Alana Vandagriff | 

Target Car Seat Trade-In: How to Score Your 20% Off Coupon in 2025

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If you’re looking to score top baby deals, the Target Car Seat Trade-In is an event you can’t miss. The next Car Seat Trade-In event will likely start on Sunday, April13 and run through Saturday, April 26, 2025.

Every April and September, Target lets you trade in an old car seat or booster seat and get a 20% off baby coupon in return. The best part is, this coupon is redeemable twice, and you can combine it with other Target deals like the Circle Card discount, car seat deals, the Target Baby Sale in September, and the 15% off Target baby registry completion coupon.

If your kid has outgrown their car seat, this is the best-case scenario; Target takes the old car seat off your hands (and properly recycles it), and you get a high-value Target Circle coupon to use on your next two car seat, stroller, or baby gear purchases.

Target has recycled more than 3 million car seats since the event started in 2016 — more than 45 million pounds of materials. Ready to add yours to the pile? Here's how you can make the most of the Target Car Seat Trade-In.

Text DEALS to 57299 to get the hottest deal alerts sent right to your phone.

Target Car Seat Trade-In is an annual event that gives you a 20% off Circle coupon if you turn in an old car seat.

You can’t donate old car seats, and throwing them away is no bueno. Instead, Target will take them off your hands during the Target Car Seat Trade-In Event. And if you're a Target Circle member, you’ll walk away with a 20% off baby gear coupon that you can redeem twice within the offer period.

KCL predicts the next Target Car Seat Trade-In will start Sunday, April 13, 2025.

Target-Car-Seat-Trade-In

Target's Car Seat Trade-In event will likely start on Sunday, April 13 and run through Saturday, April 26, 2025.

In 2024, the Car Seat Trade-In lasted for 13 days in total. But you could use your 20% off coupon for an additional two-weeks after the event ended.

How do we make our prediction?

Target offered the Car Seat Trade-In event in September of 2021 and 2022. Unfortunately, they skipped it in the fall of 2023, but returned again in 2024.

As for the spring timing, the promotion usually starts 1 - 2 weeks after Easter Sunday. But in 2025, Easter Sunday doesn't happen until April 20. So based on when the event ran in 2024 (April 14 - 27), we think Target will stick to the same pattern and start the event the Sunday before Easter 2025.

Here's when Target has held the Car Seat Trade-In event over the last few years:

  • Sunday, Sept. 15 - 28, 2024

  • Sunday, April 14 - 27, 2024

  • Sunday, April 16 - 29, 2023

  • Sunday, Sept. 11 - 24, 2022

  • Sunday, April 17 - 30, 2022

  • Sunday, Sept. 12 - 25, 2021

Your first step is to join Target Circle (if you're not already a member).

Only Circle members get to take advantage of the Car Seat Trade-In event. When you go to trade in your car seat, you’ll use your Circle account to scan a barcode and claim your 20% off coupon.

Target Circle is basically Target’s rewards program, and it’s essential to getting the best deals at Target. So the Car Seat Trade-In is just one of the many reasons to sign up for Circle.

Bring in your old car seat to Target and scan the QR code to claim your 20% off Circle coupon.

target-car-seat-trade-in-20-off-deal-kcl-circle-app-september-2024

During the Target Car Seat Trade-In Event, stop by your local participating Target store with your old car seat, base, or booster seat in hand. You’ll see a large donation box near Guest Services in the store — that’s where you’ll drop off your old item.

Don’t forget to download the Target app and sign in to your Circle account before you head to the store. You’ll need it to claim your coupon.

How to get your Target Car Seat Trade-In Coupon:

  1. Drop off your old car seat in the designated trade-in box.

  2. Scan the QR code on the box with your Target app.

  3. Find your coupon in the “baby” category under Target Circle Deals.

  4. Tap the “+” button to save the coupon to your Circle account.

Use your Target car seat coupon on a new car seat, stroller, playard, high chair, or other baby gear.

target-car-seat-trade-in-20-off-deal-kcl-12

You don’t have to use your 20% off coupon on a new car seat after trading in your old one. You can use it to save 20% on a variety of top baby gear at Target.

To maximize your savings, use your Car Seat Trade-In coupon on items that are already on sale or on products that have other available Target Circle offers. And you can totally stack all of these savings to get the best price. If you’re in the market for a new car seat or any eligible baby gear, now’s the time to buy it.

Use your Car Seat Trade-In coupon on any of these items:

Best Target Car Seat Deals We Saw in 2024

Keep in mind: The coupon can’t be used on other items like diapers, though. Other exclusions include baby clothing and apparel, WonderFold items, Doona items, items shipped and sold by Target Plus Partners, and Target clearance items.

After the event, you have two-weeks to use your 20% off car seat coupon.

After the event ends, you'll have two weeks to use your 20% off Circle coupon before it expires. But we recommend using the coupon while car seats are on sale.

The coupon is redeemable twice, online or in store, but you can only receive one coupon per Target Circle account. So if you’ve got a second car seat that’s collecting dust, consider giving it to a friend or having another household member create a Target Circle account to redeem the trade-in.

Don't need new baby gear? Trade in your old car seat and use the coupon for a baby shower gift.

a woman shopping for baby items in target

When you can save 20% on top of a huge selection of sale prices, it’s a good enough reason to shop. Even if you don’t need a new car seat or baby gear for your little ones.

You’ll find sale prices on car seats, strollers, and high chairs from top brands like Graco. It’s the perfect opportunity to shop for an upcoming baby shower or for family and friends who just became parents.

Last year, I was able to use my 15% off Target Baby Registry completion coupon with the 20% off car seat trade-in coupon. I put the savings toward a stroller that was also on sale. Between the two coupons and the sale price, I saved over $100.

And don’t forget you can always save 5% with your Target Circle Card.

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