes | primary | $25.00 |
 Maine | Yes | primary | $50.00 |
 Maryland | Yes | primary | $50.00 |
 Massachusetts | Yes | secondary | $25.00 |
 Michigan | Yes | primary | $25.00 |
 Minnesota | Yes | primary | $25.00 |
 Mississippi | Yes | primary | $25.00 |
 Missouri | Yes | secondary | $10.00 |
 Montana | Yes | secondary | $20.00 |
 Nebraska | Yes | secondary | $25.00 |
 Nevada | Yes | secondary | $25.00 |
 New Hampshire | No | None | |
 New Jersey | Yes | primary | $20.00 |
 New Mexico | Yes | primary | $25.00 |
 New York | Yes | primary | $50.00 |
 North Carolina | Yes | primary | $25.00 |
 North Dakota | Yes | secondary | $20.00 |
 Ohio | Yes | secondary | $30.00 |
 Oklahoma | Yes | primary | $20.00 |
 Oregon | Yes | primary | $110.00 |
 Pennsylvania | Yes | secondary | $10.00 |
 Rhode Island | Yes | primary | $40.00 |
 South Carolina | Yes | primary | $25.00 |
 South Dakota | Yes | secondary | $20.00 |
 Tennessee | Yes | primary | $50.00 |
 Texas | Yes | primary | $200.00 |
 Utah | Yes | secondary | $45.00 |
 Vermont | Yes | secondary | $25.00 |
 Virginia | Yes | secondary | $25.00 |
 Washington | Yes | primary | $124.00 |
 West Virginia | Yes | primary | $25.00 |
 Wisconsin | Yes | primary | $10.00 |
 Wyoming | Yes | secondary | $25.00 |