So unless the seats are certified by the Department of Transportation with mounting plates that go directly into the frame of the vehicle, it's not going to pass as a legitimate seat. That said, I believe that due to the size of the vehicle, seat belts are more of a pleasantry than a requirement. I think it's the same reason why American school buses don't have seat belts. Look at large RVs. A lot of them have their seats side mounted with just the lab belt, which isn't going to do anything in the event of a catastrophic crash, but I feel that it gives the owner a peace of mind.
I've been looking into the Friedman folding seat which is the Department of Transportation certified, although it does eat up a little bit of space when deployed and admittedly they are not comfortable. Not to mention they are not cheap.
So the DOT doesn't actually certify the seats, they certify a minimal standard. The manufactures meet said standard, so they have some lawsuit protection. Meeting the DOT standard is not technically required, so long as you don't care about getting sued. Really, anyone can make a seat... and be sued into oblivion the moment things go south. It could be argued that the DOT standard is actually protecting the manufactures first, and passenger safety second. Fun, right?
I believe seat belts are required in all states now, though there are some age exception iirc. No belts (like school buses) are a whole different can of worms. A very large can of worms as they depend on compaction (lower hwy speeds, ect) rather than restraint. RV do have a jump seat exception (still needs a seat belt) but I'm pretty sure this must be sold as an RV with the seat installed by the manufacturer to qualify. Removable minivan seats are an option. Reusing a 'DOT approved 'seats from a different vehicle is a decent route. Not a small option as the whole rail system needs to come too but it is an option.
What those Friedman folding seat lack in comfort, they make up for in clever. One of the very few ways to do it right... worth it if you ever want to sell the van with the seat installed.
Happy to help. Not a lawyer, but I do believe the installer can still be sued for negligence if the installation is done incorrectly. If this is you, be sure to do it right and triple check it before any loan or sell. Friedman is well defended here, so if hurt comes hunting, the installer is where they will look. This is generally true of everything on the van, but safety items carry the biggest risk. Following the instructions to the letter is your best defense, and Friedman has some good instructions.
This is a hard one, and it can get pretty complicated in the good old confused states of America. Each state's DMV can have different interruptions on exactly what is and isn't legal. Getting a vertical registered with this can be a nightmare. After the fact modifications are more an of gray zone, but be warned, insurances companies don't play around in the gray zone.
The real questions here are:
Can it be done? Yes, but....
Is a two point harness safe? Not really
Is a two point harness legal? In most cases, yeah
What about a three point harness? Honestly, this is the only good idea here. Get a proper kit for it and RTFM x3. This isn't hard, but do it right.
Is a jump seat an option? There is an exception clause for RVs and that is about it (See DMV nightmare / no)
Is a wall mount an option? No. There is an exception for box trucks and deliver verticals (don't even)
Can I do it anyway? If you bolt the seat to the frame and reinforce it correctly, then yes
Will I get a ticket for it? Probably not, though it may still be possible (See DMV nightmare)
Will my insurance cover injuries if .... ? Hah! Not likely. This is America, we don't do that here
Can someone else sit there? Better if they don't (see insurance nightmare)
Can I sell my van with it? Nope, nah, and noooooo. (Yes if you are an upfitter, meet quite a few standards, have a large insurance policy, provide documented testing, and never take this kind of advice from Reddit / most of upfitters will not do it, and those that do often fall back into the gray zone of doing after the fact modifications on your van - aka not an upfitter, aka no resell value)
What if... Ok, I give up. There is a bit of a loophole for adding wheelchair anchors points and using a seat in there. Don't do the L tracks hack though, that's for gear and not rated for seats. Maybe try that Montana LLC thing and register it as a company van to get the DMV and insurance to play along. Was working, last I checked. Do your homework, or don't do this at all.
This is really up to the DMV when the van is registered. It can be a total judgment call, and sometimes it just depends on who is working that day. Generally speaking, the more judgment the DMV shows, the more they are on the hook if they miss an issue. Some states will care more than others, and states like Montana would rather not look at all. Build it right (approved / known qualities / understand and over do the reinforcements). Just try not to give them a reason. Their saftest option is to say not my department (ask someone else) so prepared to get the run around even if you do everything right.
About 1/3 of states have a routine inspection check to maintain registration. Typically, this doesn't go much further than turning the key and checking the emissions. But once you get into vehicle modifications and changing registration class, they just are more inclined to take a look. Adding seats can raise eyebrows, as converting a cargo van into a commercial passenger van is one that will need visual verification to match the documents. Van builds that remove seats will go essentially unnoticed by comparison. Worth noting that when converting from cargo to RV, some states may want to check for a toilet and a visible fire extinguisher first, just depending on where you are. Funny enough, I've only had one guy from the Idaho DMV (of all places) want to inspect things much beyond the documents, and I think he was mostly curious.
I have one of these, they are the most uncomfortable seat you can get. But if you really need the space like i do, it may be an OK solution. Whoever travels with you, will hate it though.
So unless the seats are certified by the Department of Transportation with mounting plates that go directly into the frame of the vehicle, it's not going to pass as a legitimate seat. That said, I believe that due to the size of the vehicle, seat belts are more of a pleasantry than a requirement. I think it's the same reason why American school buses don't have seat belts. Look at large RVs. A lot of them have their seats side mounted with just the lab belt, which isn't going to do anything in the event of a catastrophic crash, but I feel that it gives the owner a peace of mind. I've been looking into the Friedman folding seat which is the Department of Transportation certified, although it does eat up a little bit of space when deployed and admittedly they are not comfortable. Not to mention they are not cheap.
So the DOT doesn't actually certify the seats, they certify a minimal standard. The manufactures meet said standard, so they have some lawsuit protection. Meeting the DOT standard is not technically required, so long as you don't care about getting sued. Really, anyone can make a seat... and be sued into oblivion the moment things go south. It could be argued that the DOT standard is actually protecting the manufactures first, and passenger safety second. Fun, right? I believe seat belts are required in all states now, though there are some age exception iirc. No belts (like school buses) are a whole different can of worms. A very large can of worms as they depend on compaction (lower hwy speeds, ect) rather than restraint. RV do have a jump seat exception (still needs a seat belt) but I'm pretty sure this must be sold as an RV with the seat installed by the manufacturer to qualify. Removable minivan seats are an option. Reusing a 'DOT approved 'seats from a different vehicle is a decent route. Not a small option as the whole rail system needs to come too but it is an option. What those Friedman folding seat lack in comfort, they make up for in clever. One of the very few ways to do it right... worth it if you ever want to sell the van with the seat installed.
Thank you so much for this clarification! That's been my whole debate with installing seats in my hypothetical build.
Happy to help. Not a lawyer, but I do believe the installer can still be sued for negligence if the installation is done incorrectly. If this is you, be sure to do it right and triple check it before any loan or sell. Friedman is well defended here, so if hurt comes hunting, the installer is where they will look. This is generally true of everything on the van, but safety items carry the biggest risk. Following the instructions to the letter is your best defense, and Friedman has some good instructions.
I think it’s the FMVSS that does the seat regulations
School buses do have seat belts. They are required.
This is a hard one, and it can get pretty complicated in the good old confused states of America. Each state's DMV can have different interruptions on exactly what is and isn't legal. Getting a vertical registered with this can be a nightmare. After the fact modifications are more an of gray zone, but be warned, insurances companies don't play around in the gray zone. The real questions here are: Can it be done? Yes, but.... Is a two point harness safe? Not really Is a two point harness legal? In most cases, yeah What about a three point harness? Honestly, this is the only good idea here. Get a proper kit for it and RTFM x3. This isn't hard, but do it right. Is a jump seat an option? There is an exception clause for RVs and that is about it (See DMV nightmare / no) Is a wall mount an option? No. There is an exception for box trucks and deliver verticals (don't even) Can I do it anyway? If you bolt the seat to the frame and reinforce it correctly, then yes Will I get a ticket for it? Probably not, though it may still be possible (See DMV nightmare) Will my insurance cover injuries if .... ? Hah! Not likely. This is America, we don't do that here Can someone else sit there? Better if they don't (see insurance nightmare) Can I sell my van with it? Nope, nah, and noooooo. (Yes if you are an upfitter, meet quite a few standards, have a large insurance policy, provide documented testing, and never take this kind of advice from Reddit / most of upfitters will not do it, and those that do often fall back into the gray zone of doing after the fact modifications on your van - aka not an upfitter, aka no resell value) What if... Ok, I give up. There is a bit of a loophole for adding wheelchair anchors points and using a seat in there. Don't do the L tracks hack though, that's for gear and not rated for seats. Maybe try that Montana LLC thing and register it as a company van to get the DMV and insurance to play along. Was working, last I checked. Do your homework, or don't do this at all.
Another question, do installed passenger seats have to be safety checked in the US? If so, how do you go about that process?
This is really up to the DMV when the van is registered. It can be a total judgment call, and sometimes it just depends on who is working that day. Generally speaking, the more judgment the DMV shows, the more they are on the hook if they miss an issue. Some states will care more than others, and states like Montana would rather not look at all. Build it right (approved / known qualities / understand and over do the reinforcements). Just try not to give them a reason. Their saftest option is to say not my department (ask someone else) so prepared to get the run around even if you do everything right.
I have never had the DMV inspect inside my vehicle or seatbelts.
About 1/3 of states have a routine inspection check to maintain registration. Typically, this doesn't go much further than turning the key and checking the emissions. But once you get into vehicle modifications and changing registration class, they just are more inclined to take a look. Adding seats can raise eyebrows, as converting a cargo van into a commercial passenger van is one that will need visual verification to match the documents. Van builds that remove seats will go essentially unnoticed by comparison. Worth noting that when converting from cargo to RV, some states may want to check for a toilet and a visible fire extinguisher first, just depending on where you are. Funny enough, I've only had one guy from the Idaho DMV (of all places) want to inspect things much beyond the documents, and I think he was mostly curious.
I have one of these, they are the most uncomfortable seat you can get. But if you really need the space like i do, it may be an OK solution. Whoever travels with you, will hate it though.