Advice on keeping your vehicle

Maintaining your vehicle	Driving and the environment
Adaptions for disabled drivers	Release of information from DVLA records
Wearing a seat belt and exemptions	How to request information from DVLA records
Do It Online

Wearing a seat belt and exemptions

Every driver should know the law about the wearing of a seatbelt in the front and back seats of a vehicle and who should ensure that the driver, child or adult passenger wears a seat belt. There are also exemptions from wearing a seat belt while driving.

The law

The law requires that as a driver it is your responsibility to ensure:

that you wear a seat belt if one is fitted
a child under three years of age wears an appropriate child restraint in the front and rear seats
a child of three to eleven years of age and under one and a half metres (approximately five foot) in height wears an appropriate child restraint if available in the front and rear seats; wears an adult seat belt in the front and if available an adult seat belt in the rear
a child of twelve or thirteen years of age or a younger child one and a half metres (approximately five foot) or more in height wears an adult seat belt in the front and rear seats, if available

The law requires that an adult passenger aged fourteen and upwards is responsible for wearing a seat belt in the front and rear seats if one is available.

Vehicles affected

Front seats of all vehicles, including cars, vans, coaches, buses and goods vehicles where seat belts are fitted. Rear seats of cars and small buses where seat belts are fitted. Whilst the law does not presently require seat belts to be worn in the rear seats of larger minibuses or coaches, they should be used if fitted.

Exemptions from wearing a seat belt

Very few drivers or passengers should not wear a seat belt. However, one reason for not doing so may be on medical grounds. If you think you should not wear a seat belt on medical grounds, please consult your doctor. He or she will decide and, if warranted will issue you a formal Certificate of Exemption from Compulsory Seat Belt Wearing. This must be produced if the police ask you for it.

For more information please contact:

Helpful contacts

Road Safety Division

Address

Department for Transport

Zone 2/11, Great Minster House

76 Marsham Street

London

SW1P 4DR

Phone number

020 7944 2046

Fax

020 7944 2029

Email address

road.safety@dft.gsi.gov.uk

^TOP