Find out if you’re getting ripped off on your car insurance in less than two minutes.

No long forms · No spam · No fees

3.5k Ratings

Depending on where you live, laws regarding cell phone use while driving varies. Some states only ban drivers of a certain age from using hand held phones while driving, but other states ban everyone from doing so.

What exactly are state laws across the U.S. regarding cell phone use while driving, and what penalties are involved if you are caught violating the law?

State Laws and Penalties Regarding Cell Phone Use While Driving

Each state approaches the use of handheld devices differently. While many states do allow handheld cell phone use, many have banned texting while driving. The following chart details the different state laws regarding cell phone use and the penalties you can expect for violating those laws:

Cell Phone and Texting Restrictions by State
State	Cell Phone Handheld Use Ban	Text Messaging While Driving Ban	Penalties for Cell Phone Use and Texting While Driving (as of 7-2017)
Alabama	No	All drivers	First offense: $25 fine; second offense: $50 fine; subsequent offenses: $75 fine
Alaska	No	All drivers	Charged with a misdemeanor if no accident. Charged with a felony if an accident with injury.
Arizona	No	Only for permit holders under 18	No penalty.
Arkansas	Drivers 18 to 20	All drivers	Up to a $100 fine.
California	Yes	All drivers	First offense: $20 fine; subsequent offenses: $50 fine.
Colorado	No	All drivers	First offense: $56 fine; Subsequent offense: $106 fine.
Connecticut	Yes	All drivers	First offense: $125 fine; subsequent offenses: $250 fine.
Delaware	Yes	All drivers	First offense: $106 fine; subsequent offenses: up to a $350 fine.
D.C.	Yes	All drivers	Fine of $100.
Florida	No	All drivers	Fine of $30.
Georgia	No	All drivers	Fine of $150 plus one point on driving record.
Hawaii	Yes	All drivers	First offense: $200 fine; second offense (within same year) $300 fine.
Idaho	No	All drivers	Fines start at $85 for the first offense.
Illinois	Yes	All drivers	Fines start at $75 for a first offense.
Indiana	No	All drivers	Fine ranges from $35 to $500.
Iowa	No	All drivers	Fine of $30, or up to $1,000 for causing a serious accident while texting.
Kansas	No	All drivers	Fine of $60.
Kentucky	No	All drivers	First offense: $25 plus court costs; subsequent offenses: $50 plus court costs.
Louisiana	Drivers with permits, regardless of age	All drivers	First offense: $175 fine; subsequent offenses: $500 fine.
Maine	No	All drivers	First offense: $100 fine; fines increase for subsequent offenses.
Maryland	Yes	All drivers	Fine ranges from $40 to $100.
Massachusetts	No	All drivers	First offense: $100 fine; subsequent offenses: $250 fine.
Michigan	No	All drivers	First offense: $100 fine; subsequent offenses: $200 fine.
Minnesota	No	All drivers	Fines up to $300 per offense.
Mississippi	No	All drivers	Fine of $500 for a first time offender.
Missouri	No	Drivers 21 and under	Fine of $20.50.
Montana	No	No	No penalty.
Nebraska	No	All drivers	First offense: $200 fine; second offense: $300 fine; subsequent offenses: $500 fine.
Nevada	Yes	All drivers	First offense: $50 fine; second offense (within seven years): $100 fine; subsequent offenses (within seven years): $250 fine.
New Hampshire	Yes	All drivers	$100 fine.
New Jersey	Yes	All drivers	$100 fine.
New Mexico	In-state vehicles	All drivers	First offense: $25 fine; subsequent offenses: $50 fine.
New York	Yes	All drivers	Fine of $150 plus mandatory fees up to $85.
North Carolina	No	All drivers	Novice drivers: $25 fine; adult drivers: $100 fine.
North Dakota	No	All drivers	Fine of $100.
Ohio	No	All drivers	Up to $150 fine. Up to a $300 fine for novice drivers.
Oklahoma	Drivers with permits	All drivers	Suspended or revoked driver's license.
Oregon	Yes	All drivers	Fine of $142.
Pennsylvania	No	All drivers	Fine of $50.
Rhode Island	No	All drivers	First offense: $85 fine; second offense: $100 fine; subsequent offenses: $125 fine.
South Carolina	No.	All drivers	Fine amount varies by county.
South Dakota	No.	All drivers	Fine of $100.
Tennessee	No.	All drivers	Fine of $50 plus court costs (not to exceed $10).
Texas	No. Banned in school zones	All drivers	No penalty.
Utah	No	All drivers	Fine of $750 and/or jail time of up to three months.
Vermont	Yes	All drivers	First offense: $100 fine; subsequent offenses (within two years): $250 fine
Virginia	No	All drivers	First offense: $125 fine; subsequent offenses: $250 fine.
Washington	Yes	All drivers	First offense: $124 fine.
West Virginia	Yes	All drivers	First offense: $25 fine; second offenses: $50 fine; subsequent offenses: $75 fine.
Wisconsin	No	All drivers	Fine of $20 to $400, and up to four points on driving record.
Wyoming	No	All drivers	Up to a $75 fine.

While not strictly prohibited in many states, the use of handheld devices can lead to a ticket if you are caught in states that do ban it. The tickets that result from getting caught using a handheld device in states that prohibit such use can cause your car insurance premiums to go up.

Why It’s Dangerous

Regardless of the laws, it’s risky to use a handheld phone while driving. Distracted drivers and distracted driving was responsible for 2,841 deaths in 2018 according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Texting while driving is especially dangerous, because reading and writing text messages involves visual, manual, and cognitive distraction.

Safer Alternatives

If you do have a handheld device, the safest thing to do is stay off social media and refrain from cellphone use while operating your vehicle. If you spend a lot of time driving and can’t always pull over or have a passenger monitor your messages and take your calls, consider investing in voice-activated, hands free device. These will allow you to take calls or (if the device or app provides dictation) send and hear texts without taking your eyes off of the road or your hands off of your steering wheel. However, that’s not a perfect solution, since you will still be distracted.