Taxi exceptions
Child car seats in taxis and minicabs
Without the correct child seat, a child under 3 may travel unrestrained in a rear seat of a licensed taxi or minicab. A child aged 3 or older must travel in the rear and wear an adult seat belt.
These rules apply in Great Britain.
Rules and figures checked on 10 September 2026.
The child's age changes the restraint rule
If the driver does not provide the correct child seat, a child under 3 can travel without a seat belt, but only in a rear seat. From the third birthday, the child must wear an adult seat belt and still travel in the rear.
This is a specific exception for a licensed taxi or minicab. It does not turn an ordinary planned journey in a private car into an exception.
A supplied correct seat remains the normal rule
The exception is framed around the correct restraint not being provided. Where the correct child seat is available, it should be used according to its approval label and manufacturer instructions.
Common questions
- Can a baby travel without a seat in a taxi?
- Yes, only if the correct child seat is not provided and the baby travels unrestrained in a rear seat of the licensed taxi or minicab.
- What must a child aged 3 or older do in a taxi?
- If the correct child seat is not provided, the child must sit in a rear seat and wear an adult seat belt.
- Does the taxi exception apply in the front seat?
- No. GOV.UK states that children travelling without the correct child seat under this exception must travel in a rear seat.
Related pages
- Child car seat law and seat checkerIn Great Britain, a child normally needs an approved child car seat until their 12th birthday or until they reach 135 cm, whichever happens first. The seat must match the child's height or weight and be fitted as its manufacturer directs.
- i-Size and R129 child car seatsGOV.UK identifies legal height based restraints by a capital E in a circle and R129 on the approval label. These seats are commonly called i-Size seats. They must remain rear facing until the child is over 15 months old.
- Rear facing child car seat lawA height based R129 seat must face the rear until the child is over 15 months old. A rear facing baby seat must never be placed in front of an active frontal airbag.
- Booster seat law by height and weightUnder ECE R44, group 2 covers 15 kg to 25 kg and group 3 covers 22 kg to 36 kg. Approved R129 boosters instead use the height range and any maximum weight printed on their label.
Sources
Each legal threshold and exception above comes from the linked government guidance.