Seatbelt rules

You and all passengers in your vehicle must always wear a seatbelt or child restraint when driving. Driving includes when the vehicle is moving or stationary (for example, when stopped at traffic lights), but not when parked.

As the driver of the vehicle, it is your responsibility to ensure you and every passenger in the vehicle is correctly restrained for the duration of your trip. This does not apply to buses or motorcycles.

Everyone 7 years or older must wear a correctly fitted seatbelt. Children up to 7 years must be in a properly fastened and adjusted Australian Standard approved child restraint. Check that the seatbelts are not frayed or loose.

Wearing a properly fastened and adjusted seatbelt is the law and significantly reduces the risk of serious injury or loss of life in a crash.

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If you recline your seat

• You must ensure that the seat belt is still across your shoulder and chest.
• You and the driver may receive a fine, if your seatbelt is not properly fastened or adjusted when you've reclined your seat too far or fully.

Exemption from wearing a seatbelt

Exemptions from the seatbelt rules apply in very limited circumstances.

You will only be exempt from the requirement to wear a seatbelt if:

• You are the driver and are reversing the vehicle.
• You carry a current seatbelt exemption certificate, signed by an Australian doctor registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. The certificate must state that you can’t wear a seatbelt due to a medical condition or disability.
• The vehicle was originally manufactured without seatbelts fitted and you are 7 years or older. Children under 7 years of age are not permitted to travel in any vehicle without correctly fitted seatbelts or child restraints.
• You are required to get in and out of the vehicle frequently while engaged in door-to-door pick-up or delivery of goods, and you drive at no more than 25km/h.

Find more information about seatbelt exemptions for historic vehicles.

Some drivers are also exempt from the requirement to ensure their passengers are wearing a seatbelt in certain circumstances. You are exempt from this requirement if:

• you are a bus driver
• you are a taxi or rideshare driver and your passenger is over 16
• you are a taxi or rideshare driver, your passenger is under 7 and you do not have an Australian Standard approved child restraint in the vehicle.

Seatbelt exemption certificates

If you have a seatbelt exemption certificate, you must carry it when you are in a vehicle and show it to a police officer, if requested.

You should also register your seatbelt exemption certificate with the Department of Transport and Main Roads so we have a record of it. While this may not always prevent a camera-detected seatbelt infringement from being issued, it will assist during the infringement enquiry process.

To be valid, a seatbelt exemption certificate must:

• have a start date and an expiry date, not more than 12 months after the date of issue.
• be signed and/or stamped by an Australian doctor registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.

Download the seatbelt exemption certificate (PDF, 667KB) form.

Register your exemption certificate

Online 

You can register a copy of your seatbelt exemption certificate with us online.

By email

You can email us a copy of your seatbelt exemption certificate.

By post

Post a copy of your certificate to:

Department of Transport and Main Roads
PO Box 673
FORTITUDE VALLEY  QLD  4006

In person

Bring your exemption certificate and visit your nearest transport and motoring customer service centre or Queensland Government Agency Program Office.

Query an infringement if you have a seatbelt exemption certificate

If you receive a camera-detected seatbelt infringement and held a valid seatbelt exemption certificate at the time of the offence, you can submit an infringement enquiry online to have the infringement reviewed. You should attach a copy of your seatbelt exemption certificate to your enquiry even if it is registered with the Department of Transport and Main Roads.

You can submit an infringement query with us online.

Penalties

Fines and demerit points apply for not wearing a seatbelt and for incorrectly fastened and adjusted seatbelts (for example a seatbelt worn under the arm). Drivers and passengers aged 16 years or older may be fined for not wearing a seatbelt or incorrectly wearing a seatbelt. A driver may be fined for each unrestrained or incorrectly restrained passenger in the vehicle.

Double demerit points apply for second or subsequent seatbelt offences committed within 1 year of an earlier offence. This applies for drivers not correctly wearing a seatbelt as well as drivers failing to ensure passengers under 16 are correctly wearing a seatbelt.