LATCH FAQs
What does LATCH stand for?
Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren. The LATCH system is comprised of the two lower anchor points found in the "seat crack/crease" and the top tether points typically found on the back of rear seats. All three points together (two lower anchors and one top tether) is LATCH.
Do all cars have LATCH?
LATCH is standard in most cars manufactured after 2002. There are some much older cars on the road that may not have LATCH.
What if my car doesn't have LATCH? Can I still install a car seat safely?
Yes! There are multiple alternative methods to install car seats (including infant bucket seats) without using LATCH. Oftentimes you will be able to safely install a car seat in an older car without LATCH using the vehicle seatbelt. Since you'll need to determine whether or not your seatbelt or latch plate is locking, I would recommend consulting with a CPST to ensure your car seat is installed safely and securely.
How long can I use LATCH to install a car seat? Forever? Only when the child is in an infant seat?
You can install infant bucket seats and convertible seats (both in rear facing and forward facing mode) with LATCH as long as the child is within the weight limit. Typically, the LATCH weight limit is 65lbs total, which includes the weight of the car seat AND the weight of the child. For example, if your car seat weighs 25lbs, you'll need to stop using LATCH when your child reaches 40lbs (65lbs weight limit minus 25lbs car seat equals 40lbs weight limit for child). This is a general guideline for many vehicles, but please check your car seat manual and your car manual for specific weight limits. On the LATCH installation instruction page of your car seat manual, you should find the car seat manufacturers weight limits for LATCH installations.
Many rear facing only infant bucket seats do not have a LATCH weight limit listed in their manual. This is because the maximum weight of the child who can fit in that seat and the weight of the seat itself with the base will never exceed the LATCH weight limit.
When my child reaches the LATCH weight limit, what do I do?
Once your child has reached the weight limit for LATCH (regardless of whether they are front or rear facing), you'll need to install the car seat using your vehicle seatbelt. If you haven't done a seatbelt installation before, I recommend consulting with a CPST to ensure it's done correctly.
There are no LATCH lower anchors for the middle seat. Can I still use LATCH to install my child’s car seat in the middle seat?
Only if both the car seat manual AND the vehicle manual explicitly state that LATCH lower anchor borrowing is allowed. If you have a car seat and/or a vehicle that does not allow LATCH borrowing, you can still use the vehicle seat belt to install your car seat in the middle seat. However, if you've paid for a car seat with rigid LATCH lower anchors (which is an extra safety feature that is incompatible with LATCH lower anchor borrowing) then it makes the most sense to get your money's worth and install that seat in a position where you can use all the features you researched and paid for!
