How to choose a child car seat for a rental car

The right child seat depends on one number above all: your child's weight. Age is only a rough guide, and height matters too. This guide explains the three main seat types, how to tell when it is time to move up, and how to order the right seat with a rental car so it is ready when you arrive.

Weight

the first thing to check

seat types: carrier, seat, booster

Free

child seat with every CarLove rental

0 to 12

years covered by the three types

Child car seat with a padded headrest installed on a car seat

Start with weight, then check height and age

Child seats are sold in weight groups, and newer seats also use height. Ages on the box are approximate, so a tall two-year-old and a small three-year-old may need different seats. Use this order: weigh your child, measure their height, then match both to the limits printed on the seat label.

Child weight (approx.)	Typical age	Seat type	How it faces
Up to 13 kg	Newborn to about 15 months	Baby carrier	Rear-facing
9 to 18 kg	About 9 months to 4 years	Child seat with harness	Rear- or forward-facing
15 to 36 kg	About 4 to 12 years	Booster seat	Forward-facing, uses the car belt

The ranges overlap on purpose. Two seats can fit the same child, and the safer choice is usually the one the child fits comfortably, not the one they only just meet.

The three seat types

Baby carrier

Newborn, rear-facing

A shell that holds a newborn lying back at a safe angle. The harness is snug, the head is supported, and the seat faces backwards. Outgrow it when the baby's head reaches the top of the shell or the weight limit is reached.

Child seat

Toddlers and young children

A seat with its own five-point harness. Rear-facing is safer for as long as the child fits, because the shell supports the head, neck and back in a crash. Forward-facing comes later.

Booster seat

Older children

Lifts the child so the adult belt crosses the collarbone and hips. A booster with a high back and side wings gives better support than a plain cushion.

Why rear-facing matters

In a frontal crash a young child's head is heavy compared with the neck. A rear-facing shell spreads the force across the whole back. The newer i-Size standard requires children to stay rear-facing until at least 15 months, and many safety organisations recommend keeping them rear-facing for longer, as long as the child fits.

Why a booster beats a plain cushion

The point of a booster is belt position. The lap belt should lie across the hips, not the stomach, and the shoulder belt across the collarbone, not the neck. A high-back booster also helps in a side impact and keeps the belt in place when a child falls asleep.

When to move to the next seat

Move up when one limit is reached, not when it is convenient. The seat is outgrown when the weight limit is reached, when the child's head is no longer covered by the head support or shell, or when the harness slots sit clearly below the child's shoulders on a rear-facing seat.

Moving a child to the next seat too early is the most common mistake. A child who still fits the harness seat is safer in it than in a booster, so do not rush the change because of age. Side wings and belt guides of a child car seat inside a car

Side wings and belt guides of a child car seat inside a car

Check these things in the car

Approval label

Look for the orange E-mark label with ECE R44/04 or R129. It shows the seat meets European standards and lists weight or height limits.

Harness fit

The straps should lie flat and snug on the child's body. You should not be able to pinch a fold of strap at the shoulder. Take off bulky coats first.

Seat position

The back seat is the safest place. A rear-facing seat in the front is only safe with the passenger airbag switched off.

Seat fitted firmly

A fitted seat should not move more than a couple of centimetres at the belt path. Check it again before every long trip.

Seat history

Do not use a seat that has been in a crash, has cracks, or is of unknown history. Used seats from strangers are a risk you cannot see.

What the law says in Czechia

Czech law requires a suitable child restraint for children under 150 cm and under 36 kg. In practice, treat a seat as required until your child has passed both limits and the adult belt fits correctly. A child may sit in the front seat if properly restrained, but the back seat is safer. Rules abroad are broadly similar across the EU, with country-specific details, so check them before a cross-border trip. For driving rules country by country, see our guide to taking a rental car abroad.

How to order the right seat with your rental

A free child seat only helps if it is the right one, so give us the details at booking. The more precise the information, the better the match.

Pick your car and dates

Choose a car with enough room for the seat and a pushchair. Check the boot and rear legroom.

Add the seat request

In the booking form, write the child's weight, height and age. If you have more than one child, give the details for each.

Say which type you expect

Carrier, child seat or booster. If you are not sure, the weight and age are enough and our team will choose.

Confirm before pickup

The seat is confirmed before your pickup date and fitted to the car in advance.

Check at handover

When you collect the car, our team shows you how the seat is secured. Check the label and the fit with your child before you drive away.

You can also bring your own approved seat. Check its dimensions against the car and tell us in the booking. Details of what is provided are on our child seat rental page, and on the page about availability and cost.

Travelling with several children? Mention it when you book, with the weight and height of each child, so the seats are ready together and you can check how they fit across the back seat before you leave.

FAQ

Are child seats free with a CarLove rental?

Yes. A child seat is free of charge with your rental. Tell us the child's weight, height and age when you book, and the right type is prepared with the car.

Which should I check first, age or weight?

Weight first, then height. Age bands are only a guide because children grow at different speeds. A seat is chosen by the child's weight and checked against height.

Does my baby need a rear-facing seat?

Yes, for the youngest children. Under the newer i-Size rules a child must stay rear-facing until at least 15 months, and many safety organisations advise keeping children rear-facing for longer, as long as the seat allows.

When can my child move to a booster?

When the child has outgrown the weight and height limits of the seat with a harness, usually at around 15 to 18 kg. A booster raises the child so the car's own belt sits across the shoulder and hips instead of the neck and stomach.

Is a child seat required by law in the Czech Republic?

Yes. Czech law requires a suitable child restraint for children under 150 cm and 36 kg. Treat the seat as required until your child has passed both limits, and check the rules before driving abroad.

Can a child sit in the front seat?

Czech rules allow it if the child is properly restrained, but the back seat is the safer place. A rear-facing seat in the front is only acceptable when the passenger airbag is switched off.

Can I bring my own child seat instead?

Yes, if it carries an approval label (ECE R44/04 or R129) and fits the car. Check the seat dimensions against the car you book and tell us if you plan to use your own.

How early should I request a seat?

When you book. The seat type is confirmed before pickup, it is fitted to the car in advance, and our team shows you how it is secured when you collect the car.

Can I take the rental car with the child seat to another country?

Yes, cross-border trips are possible with a CarLove rental. Check the child seat rules of each country on your route, because age and height limits differ slightly between countries.

A child seat with your rental, free of charge

Choose a family car, add your child's weight and height, and the seat is waiting when you arrive.

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