Cell Phone Driving Laws by State 2025
All drivers
27
No
16
See Additional Details
6
Drivers in school and work zones
1
Drivers in highway work areas
1
State | Texting Ban | Hand Held Ban↓ | Cell Phone Ban for Young Drivers | Offense Type | Additional Details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Arkansas | See Additional Details | Drivers younger than 18 | Primary | Handheld ban applies to drivers 18-21 or in school and highway work zones | |
 | Louisiana | See Additional Details | Drivers younger than 18 | Primary | In Louisiana, all learner's permit holders, irrespective of age, and all intermediate license holders are prohibited from driving while using a hand-held cellphone. All drivers younger than 18 are prohibited from using any cellphone. All drivers, irrespective of age, issued a first driver’s license are prohibited from using a cellphone for one year. The cellphone ban is secondary for novice drivers ages 18 and older | |
 | Oklahoma | See Additional Details | No | Primary | In Oklahoma, learner's permit and intermediate license holders are banned from using a hand-held electronic device while operating a motor vehicle except in life-threatening emergencies | |
 | Texas | See Additional Details | Drivers younger than 18 | Primary for most | Secondary for drivers younger than 18 | Handheld ban applies to drivers in school crossing zones and on public school property during the time the reduced speed limit applies | |
 | Utah | See Additional Details | Drivers younger than 18 | Primary | In 2007, Utah defined careless driving as committing a moving violation (other than speeding) while distracted by use of a handheld cellphone or other activities not related to driving. IIHS reported this as the functional equivalent of a secondary law. | In 2012, Utah’s law was modified to specify that a person is not prohibited from using a handheld wireless device while operating a moving motor vehicle when making or receiving a telephone call. | In 2014, Utah again amended its law by removing the act of talking on a hand-held phone from the section describing careless driving. In addition, the most recent iteration bans drivers from dialing a hand-held phone and caps the maximum fine at $100 for a first offense provided the offender inflicted no bodily harm | |
 | Washington | See Additional Details | Learner's permit and intermediate license holders | Primary | In Washington, drivers may not hold a personal electronic device in either hand or both hands while operating a motor vehicle on a public highway, including while temporarily stationary because of traffic, a traffic control device, or other momentary delays. | |
 | Alaska | No | No | Primary | ||
 | Colorado | No | Drivers younger than 18 | Primary | ||
 | Iowa | No | Learner's permit and intermediate license holders | Primary | ||
 | Kansas | No | Learner's permit and intermediate license holders | Primary | ||
 | Kentucky | No | Drivers younger than 18 | Primary | ||
 | Mississippi | No | No | Primary | ||
 | Montana | No | No | None | ||
 | Nebraska | No | Learner's permit and intermediate license holders younger than 18 | Secondary | ||
 | New Mexico | No | Learner's permit and intermediate license holders | Primary | ||
 | North Carolina | No | Drivers younger than 18 | Primary | ||
 | North Dakota | No | Drivers younger than 18 | Primary | ||
 | Ohio | No | Drivers younger than 18 | Primary | ||
 | Pennsylvania | No | No | Primary | ||
 | South Carolina | No | No | Primary | ||
 | South Dakota | No | Learner's permit and intermediate license holders | Primary for most | Secondary for learner's permit and intermediate license holders | ||
 | Wyoming | No | No | Primary | ||
 | Florida | Drivers in school and work zones | No | Primary | ||
 | Wisconsin | Drivers in highway work areas | Learner's permit and intermediate license holders | Primary | ||
 | Alabama | All drivers | 16-year-old drivers; 17-year-old drivers who have held an intermediate license for fewer than 6 months | Primary: 16-year-old drivers; 17-year-old drivers who have held an intermediate license for fewer than 6 months | Secondary: handheld and texting | The prohibited behavior is distracted driving, defined as crossing in and out of a traffic lane without using a turn signal, swerving or otherwise driving in a manner indicative of impairment while holding or supporting a device or while texting | |
 | Arizona | All drivers | Learner's permit holders and intermediate license holders during the first 6 months after licensing | Primary for most | Secondary: learner's permit holders and intermediate license holders during the first 6 months after licensing | ||
 | California | All drivers | Drivers younger than 18 | Primary: hand-held and texting by drivers 18 and older; | Secondary: drivers younger than 18 | In California, persons are prohibited from driving a motor vehicle while holding and operating a phone or electronic communication device. Drivers who are 18 and older may dictate, send or listen to text-based messages if they're using voice-activated, hands-free devices California law prohibits police from stopping a vehicle to determine if a driver is in compliance with the law. The language prohibits the use of checkpoints to enforce the law, but it has been interpreted as the functional equivalent of secondary provisions that typically state the officer may not stop someone suspected of a violation unless there is other, independent, cause for a stop | |
 | Connecticut | All drivers | Drivers younger than 18 | Primary | ||
 | Delaware | All drivers | Learner's permit and intermediate license holders | Primary | ||
 | District of Columbia | All drivers | Drivers younger than 18 | Primary | ||
 | Georgia | All drivers | No | Primary | In Georgia, drivers younger than 18 were covered for eight years (2010-2018) by an all phone ban. Georgia HB 673 (2017) created a handheld ban for all drivers, effective July 1, 2018. The current law does not prohibit young drivers from using of earpieces, headphone devices or devices worn on the wrist to conduct voice based communication. Voice based commands are not prohibited | |
 | Hawaii | All drivers | Drivers younger than 18 | Primary | ||
 | Idaho | All drivers | No | Primary | ||
 | Illinois | All drivers | Drivers younger than 19 who hold a learner’s permit or intermediate license | Primary | ||
 | Indiana | All drivers | Drivers younger than 21 | Primary | ||
 | Maine | All drivers | Learner's permit and intermediate license holders | Primary | ||
 | Maryland | All drivers | Drivers younger than 18 | Primary | ||
 | Massachusetts | All drivers | Drivers younger than 18 | Primary | ||
 | Michigan | All drivers | No | Primary | In Michigan, learner's permit and intermediate license holders are banned from using a hand-held electronic device while operating a motor vehicle except in life-threatening emergencies | |
 | Minnesota | All drivers | Learner's permit holders and provisional license holders during the first 12 months after licensing | Primary | ||
 | Missouri | All drivers | No | Secondary | In Missouri, an officer may only issue a warning until January 1, 2025 | |
 | Nevada | All drivers | No | Primary | ||
 | New Hampshire | All drivers | Drivers younger than 18 | Primary | ||
 | New Jersey | All drivers | Learner's permit and intermediate license holders | Primary | ||
 | New York | All drivers | No | Primary | ||
 | Oregon | All drivers | Drivers younger than 18 | Primary | In Oregon, drivers may not hold a personal electronic device in either hand or both hands while operating a motor vehicle on a public highway, including while temporarily stationary because of traffic, a traffic control device, or other momentary delays, effective October 1, 2017 | |
 | Rhode Island | All drivers | Drivers younger than 18 | Primary | ||
 | Tennessee | All drivers | Learner's permit and intermediate license holders | Primary | ||
 | Vermont | All drivers | Drivers younger than 18 | Primary | ||
 | Virginia | All drivers | No | Primary | ||
 | West Virginia | All drivers | Drivers younger than 18 | Primary |
- Driving laws typically classify each possible violation into one of two categories. Primary offenses are those for which an officer may initiate a traffic stop. Secondary offenses are those which do not merit a traffic stop in and of themselves, but for which an officer may cite a driver or passenger who has been stopped for a different, primary reason.
- Data is offered for general purposes and may change at any time. It should not be relied upon in official legal matters.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving is a major menace on America’s roads, and the biggest distraction is using a cell phone while driving. In 2020, there were 3,142 fatal distracted driving crashes in America, which made up about 8%. of all road deaths during the year. It is estimated that cell phone use by drivers causes 1.6 million crashes per year and 390,000 injuries. Text messaging while driving turns out to be six times more likely than drunk driving to cause a crash.
States have moved broadly to limit cell phone use by drivers. As of April 2022, talking on a handheld cell phone while driving is banned in 29 states, the District of Columbia, and several U.S. territories. Some of these restrictions only apply in school or work zones.
In addition to handheld cellphone bans, twenty-three states and the District of Columbia also ban any use of cell phones by school bus drivers. Laws for new or younger drivers are even more restrictive. The use of all cell phones by novice drivers is restricted in 36 states and the District of Columbia. In almost all states that restrict or ban the use of cellphones by drivers, the violation is a “primary” offense, which means police can pull you over and ticket you without some other violation.
Text messaging while driving is banned for all drivers in 48 states and the District of Columbia. The only exceptions are Montana, which allows for text messaging while driving, and Missouri, which bans texting by drivers under 21.
