Car seats are a necessity for transporting children in your vehicle, but they can be expensive. Did you know that there are organizations across the state that give free car seats for families in need?
The first stop for getting free car seats is to contact your county or city to see what programs are available. There used to be a listing through the Minnesota State website, but that is no longer available. Here are some city/county programs that we found:
- Becker County
- Benton County
- Carver County
- Cass County
- Dakota County
- Freeborn County
- Grand Rapids
- McLeod County
- Meeker County
- Mille Lacs County
- Nicollet County
- Norman County
- Olmsted County
- Pine County
- Polk County
- Renville County
- Scott County
- Sherburne County
- Sibley County
- Steele County
- Watonwan County
In addition, here are some groups in Minnesota that give out free car seats:
Everyday Miracles
Provides free car seats to those with a Minnesota state-sponsored (Medicaid) insurance plan from Blue Plus, HealthPartners, UCare, or UnitedHealthcare. The car seat will be delivered to your home by a Car Seat Technician who will provide one-on-one safety education.
Baby Blanket & Beyond
Residents of Chisago County or an adjacent community can earn a car seat by watching select car seat safety videos. Free cribs and pack ‘n’ plays can also be earned.
Wright County
Wright County Public Health has car seats available free of charge for families with low income or who are unable to buy their own car seat for their child.
HealthPartners
Provides free car seats to PMAP and Minnesota Care members who watch some training videos and download a brochure. Car seats will be delivered by a Certified Technician (Twin Cities metro area only).
Life Connections
Provides free car seats and safety classes to families whose income falls below the 200% poverty level. The class takes an hour and includes a DVD and a demonstration of process installation and use.
Hennepin Health
Distributes free car seats to Hennepin Health members who register and complete a class at MVNA or NorthPoint Health and Wellness Center in Minneapolis.
UCare
Gives out free car seats and safety education to eligible UCare members. You must set up an appointment with a UCare SEATS partner by calling UCare Customer Services at the number on the back of your member ID card.
Milk Moms
Works with you to get you a free car seat through your insurance, as well as a brief education on how to use and install it. They will also help you get breast pumps and supplies through your insurance.
And if you would like to get your car seat installation checked for safety purposes, check out this list for available car seat checks in your county. Some of these are free, while others require a fee.
Do you know of any other Minnesota organizations that give out free car seats? If so, please leave a comment so we can keep this list up-to-date. Thank you!
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Laura is a kindergarten teacher and a busy mom of six who loves finding smart ways to save. She balances teaching and family life while always hunting for deals that make life more affordable and fun.
Originally from southern Minnesota, Laura has called the Twin Cities home for over fifteen years. In her rare free moments, she enjoys reading, spending time with loved ones, and savoring a hot cup of coffee.
Elizabeth says
If you have either Health Partners or Blue Plus PMAP Insurance and live in Stearns, Benton, Sherburne or Wright County you are eligible for a free car seat after your sixth month of pregnancy. Call Milestones 320.251.5081 and ask for Makayla or Abdinoor. If your child has PMAP health insurance coverage they are eligible for car seats up to age 8 or 4’9”.
Victoria says
Would like to know how I can get a free car seat through my insurance which is blue plus through the state
Cindy Nienaber says
the link in this web page : https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/ots/child-passenger-safety/Pages/car-seat-checks.aspx
is broken. Please help us find resources for car seats in Morrison County
Chrysa says
We don’t have specific info, but would recommend contacting the Morrison County Health and Human Services office and hopefully they could offer some guidance.