When do Britax car seats expire?

Britax's expiration policy

Britax sets expiration by seat category, and the current lineup spans 6 to 10 years from the date of manufacture. Infant seats and their bases (Willow, Willow S, Willow SC, Cypress, Arbor, the Aspen and Alpine bases, and the StayTight base) expire after 6 years. Harness-2-booster seats in the Grow With You family expire after 9 years. ClickTight convertibles (Poplar, Poplar S), the Galaxy360 rotating convertible, all-in-one seats (One4Life, One4Life Slim), and belt-positioning boosters (Highpoint, Skyline, UpNGo, UpNGo Click) expire after 10 years.

The policy has changed over the years, which matters for hand-me-downs. Britax's first-generation convertibles had a 6-year life, non-ClickTight convertibles made from roughly 2011 onward (Marathon, Boulevard, Advocate G3, G4, and G4.1) carry 7 years, and the ClickTight generation introduced in 2014 moved to 10 years. Retired Emblem and Allegiance convertibles are 10-year seats. If you have an older Britax, the Warnings section of its user guide states the exact figure.

Britax seats made after 2018 typically print the expiration date directly on the serial label, so check the label before doing any math. Older seats show only the date of manufacture, and you add the lifespan from the user guide.

Where is the expiration label on a Britax seat?

The date of manufacture (and on newer seats the expiration date) is on the serial label. Its position varies by model: underside of the shell next to the harness slots on infant seats, back of the seat under the tether hook on ClickTight convertibles, top of the ClickTight compartment under the cover on One4Life, the outside of the headrest on Grow With You models, and under the cover at the front corner on Highpoint and Skyline boosters.

After a crash

Britax follows the NHTSA criteria. A seat involved in a moderate or severe crash must be taken out of service immediately. After a minor crash, the seat can stay in use only if all five NHTSA conditions are met: the vehicle could be driven away, the door nearest the seat was undamaged, no one was injured, no airbags deployed, and the seat has no visible damage. If any condition fails, treat it as moderate to severe and replace the seat.

Flying with a Britax seat

Every Britax seat with a five-point harness is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft when used in harness mode; look for the aircraft certification statement on the seat's labels. Booster mode and dedicated boosters are not certified for aircraft because planes have lap belts only.

Britax's serial label is also what you need for registration and recall lookups; photograph it when you first install the seat, since some label locations are hidden under the cover.

Britax has operated a voluntary crash exchange program; contact Britax consumer services (1-888-427-4829) after a collision for documentation your insurer may require.