Car Seat Expiration Dates by Brand (2026)

A seat you already own, or one you're about to buy used, is checked below against its maker's rule.

Every figure below comes from the manufacturer's own website or manual, checked in September 2026. Where a brand's rule depends on the model, the table says so. Models change, so the label and manual on your seat still have the final word.

How long do car seats last, by brand?

Brands we could not confirm. We could not load a page on the Nuna, Clek, Diono or Cosco sites that states a period, and we do not copy numbers from third-party blogs. For those, go by the label on your seat: Nuna says the recommended use period is typically on a sticker underneath the seat.

Download the data: this table as JSON or CSV, with each maker's source URL; see open data. How to cite: "Car Seat Expiration Dates by Brand, NurseryProof, https://nurseryproof.com/strollers-car-seats/car-seat-expiration-dates-by-brand", with the date checked.

Five rules that catch people out

Graco splits convertibles by frame. A Graco convertible lasts 7 or 10 years depending on whether it has a steel-reinforced frame, so read the back of the seat rather than guessing from the seat type.

Peg Perego counts from the purchase date. It is the only brand here that does, and it falls back to the manufacture date if you cannot show when you bought the seat. Keep the receipt with the manual.

Baby Trend's Cover Me has two dates. Harness mode ends at 7 years; booster mode runs to 9.

Evenflo changed its rule in 2025. Seats made from January 2025 get 10 years across the range. An older Evenflo goes by the date printed on it.

A range means "read your manual". Britax, Cybex, Maxi-Cosi and Safety 1st publish a range rather than a per-model list, so the figure for your seat is in its manual and on its label.

Why do car seats expire?

The manufacturers give three reasons:

• Materials age. Graco points to general wear and tear. Chicco says sunlight, extreme temperatures and humidity can degrade car seat materials over time, and that straps stretch and loosen with use.
• Standards and vehicles change. Britax notes that NHTSA updates its standards and new technology arrives. Graco adds that vehicles change as well.
• The seat's history gets harder to know. Evenflo notes that an expiration date also keeps secondhand, crashed or incomplete seats out of use.

Where is the expiration date on a car seat?

You need two things: the date of manufacture (sometimes shown as DOM) and either an expiration date or a lifespan in years. Look in three places.

• A label on the seat. Usually on the back or underside of the shell, and on the base for infant seats. The same label carries the model number you need for recall checks.
• Molded into the plastic. Some brands, including Baby Trend, stamp the date into the shell.
• The manual. Graco lists it in a Useful Life section and Britax in the Warnings section, and the Joie manual above states it under Best Practices.

If the label is missing or unreadable and you cannot tell how old the seat is, don't use it: without the date and model number you can check neither expiration nor recalls (see the AAP's used-seat advice below).

Can you use a car seat after it expires?

No. Every maker we checked that addresses it says the same.

• Chicco says there are no circumstances in which to use an expired seat, and calls expiry one of the few situations that requires replacing the whole product.
• Doona and UPPAbaby say not to use their seats past the date.
• Graco says to replace a seat once it reaches its useful-life date.

For a seat with no expiration date at all, the American Academy of Pediatrics says to use 6 years from the date of manufacture.

What to do with an expired car seat

The goal is that nobody pulls it out of the trash and uses it. Doona's instructions work for any brand:

1. Cut the straps, harness and padding.
2. Write "EXPIRED" on the shell.
3. Put the seat in a garbage bag.
4. Follow your local disposal rules, recycling the plastic parts where you can.

Do not sell or donate an expired seat.

Do you need a new car seat after a crash?

After a moderate or severe crash, yes: the AAP says not to use a seat that has been in one.

After a minor crash, it depends on whether the crash meets NHTSA's definition. The AAP's summary of NHTSA's criteria counts a crash as minor only if all of these are true:

• The vehicle could be driven away from the crash.
• The door nearest the car seat was not damaged.
• Nobody in the vehicle was injured.
• The air bags did not deploy.
• There is no visible damage to the car seat.

Your seat's manual may be stricter than NHTSA and call for replacement after any crash, so read it too.

Buying used? Check the date first

A used seat needs a readable label with its date of manufacture and model number, or you cannot check its expiration date or look it up for recalls. The AAP advises against a used seat if you do not know its history, and against any seat that:

• has been in a crash;
• has been recalled;
• is too old;
• has cracks in its frame;
• is missing parts.

Related: replacing an expired seat? See our infant car seat guide and convertible car seat guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do car seats really expire?

Yes. Every brand in the table sets one, usually 6 to 10 years after the date of manufacture and up to 12 for some boosters. The makers cite materials that degrade with heat, sunlight and use, and standards and vehicles that change.

Do Graco car seats expire?

Yes, after 7 or 10 years from the date of manufacture. Infant seats and bases, and convertibles and harness boosters without a steel-reinforced frame, get 7 years; all-in-ones, steel-framed convertibles and harness boosters, and high-back and backless boosters get 10. The back of the seat states the date.

Does the expiration date start when I buy the seat?

For most brands, no: it counts from the date of manufacture, which can be months before you buy. Peg Perego is the exception. Check the date of manufacture before you buy, especially on a clearance seat.

Do I have to replace a car seat after a minor accident?

Not always. A crash counts as minor under NHTSA's definition only if all five conditions above hold, and your seat's manual may call for replacement after any crash, so check it too.

---

This page summarizes manufacturer policies and public guidance; it is not legal or medical advice. For help checking or installing a car seat, a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician can inspect it, often for free. Your seat's own label and manual always take priority over this table.