Britax seats do not share one expiration date, and the spread is wide: 6 years at the short end and 10 at the long end, all counted from the date of manufacture. An infant seat and a convertible bought on the same day can age out four years apart. To get the exact date for the seat in your car, enter its manufacture date in our Baby Car Seat Expiration Checker. The rules below will tell you which lifespan applies to your model.
Britax Expiration Rules
Britax sets the lifespan by seat type. The current lineup looks like this.
- 6 years: infant seats such as the Willow, Willow S, and Cypress, plus their bases
- 9 years: Grow With You harness to booster seats
- 10 years: ClickTight convertibles such as the Poplar and Poplar S, the One4Life all in one, and the Highpoint and Skyline boosters
Older Britax seats follow older numbers. The first generation convertibles were 6 year seats. Non ClickTight convertibles made from about 2011 onward, including the Marathon, Boulevard, and Advocate lines, carry 7 years. The ClickTight generation that arrived in 2014 moved up to 10. Good news if your seat was made after 2018: Britax usually prints the expiration date right on the serial label, so there is nothing to calculate.
Where Is the Date on a Britax Seat?
The date of manufacture, and on newer seats the expiration date too, lives on the serial label. Britax hides that label in a different spot on almost every model. On infant seats it is on the underside of the shell near the harness slots. On ClickTight convertibles, check the back of the seat under the tether hook. On the One4Life, look at the top of the ClickTight compartment under the cover. Grow With You models carry it on the outside of the headrest, and the Highpoint and Skyline boosters keep it under the cover at the front corner. Take a photo of it while the seat is out of the car. You will want that label again for registration and recall checks.
What If the Seat Has Been in a Crash?
Britax follows the federal NHTSA rule here. A seat that has been in a moderate or severe crash is done, full stop. After a minor crash, the seat can stay in service only if all five of these are true: the car could be driven away, the door nearest the seat was not damaged, nobody was injured, no airbags went off, and the seat shows no visible damage. If even one fails, replace the seat. Britax has also run a voluntary crash exchange program, and its consumer services team at 1-888-427-4829 can help with the paperwork an insurer asks for.
Can You Fly With a Britax Seat?
Yes, in harness mode. Every Britax seat with a five point harness is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft, and the statement is printed on the seat. Booster mode is not certified, because airplane seats have lap belts only. So a Grow With You used as a booster, or a Highpoint, cannot fly.
Britax Expiration FAQs
How long are Britax car seats good for?
Current Britax seats last 6 to 10 years from the date of manufacture. Infant seats get 6 years, Grow With You seats get 9, and ClickTight convertibles, the One4Life, and the Highpoint and Skyline boosters get 10. Older non ClickTight convertibles got 6 or 7 years depending on the year they were made.
Why do some Britax seats say 6 or 7 years and others say 10?
Because the lifespan grew as the seats were redesigned. Early convertibles were 6 year seats, the generation after them moved to 7, and ClickTight models jumped to 10. The Warnings section of your user guide and the serial label on the seat give the number for your exact model.
Does Britax require a new seat after every crash?
No. Britax uses the NHTSA test. Replacement is mandatory after a moderate or severe crash. After a minor crash the seat may stay in use only when all five NHTSA conditions hold, including no injuries and no airbag deployment.
Check Your Britax Seat
Find the serial label, note the manufacture date, and check it in our Baby Car Seat Expiration Checker. You can also read our full guide on car seat expiration for the bigger picture. When the label and the manual disagree, or the label is long gone, Britax’s official site at us.britax.com is the final authority for your model.