Cellphone use laws

More comprehensive cellphone laws, rather than those addressing only talking or texting, appear to be most effective. Read more on our main distracted driving page.

This material has been prepared for general information purposes only. It is not guaranteed to be current and should be independently verified. Do not rely on it when considering how a law may apply to your circumstances.

June 2023

Laws restricting cellphone use and texting
State Hand-held ban Young drivers all cellphone ban Texting ban Enforcement
AL no 16-year-old drivers; 17-year-old drivers who have held an intermediate license for fewer than 6 months all drivers primary
AK no no all drivers primary
AZ all drivers learner's permit holders and intermediate license holders during the first 6 months after licensing all drivers primary;Footnote 1 secondary: learner's permit holders and intermediate license holders during the first 6 months after licensing
AR drivers 18 or older but younger than 21; school and highway work zones drivers younger than 18 all drivers primary
CA all driversFootnote 2 drivers younger than 18 all driversFootnote 2 primary: hand-held and texting by drivers 18 and older; secondary: drivers younger than 18Footnote 3
CO no drivers younger than 18 all drivers primary
CT all drivers drivers younger than 18 all drivers primary
DE all drivers learner's permit and intermediate license holders all drivers primary
DC all drivers drivers younger than 18 all drivers primary
FL drivers in school and work zones no all drivers primary
GA all drivers noFootnote 4 all drivers primary
HI all drivers drivers younger than 18 all drivers primary
ID all drivers no all drivers primary
IL all drivers drivers younger than 19 who hold a learner’s permit or intermediate license all drivers primary
IN all drivers drivers younger than 21 all drivers primary
IA no learner's permit and intermediate license holders all drivers primary
KS no learner's permit and intermediate license holders all drivers primary
KY no drivers younger than 18 all drivers primary
LA drivers in signed school zones; with respect to novice drivers, see footnoteFootnote 5 all novice drivers, see footnote for detailFootnote 5 all drivers primaryFootnote 5
ME all drivers learner's permit and intermediate license holders all drivers primary
MD all drivers drivers younger than 18 all drivers primary
MA all drivers drivers younger than 18 all drivers primary
MI no learner's permit and intermediate license holders (level 1 and 2); integrated voice-operated systems excepted all drivers primary
MN all drivers learner's permit holders and provisional license holders during the first 12 months after licensing all drivers primary
MS no no all drivers primary
MO no no drivers 21 and younger primary
MT no no no not applicable
NE no learner's permit and intermediate license holders younger than 18 all drivers secondary
NV all drivers no all drivers primary
NH all drivers drivers younger than 18 all drivers primary
NJ all drivers learner's permit and intermediate license holders all drivers primary
NM no learner's permit and intermediate license holders all drivers primary
NY all drivers no all drivers primary
NC no drivers younger than 18 all drivers primary
ND no drivers younger than 18 all drivers primary
OH no drivers younger than 18 all drivers primary
OK learner's permit and intermediate license holders noFootnote 6 all drivers primary
OR all driversFootnote 7 drivers younger than 18 all driversFootnote 7 primary
PA no no all drivers primary
RI all drivers drivers younger than 18 all drivers primary
SC no no all drivers primary
SD no learner's permit and intermediate license holders all drivers primary; secondary for learner's permit and intermediate license holders
TN all drivers learner's permit and intermediate license holders all drivers primary
TX drivers in school crossing zones and on public school property during the time the reduced speed limit applies drivers younger than 18 all drivers primary
UT noFootnote 8 drivers younger than 18 all drivers primaryFootnote 8
VT all drivers drivers younger than 18 all drivers primary
VA all drivers no all drivers primary
WA all driversFootnote 9 learner's permit and intermediate license holders all driversFootnote 9 primary
WV all drivers drivers younger than 18 who hold either a learner's permit or an intermediate license all drivers primary
WI drivers in highway construction areas learner's permit and intermediate license holders all drivers primary
WY no no all drivers primary