UK car seat in California

[rudbeckia123]

Hello
Has anyone had any experience with using a U.K. car seat (Joie Stages) in California? It seems that UK car seats generally aren’t approved in the US? Just wondering if different states had different rules, or if anyone brought their own anyway (we have Joie stages).
Would rather not rent one! Can always buy one there but feels a bit wasteful.
Thanks

There's no state that allows the use of UK car seats, the US have their own federal safety standard and technically all seats used there must conform to that.

In practice, CPSTs, who are the car seat experts of North America, say bring your own if you come from a country with a proper safety standard (e.g. UK, Australia), it's better to use a seat which you are familiar with and which is set up for your child than to make a mistake with a totally new seat with features you've never come across before. The law is really to block any defence of e.g. using a "frameless" car seat which are legal to use in Russia and some parts of Asia but offer no protection to children at all.

I would look up the short seatbelt fitting method, as I understand seatbelt length can be a problem. US car seats have different seatbelt routings to ours.

I was about to say the same as above. They really won't be fussed about using a seat conforming to eu standards as they are higher than the USA, it's about other countries with poorer standards

Thank you so much for the reply and information, that seems reassuring. I guess I’m also worried about a UK car seat invalidating any insurance claim in the unlikely event we’d need to make one?

I think the invalidating insurance thing is something people say online but nobody has ever quoted a case where it has actually happened. It seems to be more related to stuff like people using car seats bought in the US when they live in Canada (Canada has very slightly different regulations, and require a different safety mark in addition to the standard US one). But of course American visitors to Canada drive up for holidays/days out with their own car seats and it is not a problem.

If it was a problem then I think you'd find some actual instances of people talking about it online rather than lots of people suggesting that it "might" happen.

That’s a very good point, thank you!