The transition from a harnessed car seat to a belt-positioning booster seat is a big step in a child’s car seat journey, and often brings new considerations. A common question at this stage is whether a booster seat needs to be anchored in the vehicle using LATCH or Lower Anchors. LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) has been a familiar part of installing car seats for years, but its role changes when your child graduates to a booster seat. Here's what to know: LATCH is not required when using a belt-positioning booster seat. Some boosters offer Lower Anchor connections for added convenience, but it’s not necessary for installation, as the vehicle’s seat belt is now responsible for securing your child. Lower Anchors are only used to keep booster seats from moving around when your child climbs in or out of them. Let’s explore what anchoring a booster seat means, the purpose of LATCH, and why it’s not necessary for use with belt-positioning booster seats. Belt-Positioning vs. Harness Booster Seats or All-in-One Car Seats Not all booster seats are the same. A belt-positioning booster seat raises your child so that the vehicle’s lap and shoulder belts fit correctly across their body. These seats rely on your vehicle’s seat belt system and are designed for older, more mature kids who meet the minimum height, weight, and age requirements, and are ready to sit still and upright throughout every ride. These seats can be high-back or backless boosters. Five-point harness boosters or All-in-One car seats have a built-in harness system that secures your child at the shoulders, hips, and between the legs. These seats offer a similar supportive structure as a traditional car seat but with the flexibility to convert to a belt-positioning booster later on. Throughout this blog, we will be focusing on belt-positioning booster seats unless otherwise stated. What Does “Anchoring” a Booster Seat Mean? Anchoring a belt-positioning booster seat means attaching it to the vehicle seat using either the Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system or Lower Anchors. Not all booster seats include LATCH, but some models do offer it as an added feature. The purpose of anchoring a booster seat is to keep the seat from sliding, tipping, or becoming a possible projectile when unoccupied. This can be especially helpful when a child is climbing in and buckling their seat belt, during sudden stops when the seat is unoccupied, or when climbing out of the vehicle. Anchoring the booster adds stability to the seat itself, but the child and booster seat are still restrained entirely by the vehicle’s lap and shoulder belt, not by the LATCH system. What is LATCH? LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) is a system used to secure car seats directly to vehicle seats without using the seatbelt. It was introduced to make car seat installation easier and more consistent. Since 2002, car seats with a built-in harness have been required to include LATCH connectors. However, using LATCH to install a car seat is not required; parents can choose to install with either the seat belt or LATCH, but not both at the same time. They are equally reliable options for securing the car seat to the vehicle seat when used correctly. It’s important to note that LATCH has a weight limit of 65 lbs. This is the maximum combined weight of the child and the car seat that can be secured using LATCH. Once the combined weight exceeds this limit, the car seat must be installed using the vehicle’s seat belt instead, which may be the case for older children. It’s important to reference the car seat manufacturer’s LATCH limits to ensure this limit is not exceeded. Why Belt-Positioning Booster Seats Don’t Require LATCH Unlike harnessed car seats, belt-positioning booster seats are not child restraint systems. They are child safety seats that help align the vehicle’s lap and shoulder belt properly across a child’s body. Because the belt-positioning booster seat does not provide any restraint on its own, it does not need to be anchored to the vehicle. The car’s seat belt is responsible for restraining children in belt-positioning booster seats, including both backless and high-back models. The Different Paths to a Belt-Positioning Booster Seat There’s no single route to reaching the booster stage. Some families transition into booster use through: An all-in-one car seat that converts to booster mode A five-point-harness booster seat that converts into a belt-positioning booster seat A dedicated belt-positioning booster seat All-in-one car seats and harness booster seats require anchoring with either LATCH or the vehicle’s seat belt when used in rear- or forward-facing harness mode. Once they transition to belt-positioning booster mode, however, anchoring is no longer required. Some dedicated belt-positioning booster seats include LATCH connectors, but this is a convenience feature as it doesn’t aid in restraining the child. In belt-positioning mode, using LATCH is optional, whether the seat is convertible or a dedicated booster. Why Are There Booster Seats With LATCH? Some belt-positioning booster seats, like the Chicco GoFit® Plus Backless Booster, include Lower Anchor connectors for added convenience and stability, but using them is optional, not required. LATCH in a booster seat can: Help keep the seat in place when a child climbs in or out Prevent the seat from shifting or becoming a projectile when unoccupied Reduce the need to reposition the booster between rides It’s important to understand that this functionality is purely for seat stability, not child restraint. LATCH in a booster seat does not restrain your child or enhance crash protection. What Research Says About Booster Seats & LATCH A 2021 Traffic Injury Prevention study evaluated the performance of booster seats with and without LATCH in simulated crash conditions. It found that: Booster seats anchored with LATCH showed reduced seat movement, but no significant difference in how the child dummy moved during crashes. In some cases, backless boosters with LATCH subtly changed crash dynamics but did not improve outcomes. The takeaway: LATCH can help stabilize the booster seat itself, but does not improve or diminish the security of the child passenger. How to Install a Belt-Positioning Booster Seat Properly Correct booster seat use relies on belt fit and seating position, not anchoring. You can securely install most booster seats using these steps: Read the manual: Always review the booster seat’s product manual for specific instructions and compatibility. Place the booster in the back seat: Belt-positioning booster seats must be used in the vehicle’s rear seat. Avoid placing them in front of an active airbag. They must be used in a vehicle seat where a lap belt and shoulder belt are available, meaning the center vehicle seat may not be an option in older vehicles. Position the booster flat on the seat: It should sit flush with the vehicle seat, without tilting or wobbling. Have the child sit on the booster: Their back should rest against the vehicle seat or the booster backrest. Buckle the seat belt: Use the vehicle’s lap and shoulder belt, not just a lap belt. Adjust the belt positioning: The lap belt should lie flat across the child’s hips, not the stomach. The shoulder belt should cross the chest and rest snugly on the shoulder, not the neck or face. Use built-in belt guides: Thread the seatbelt through the booster’s guides if included, to keep the belt properly aligned. Double-check fit and comfort: Make sure the child is sitting upright and the seatbelt remains correctly positioned throughout the ride. Final Thoughts Belt-positioning booster seats do not need to be anchored with Lower Anchors. Their purpose is to position the vehicle’s seatbelt correctly, while the seatbelt is responsible for restraining the child passenger. Lower Anchors may offer convenience and stability when included, but it is not required for use with a belt-positioning booster seat to correctly secure your child. Regardless of the type of booster seat you have, the most important factor is a proper seatbelt fit. When the lap and shoulder belt are properly positioned and the child remains seated upright, the booster seat can do its job. Looking for more parenting tips and advice? Check out the Chicco Baby Talk Blog!