What To Do With Old or Used Car Seats: 5 Safe Options

This article was reviewed by Amanda Brown, CPST.

If you’ve got an old car seat taking up space in your garage, you can trade it in, donate it, sell it or hand it down. As long as the seat is not expired, has never been in an motor vehicle accident and has only been gently used, another family can reuse it when you’re done with it. 

It can often feel like you need new baby gear every day, which is why giving your quality gear a second life is so important. Unfortunately, 12 million car seats are thrown away each year. Alternatively, donating, selling or recycling your car seat will give your gear a second life while reducing gear waste. 

If you’re wondering what to do with your old car seats, look beyond the landfill and consider donating, regifting, recycling or selling it. Donating or selling baby gear like strollers or clothing can help reduce waste while also helping families access the gear they need for less, while recycling or regifting is more sustainable than throwing it away. 

We’ve put together a guide to donating, selling or recycling used car seats. 

What to Do With Old Car Seats

"The answer to that question depends on the condition of the car seat," says Amanda Brown, Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST).

If the car seat is in good condition...

A new family may be able to reuse it when you're done with it. That means you can hand it down to a friend or family member, donate it, resell it or trade it in.

Good condition means:

• The seat is not expired

• It hasn't been involved in a car accident

• There are no broken or missing parts

• It hasn’t been recalled

In these cases, reusing or donating the seat keeps it out of the landfill and helps another family access essential baby gear secondhand.

If the car seat is expired or not in good condition...

It should not be used again. Instead, dispose of it responsibly so that it won’t accidentally end up in use. We recommend cutting the harness straps and writing "expired" or "unsafe" clearly on the seat before recycling or discarding it.

Not good condition means:

• It's past its expiration date

• It has been in a crash

• It's damaged, incomplete or recalled

Checking if Your Car Seat Is Expired 

Child car seats don’t last forever. Materials wear down and safety standards evolve, which is why every seat comes with an expiration date, usually six to 10 years after it was manufactured. But you’ll need to check your specific seat to see the date for yours. 

How to check your car seat’s expiration: Look for a white sticker on the bottom or back of the seat. It should list the date of manufacture and/or expiration. If your seat is past its date, it’s no longer safe to use or donate.

Also note: Even if an infant car seat isn’t expired, it should not be used if it’s been involved in a car accident.

Need more help? Read our guides to Deciphering Car Seat Labels and Car Seat Expiration Explained.

What To Do With Gently Used Car Seats 

If your little one has outgrown their car seat, you may start looking to pass it on. It’s important to do so safely and take the proper precautions. If your gently used car seat is still in good, working condition, isn't recalled or expired, has never been in an accident and has all of it's parts, you can give it a second life by passing it on to another family. 

1. Sell It

Selling instead of trading in your car seat at an event like the Target Trade-In Event may be a better fit if you don't want to wait until the annual event, and it can earn you cash instead of only store credit toward another car seat or select infant gear.

Before you list your gently used car seat on a marketplace like Facebook Marketplace or through a local consignment shop, here's what to check for at home:

• The seat must be two or more years from expiration
• The seat must not be recalled
• The seat has not been in a motor vehicle crash
• All labels and parts are legible, present and not impaired
• The seat has not been modified
• The seat does not have excessive wear and tear
• The seat has been cleaned properly according to the car seat manual

Why this matters: Unlike a professionally inspected seat, listings on marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist are buyer-beware. Clearly disclose the seat's age, expiration date and full history, including whether it's ever been in a crash, so the next family can make an informed decision.

If you'd rather shop a seat that's already passed a professional inspection, every car seat sold on GoodBuy Gear is put through our proprietary 30-point GoodBuy™ Car Seat Safety Check before it's listed.

2. Donate it 

Rules for donating a car seat vary from place to place. But there are a few options for donating a gently used car seat that is in good condition and hasn’t been recalled. Check with local thrift stores, consignment shops and shelters to see if they accept car seats. Always call ahead to confirm whether they accept car seat donations and what condition requirements they have.

Where to donate car seats: 

• Thrift stores
• Consignment shops
• Women’s shelters
• Pregnancy resource centers
• Churches
• Homeless shelters
• Children’s hospitals

3. Hand It Down

In some cases, you might be able to hand your car seat down to a friend or family member. It’s important to make sure the car seat is in safe, working condition before passing it along. You need to make sure the seat isn’t broken or recalled, is appropriate for the intended child and hasn’t been involved in any accidents. 

What to check before handing it down: 

• There are no broken parts
• The car seat is not expired
• The seat isn’t recalled
• It hasn’t been involved in a car accident 

Always pass along the manual and clearly share the expiration date with the new user.

What To Do With Broken or Expired Car Seats 

If your car seat is broken, recalled, expired or not safe, here are a few options to dispose of it responsibly so you don't contribute to landfill waste. 

1. Trade It In

Some retailers host car seat trade-in programs where you can bring in an old, expired or damaged seat and receive a discount on a new one.

Popular programs include:

• Target: Runs car seat trade-in events each spring and fall. In exchange for turning in an old car seat, you’ll receive a 20% off coupon for select baby gear. Seats are recycled through Target’s partner, Waste Management.

• Walmart: Has previously partnered with TerraCycle to accept used seats and recycle the materials.

These programs help keep millions of pounds of plastic out of landfills while giving you a little money back.

2. Recycle It Properly 

Recycling car seats isn’t always as simple as placing them in your curbside bin. Many local recycling centers don’t accept car seats because of the mixed materials.

Recycling options include:

• Local programs: Some municipalities accept seats if you dismantle them first. Call ahead to confirm.

• Mail-in programs: TerraCycle offers a car seat recycling program for select brands like Century.

• Trade-in events: Retailers recycle collected seats responsibly.

When recycling, be sure to:

• Remove all fabric and straps

• Separate metal and plastic components

• Discard non-recyclable parts per local guidelines

If you're looking to dispose of a car seat the right way, you have more options than ever. Whether it's recycling through a mail-in program, attending Target’s car seat trade-in event, handing it down safely or dropping it off at a donation center, there's a path forward that has sustainability in mind.

If your car seat is in good, working condition, more than two years from expiration and has never been in a motor vehicle crash or recalled, selling or donating it keeps it out of a landfill and makes it accessible to another family. Learn more about how to sell a used car seat safely.

And if you're in the market for your next seat, browse GoodBuy Gear's selection of open box car seats from trusted brands. These are new car seats that have never been used but are offered at a discount, making them a safe and budget-friendly option.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do with an old or expired car seat?
If it's expired, recalled, damaged or has been in a crash, don't sell or donate it. Cut the harness straps, mark it "expired" or "unsafe" and recycle or dispose of it through a trade-in event or mail-in recycling program.

Can I sell a used car seat?
Yes, as long as it's more than two years from expiration, hasn't been recalled or in a crash, has all its labels and parts, hasn't been modified and is clean with no excessive wear.

Does GoodBuy Gear accept car seats from parents?
Not currently. GoodBuy Gear is not accepting car seats or other gear from parents for resale at this time. Every car seat sold through GoodBuy Gear still passes our 30-point GoodBuy™ Car Seat Safety Check.

Where can I recycle a car seat?
Some municipalities accept dismantled seats, TerraCycle offers a mail-in recycling program for select brands, and retailers like Target and Walmart have hosted seasonal trade-in events.

How do I know if my car seat is expired or recalled?
Check the white label on the bottom or back of the seat for the manufacture and expiration date, and look up the model number on the NHTSA recalls site.