R129 amendment series and deadlines: 00 to 04, and what changes in 2026–2027
R129 has been amended in series. The current text is the 04 series (Supplement 4, in force 4 June 2026); older approvals face cut-off dates on 1 September 2026 and 2027.
How series work
A new series of amendments introduces significant technical changes. The approval number’s first two digits show the series an approval was issued under §5.2. Supplements refine a series without starting a new one. Transitional provisions in §16 decide how long approvals to older series must still be accepted.
Original version (00)
UN R129 enters into force alongside R44, introducing stature-based sizing, the side-impact test and Q-series dummies.
01 series mandatory
New approvals must meet the 01 series; extensions of original-version approvals allowed until 1 Sep 2020 (§16.2–16.4).
03 series takes over
From 2020 new approvals to earlier series need not be accepted; from 1 Sep 2022 no approvals to earlier series need be accepted (§16.9–16.10).
02 extensions end
Last date by which parties must keep granting extensions to 02-series approvals (§16.12).
04 series
From 1 Sep 2026 newly issued 03-series approvals need not be accepted; from 1 Sep 2027 no 03-series approvals need be accepted (§16.14–16.15).
The 04 series transitional provisions
| Date | Effect | Paragraph |
|---|---|---|
| Entry into force of the 04 series | No contracting party may refuse to grant or accept approvals to the 04 series | §16.13 |
| 1 September 2026 | Parties are not obliged to accept approvals to earlier series first issued after 1 Sep 2026 | §16.14 |
| 1 September 2027 | Parties are not obliged to accept any approvals issued to earlier series | §16.15 |
| Always | Parties continue to accept, and extend, earlier-series approvals for ECRS not affected by the 04 series changes | §16.16 |
If you sell seats approved to the 03 series, check with your Technical Service whether the product is affected by the 04-series changes. Affected products need a 04-series approval to stay acceptable in every contracting party; unaffected ones keep their approval under §16.16.
Earlier series
| Provision | Paragraph |
|---|---|
| Original version: in force 9 July 2013 | Original text |
| From 1 Sep 2018 new approvals only to the 01 series; extensions to original-version approvals until 1 Sep 2020 | §16.2–16.4 |
| Approvals to series not affected by the 02 series remained valid until 1 Sep 2020; extensions to the 01 series until 1 Sep 2022 | §16.6–16.7 |
| From 1 Sep 2020 parties need not accept earlier-series approvals first issued after that date; from 1 Sep 2022 need not accept earlier-series approvals at all (unaffected ECRS excepted) | §16.9–16.11 |
| Extensions to 02-series approvals granted until 1 Sep 2024 | §16.12 |
Documents behind the current text
The EU’s consolidated version (OJ L 2026/1534, 28 August 2026) incorporates all valid text up to Supplement 4 to the 04 series. The authentic documents include ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2018/45 through ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2025/129. The status and entry-into-force dates should always be checked in the UN/ECE status document TRANS/WP.29/343.
R129 and the end of R44 in the EU
The R129 deadlines are separate from the end of R44 sales. In the EU, R44-approved seats could no longer be sold from 1 September 2024; seats bought before then may still be used. See the R44 sales ban explained.
Tell us the categories and stature ranges you need. Our factory builds child car seats to UN R129 for brands and distributors, and supports you through Technical Service testing and type approval.
This page summarises UN Regulation No. 129 as consolidated up to Supplement 4 to the 04 series (published in the EU Official Journal as 2026/1534). It is guidance, not legal advice: only the authentic UN/ECE texts have legal effect, and approval decisions rest with the Type Approval Authority and its Technical Service.