# 2024-31142: Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Child Restraint Systems, Child Restraint Anchorage Systems, Incorporation by Reference 2024-31142, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Child Restraint Systems, Child Restraint Anchorage Systems, Incorporation by Reference, is a Federal Register rule from an unnamed agency published 2025-01-07, effective 2025-03-10 (as of 2026-06-11). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2024-31142 - As of: 2026-06-11 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Document number: 2024-31142 - Title: Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Child Restraint Systems, Child Restraint Anchorage Systems, Incorporation by Reference - Type: Rule - Agencies: unknown - Citation: unknown - Published: 2025-01-07 - Effective: 2025-03-10 - Comments close: not stated - Significant: no - Touches household money: no - Regulation identifier numbers: none - Last updated: 2026-06-11 ## Summary This new rule makes car seat anchor points easier to use and helps parents install child seats correctly, making rides safer for kids. It affects car makers who must start adding these improved anchors to new vehicles by September 2028, with full compliance by 2030. Families can expect safer, simpler child seat setups without extra costs right away, but car makers have a few years to adjust. ## Abstract This final rule amends Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 225; Child restraint systems, and FMVSS No. 213b; Child restraint systems, to improve ease-of-use of the lower and tether anchorages, improve correct use of child restraint systems in vehicles, and maintain or improve the correct use and effectiveness of child restraint systems (CRSs) in motor vehicles. This final rule fulfills a mandate of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP- 21) requiring that NHTSA improve the ease-of-use for lower anchorages and tethers in all rear seat positions. ## Effects PRIA read - Vehicle Phase-in Dates for New Anchors: benefit, high. Vehicle manufacturers must begin phasing in the improved child-seat anchor requirements on September 1, 2028. The rule requires 20% of applicable vehicles from 9/1/2028–8/31/2029, 50% from 9/1/2029–8/31/2030, and 100% compliance on and after 9/1/2030; early compliance is allowed. - Lower Anchorage Usability Standards: benefit, high. The rule requires each lower anchorage to have a clearance angle of at least 54 degrees and an anchorage depth of 25 millimeters or less within the seat bight. These requirements are intended to make it easier to reach and attach child restraint lower connectors. - Tether Anchorage Location and Access Rules: benefit, high. Tether anchorages cannot be hidden under seats or vehicle components unless covered by a marked cover, and must lie outside a zone defined by a 325 mm radius sphere centered at the seat R-point truncated by a horizontal plane 230 mm below the sphere center; seats with fixed head restraints are exem… - Tether Anchorage Shape Standardized (With Exceptions): benefit, medium. The rule standardizes tether anchorages as a rigid bar (any cross-section shape) to improve recognition and use, but allows flexible anchorages (tether strap routing devices) for buses with GVWR ≤ 4,536 kg (10,000 lb) and for vehicle seating positions where the allowable tether zone is accessible o… - Standard ISO Markings on Vehicles and Seats: benefit, low. Vehicles and child restraints must use a standardized ISO symbol to mark lower anchorages and tether anchorages so caregivers can match symbols on the vehicle and the child restraint. NHTSA estimates the marking cost per set of lower anchorages is $0.07 and $0.03 for the tether anchorage, with tota… - Limit on Tether Hook and Hardware Length: benefit, medium. Child restraint systems must limit the top tether hook and attachment hardware length as proposed in the rulemaking; the NPRM proposed a 165 millimeter (6.5 inch) maximum length and the final rule adopts the tether-length limitation as proposed. This is intended to make the tether tightening mechan… - No Immediate Material Cost Increase Expected: benefit, low. NHTSA estimates the adopted requirements will not increase material costs and expects redesigns can be done within normal design cycles; the agency provided a 3-year phase-in to reduce tooling and cost burdens. This means families should not face immediate higher costs for child-seat anchors due to… ## Related documents - [2026-20736](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20736): Air Plan Approval; Michigan; Clean Data Determination for the Berrien, MI and Muskegon, MI Areas for the 2015 Ozone Standards, 2026-10-09 - [2026-20757](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20757): Schedules of Controlled Substances; Removal of Exemption Status for Inactive Butalbital Products, 2026-10-09 - [2026-20727](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20727): Medical Devices; Immunology and Microbiology Devices; Classification of the System for Detection of Nucleic Acid From Non-Viral Microorgani…, 2026-10-09 - [2026-20792](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20792): Raisins Produced From Grapes Grown in California; Order Amending Marketing Order No. 989, 2026-10-09 - [C1-2026-20019](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/C1-2026-20019): Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Groundfish Reserves in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area, 2026-10-09 - [2026-20748](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20748): Schedules of Controlled Substances: Placement of O-Desmethyltramadol in Schedule I; Correction, 2026-10-09 ## Sources - [2024-31142 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/01/07/2024-31142/federal-motor-vehicle-safety-standards-child-restraint-systems-child-restraint-anchorage-systems) - [2024-31142 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-01-07/pdf/2024-31142.pdf) ## Related - [Previous: 2024-30852, Energy Conservation Program: Test Procedure for Central Air Conditioners and He…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2024-30852) - [Next: 2024-31223, National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: National Perchloroeth…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2024-31223) - [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2024-31142 (as of 2026-06-11).