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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.

Open the Phone difference map

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: texting ban all drivers; handheld voice calls are not banned for adults (Ala. Code § 32-5A-350). 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: texting ban all drivers; handheld voice calls are not banned for adults (Idaho Code § 49-1401A).
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: texting ban all drivers; handheld voice calls are not banned for adults (Iowa Code § 321.276). Young drivers: under-18 handheld limits.
Kansas (KS)
Kansas: texting ban all drivers; handheld voice calls are not banned for adults (Kan. Stat. § 8-15,111).
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: texting ban all drivers; handheld voice calls are not banned for adults (La. R.S. 32:300.5). 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: texting ban all drivers; handheld voice calls are not banned for adults (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 304.820).
Montana (MT)
Montana: texting ban all drivers; handheld voice calls are not banned for adults (Mont. Code § 61-8-366).
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: handheld ban all drivers — mount the phone (N.M. Stat. § 66-7-374).
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: texting ban all drivers; handheld voice calls are not banned for adults (Ohio Rev. Code § 4511.204). Young drivers: under-18 handheld ban.
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: texting ban all drivers; handheld voice calls are not banned for adults (75 Pa.C.S. § 3316). Young drivers: under-18 handheld ban.
Rhode Island (RI)
Rhode Island: handheld ban all drivers — mount the phone (R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-22-31).
South Carolina (SC)
South Carolina: texting ban all drivers; handheld voice calls are not banned for adults (S.C. Code § 56-5-3890).
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: handheld ban all drivers — mount the phone (Utah Code § 41-6a-1716).
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: texting ban all drivers; handheld voice calls are not banned for adults (W. Va. Code § 17C-14-15).
Wisconsin (WI)
Wisconsin: handheld ban all drivers — mount the phone (Wis. Stat. § 346.89).
Wyoming (WY)
Wyoming: no published all-driver handheld or texting ban (Wyo. Stat. § 31-5-237). Young drivers: under-18 texting / handheld ban (Wyo. Stat. § 31-5-237).

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