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Phone / distracted driving laws by state

People search “Phone / distracted driving by state”, “Phone / distracted driving laws by state”, and “Phone map” when a road trip, boat, bike, or load is about to cross a line. This page is the 50-state index for phone / distracted driving. Colors and quotes are written for someone in that state today, not for what that state demands of its own registered vehicles.

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How states differ

Handheld phone rules.

  • Handheld ban (most drivers)
  • Texting ban; handheld calls may be allowed
  • Stricter for young/novice drivers

Searches this page is meant to answer

If you typed any of these — or a close variant with a state name — this is the Crosstatelaws topic that should show up:

  • Phone / distracted driving by state
  • Phone / distracted driving laws by state
  • Phone laws by state
  • Phone / distracted driving map
  • Phone / distracted driving traveling across state lines
  • does phone / distracted driving change by state
  • handheld phone ban by state
  • hands free law by state
  • is it illegal to hold your phone while driving
  • texting and driving laws by state
  • distracted driving laws traveling
  • Phone / distracted driving in California / Texas / Florida / New York
  • is phone / distracted driving legal while traveling

All 50 states

One-line traveler summary for each state. Open the map for the quoted rule and footnotes.

Alabama (AL)
Alabama: handheld ban all drivers — mount the phone (Ala. Code § 32-5A-350 / GHSA handheld (secondary)). Young drivers: learner / under-18 extra limits.
Alaska (AK)
Alaska: texting ban all drivers; handheld voice calls are not banned for adults (Alaska Stat. § 28.35.161).
Arizona (AZ)
Arizona: handheld ban all drivers — mount the phone; hands-free audio is the lawful path (A.R.S. § 28-914).
Arkansas (AR)
Arkansas: texting ban all drivers; handheld voice calls are not banned for adults (Ark. Code §§ 27-51-1504, 27-51-1609). Young drivers: handheld ban under 18.
California (CA)
California: handheld ban all drivers (talk, text, maps) — mount the phone (Cal. Veh. Code §§ 23123.5, 23124). Young drivers: under-18: no phone at all.
Colorado (CO)
Colorado: handheld ban all drivers — mount the phone (C.R.S. § 42-4-239).
Connecticut (CT)
Connecticut: handheld ban all drivers — mount the phone (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 14-296aa).
Delaware (DE)
Delaware: handheld ban all drivers — mount the phone (21 Del. C. § 4176C).
Florida (FL)
Florida: texting ban all drivers (Fla. Stat. § 316.305); handheld ban in school and work zones (§ 316.306) (Fla. Stat. §§ 316.305, 316.306).
Georgia (GA)
Georgia: handheld ban all drivers — mount the phone (O.C.G.A. § 40-6-241).
Hawaii (HI)
Hawaii: handheld ban all drivers — mount the phone (Haw. Rev. Stat. § 291C-137).
Idaho (ID)
Idaho: handheld ban all drivers — mount the phone (Idaho Code § 49-1401A). Young drivers: under-18 / learner limits.
Illinois (IL)
Illinois: handheld ban all drivers — mount the phone; hands-free audio is the lawful path (625 ILCS 5/12-610.2).
Indiana (IN)
Indiana: handheld ban all drivers — mount the phone (Ind. Code § 9-21-8-59).
Iowa (IA)
Iowa: handheld ban all drivers — mount the phone (Iowa Code § 321.276 / SF 22). Full fine enforcement since Jan 1, 2026: $100 first offense ($500 if injury, $1,000 if death).
Kansas (KS)
Kansas: texting ban all drivers statewide (Kan. Stat. § 8-15,111) — adult handheld voice calls still lawful outside special zones. School zones (reduced speed) and marked work zones with workers: handheld ban (H. Sub. SB 366); warnings until July 1, 2027, then $60.
Kentucky (KY)
Kentucky: texting ban all drivers; handheld voice calls are not banned for adults (KRS § 189.292). Young drivers: under-18 handheld ban.
Louisiana (LA)
Louisiana: handheld ban all drivers — mount the phone (La. R.S. 32:300.5 / 32:300.8 (statewide hands-free Aug 1, 2025)). Young drivers: under-18 handheld ban.
Maine (ME)
Maine: handheld ban all drivers — mount the phone (29-A M.R.S. § 2119).
Maryland (MD)
Maryland: handheld ban all drivers — mount the phone (Md. Code, Transp. § 21-1124.2).
Massachusetts (MA)
Massachusetts: handheld ban all drivers — mount the phone (Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 90, § 13B).
Michigan (MI)
Michigan: handheld ban all drivers — mount the phone (MCL 257.602b).
Minnesota (MN)
Minnesota: handheld ban all drivers — mount the phone (Minn. Stat. § 169.475).
Mississippi (MS)
Mississippi: texting ban all drivers; handheld voice calls are not banned for adults (Miss. Code § 63-33-1).
Missouri (MO)
Missouri: handheld ban all drivers — mount the phone (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 304.820 / GHSA handheld (secondary)). Young drivers: under-21 / novice limits.
Montana (MT)
Montana: no statewide texting or handheld ban (IIHS Sept 2026). Missoula, Bozeman, Billings, Havre and other cities ban handheld use inside city limits — follow the local ordinance on the street you are on.
Nebraska (NE)
Nebraska: texting ban all drivers; handheld voice calls are not banned for adults (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 60-6,179.01).
Nevada (NV)
Nevada: handheld ban all drivers — mount the phone (NRS 484B.165).
New Hampshire (NH)
New Hampshire: handheld ban all drivers — mount the phone (N.H. Rev. Stat. § 265:105-a).
New Jersey (NJ)
New Jersey: handheld ban all drivers — mount the phone (N.J.S.A. 39:4-97.3).
New Mexico (NM)
New Mexico: texting ban all drivers; manual typing / texting banned; handheld voice calls are not banned for adults (N.M. Stat. § 66-7-374). Young drivers: under-18 handheld ban.
New York (NY)
New York: handheld ban all drivers (VTL §§ 1225-c, 1225-d) — mount the phone (N.Y. Veh. & Traf. Law §§ 1225-c, 1225-d).
North Carolina (NC)
North Carolina: texting ban all drivers; handheld voice calls are not banned for adults (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-137.4A). Young drivers: under-18 handheld ban.
North Dakota (ND)
North Dakota: texting ban all drivers; handheld voice calls are not banned for adults (N.D. Cent. Code § 39-08-23).
Ohio (OH)
Ohio: holding or body-supporting a phone while driving is banned (Ohio Rev. Code § 4511.204) — mount for navigation/text. Exception: holding the device directly near the ear for a voice call with no manual letter/number/symbol entry.
Oklahoma (OK)
Oklahoma: texting ban all drivers; handheld voice calls are not banned for adults (47 O.S. § 11-901c). Young drivers: under-18 handheld ban.
Oregon (OR)
Oregon: handheld ban all drivers — mount the phone (Or. Rev. Stat. § 811.507).
Pennsylvania (PA)
Pennsylvania: handheld ban all drivers — mount the phone (75 Pa.C.S. § 3316 / Paul Miller’s Law). Full ticketing since June 5, 2026: $50 plus court costs; no points for non-commercial drivers.
Rhode Island (RI)
Rhode Island: handheld ban all drivers — mount the phone (R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-22-31).
South Carolina (SC)
South Carolina: handheld ban all drivers — mount the phone (S.C. Code § 56-5-3890, Hands-Free Act eff. Sept 1, 2025). Full enforcement after Feb 28, 2026: first offense $100 (+ assessments, commonly ~$232.50 total); subsequent $200 + 2 points.
South Dakota (SD)
South Dakota: no published all-driver handheld or texting ban (S.D. Codified Laws § 32-26-47). Young drivers: under-18 texting / handheld ban (SDCL 32-26-47).
Tennessee (TN)
Tennessee: handheld ban all drivers — mount the phone (Tenn. Code § 55-8-199).
Texas (TX)
Texas: texting ban all drivers (Transp. Code § 545.4251); handheld ban in school zones (§ 545.425) (Tex. Transp. Code §§ 545.425, 545.4251).
Utah (UT)
Utah: texting ban all drivers; manual texting / dialing / browsing banned; handheld voice calls are not banned for adults (Utah Code § 41-6a-1716). Young drivers: under-18 limits.
Vermont (VT)
Vermont: handheld ban all drivers — mount the phone (23 V.S.A. § 1095b).
Virginia (VA)
Virginia: handheld ban all drivers — mount the phone (Va. Code § 46.2-1078.1).
Washington (WA)
Washington: handheld ban all drivers — mount the phone (RCW 46.61.672).
West Virginia (WV)
West Virginia: handheld ban all drivers — mount the phone (W. Va. Code § 17C-14-15). Young drivers: under-18 handheld ban.
Wisconsin (WI)
Wisconsin: texting ban all drivers; statewide texting ban; handheld voice calls are not banned for adults outside posted work/emergency zones (Wis. Stat. § 346.89). Young drivers: under-18 / work-zone handheld limits.
Wyoming (WY)
Wyoming: texting ban all drivers (Wyo. Stat. § 31-5-237) — write/send/read text, IM, or email while driving; misdemeanor fine up to $75. Adult handheld voice calls remain lawful statewide.

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Not legal advice. Confirm statutes before you travel. Disclaimer.