Below outlines current laws by state (as of March 2022) related to hand-held cell phone usage and texting while driving. Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Table of Contents
- State laws restricting hand-held cell phone use
- State laws restricting texting & driving
- State laws on cell phone use restrictions for young drivers
State laws restricting hand-held cell phone use
| State | Hand-held ban | Enforcement |
| Alabama | no | primary |
| Alaska | no | primary |
| Arizona | all drivers | primary |
| Arkansas | partial | primary |
| California | all drivers | primary: hand-held and texting by drivers 18 and older; secondary: drivers younger than 181 |
| Colorado | no | primary |
| Connecticut | all drivers | primary |
| Delaware | all drivers | primary |
| District of Columbia | all drivers | primary |
| Florida | partial | primary |
| Georgia | all drivers | primary |
| Hawaii | all drivers | primary |
| Idaho | all drivers | primary |
| Illinois | all drivers | primary |
| Indiana | all drivers | primary |
| Iowa | no | primary |
| Kansas | no | primary |
| Kentucky | no | primary |
| Louisiana | partial | primary |
| Maine | all drivers | primary |
| Maryland | all drivers | primary |
| Massachusetts | all drivers | primary |
| Michigan | no | primary |
| Minnesota | all drivers | primary |
| Mississippi | no | primary |
| Missouri | no | primary |
| Montana | no | not applicable |
| Nebraska | no | secondary |
| Nevada | all drivers | primary |
| New Hampshire | all drivers | primary |
| New Jersey | all drivers | primary |
| New Mexico | no | primary |
| New York | all drivers | primary |
| North Carolina | no | primary |
| North Dakota | no | primary |
| Ohio | no | primary for drivers younger than 18 |
| Oklahoma | partial | primary |
| Oregon | all drivers | primary |
| Pennsylvania | no | primary |
| Rhode Island | all drivers | primary |
| South Carolina | no | primary |
| South Dakota | no | secondary |
| Tennessee | all drivers | primary |
| Texas | partial | primary |
| Utah | no | primary |
| Vermont | all drivers | primary |
| Virginia | all drivers | primary |
| Washington | all drivers | primary |
| West Virginia | all drivers | primary |
| Wisconsin | partial | primary |
| Wyoming | no | primary |
State laws restricting texting & driving
| State | Texting ban | Enforcement |
| Alabama | all drivers | primary |
| Alaska | all drivers | primary |
| Arizona | all drivers | primary |
| Arkansas | all drivers | primary |
| California | all drivers | primary: hand-held and texting by drivers 18 and older; secondary: drivers younger than 181 |
| Colorado | all drivers | primary |
| Connecticut | all drivers | primary |
| Delaware | all drivers | primary |
| District of Columbia | all drivers | primary |
| Florida | all drivers | primary |
| Georgia | all drivers | primary |
| Hawaii | all drivers | primary |
| Idaho | all drivers | primary |
| Illinois | all drivers | primary |
| Indiana | all drivers | primary |
| Iowa | all drivers | primary |
| Kansas | all drivers | primary |
| Kentucky | all drivers | primary |
| Louisiana | all drivers | primary |
| Maine | all drivers | primary |
| Maryland | all drivers | primary |
| Massachusetts | all drivers | primary |
| Michigan | all drivers | primary |
| Minnesota | all drivers | primary |
| Mississippi | all drivers | primary |
| Missouri | partial | primary |
| Montana | no | not applicable |
| Nebraska | all drivers | secondary |
| Nevada | all drivers | primary |
| New Hampshire | all drivers | primary |
| New Jersey | all drivers | primary |
| New Mexico | all drivers | primary |
| New York | all drivers | primary |
| North Carolina | all drivers | primary |
| North Dakota | all drivers | primary |
| Ohio | all drivers | primary for drivers younger than 18 |
| Oklahoma | all drivers | primary |
| Oregon | all drivers | primary |
| Pennsylvania | all drivers | primary |
| Rhode Island | all drivers | primary |
| South Carolina | all drivers | primary |
| South Dakota | all drivers | secondary |
| Tennessee | all drivers | primary |
| Texas | all drivers | primary |
| Utah | all drivers | primary |
| Vermont | all drivers | primary |
| Virginia | all drivers | primary |
| Washington | all drivers | primary |
| West Virginia | all drivers | primary |
| Wisconsin | all drivers | primary |
| Wyoming | all drivers | primary |
State laws on cell phone use restrictions for young drivers
| State | Young drivers all cell phone ban | Young drivers cell phone use restrictions |
| Alabama | partial | 16-year-old drivers; 17-year-old drivers who have held an intermediate license for fewer than 6 months |
| Alaska | no | |
| Arizona | partial | learner’s permit holders and intermediate license holders during the first 6 months after licensing |
| Arkansas | all drivers | drivers younger than 18 |
| California | all drivers | drivers younger than 18 |
| Colorado | all drivers | drivers younger than 18 |
| Connecticut | all drivers | drivers younger than 18 |
| Delaware | partial | learner’s permit and intermediate license holders |
| District of Columbia | all drivers | drivers younger than 18 |
| Florida | no | |
| Georgia | no | |
| Hawaii | all drivers | drivers younger than 18 |
| Idaho | no | |
| Illinois | all drivers | drivers younger than 19 and learner’s permit holders younger than 19 |
| Indiana | all drivers | drivers younger than 21 |
| Iowa | partial | learner’s permit and intermediate license holders |
| Kansas | partial | learner’s permit and intermediate license holders |
| Kentucky | all drivers | drivers younger than 18 |
| Louisiana | partial | In Louisiana, all learner’s permit holders, irrespective of age, and all intermediate license holders are prohibited from driving while using a hand-held cell phone. All drivers younger than 18 are prohibited from using any cell phone. All drivers, irrespective of age, issued a first driver’s license are prohibited from using a cell phone for one year. The cell phone ban is secondary for novice drivers ages 18 and older. |
| Maine | partial | learner’s permit and intermediate license holders |
| Maryland | all drivers | drivers younger than 18 |
| Massachusetts | all drivers | drivers younger than 18 |
| Michigan | partial | learner’s permit and intermediate license holders (level 1 and 2); integrated voice-operated systems excepted |
| Minnesota | partial | learner’s permit holders and provisional license holders during the first 12 months after licensing |
| Mississippi | no | |
| Missouri | no | |
| Montana | no | |
| Nebraska | partial | learner’s permit and intermediate license holders younger than 18 |
| Nevada | no | |
| New Hampshire | all drivers | drivers younger than 18 |
| New Jersey | partial | learner’s permit and intermediate license holders |
| New Mexico | partial | learner’s permit and intermediate license holders |
| New York | no | |
| North Carolina | all drivers | drivers younger than 18 |
| North Dakota | all drivers | drivers younger than 18 |
| Ohio | all drivers | drivers younger than 18 |
| Oklahoma | partial | 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. |
| Oregon | all drivers | drivers younger than 18 |
| Pennsylvania | no | |
| Rhode Island | all drivers | drivers younger than 18 |
| South Carolina | no | |
| South Dakota | partial | learner’s permit and intermediate license holders |
| Tennessee | partial | learner’s permit and intermediate license holders |
| Texas | all drivers | drivers younger than 18 |
| Utah | all drivers | drivers younger than 18 |
| Vermont | all drivers | drivers younger than 18 |
| Virginia | no | |
| Washington | partial | learner’s permit and intermediate license holders |
| West Virginia | partial | drivers younger than 18 who hold either a learner’s permit or an intermediate license |
| Wisconsin | partial | learner’s permit and intermediate license holders |
| Wyoming | no |
This information has been made available courtesy of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. For more information, see Distracted Driving – Data Details.
Since 1992, our personal injury attorneys at the Pines Salomon Injury Lawyers, APC. have been fighting for the people of San Diego. Now, when those injured in automobile accidents – including car, truck, and motorcycle accidents – need financial help, or for the families that need to know that the loss of a loved one could have been prevented, there is a personal injury law firm in San Diego that is on their side. If you or a family member has been injured, call the lawyers at Pines Salomon Injury Lawyers, APC. There’s never been a better time than right now to speak to a personal injury attorney—FREE of charge. Call us at 858-551-2090 or request a free consultation online today!
SENIOR PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEY & FIRM FOUNDER
Michael Pines is a former insurance company attorney who graduated from the University of California Hastings College of the Law in 1987. While he was an insurance attorney, he learned from behind the scenes how insurance companies work and how they decide how much to pay injured people. Now that he works against insurance companies, Michael’s inside knowledge has resulted in significant benefits to his clients injured in car accidents. Learn more about Michael Pines