In the state of Nevada
, distracted driving laws make it illegal to send or receive text messages or phone calls or browse the web from a cell phone or another mobile device while driving—unless you’re using a hands-free accessory. A first offense could cost you $50, but the penalties increase from there. One particular change to Nevada’s texting and driving laws takes effect in 2023, so it’s important that you have a sense of what the requirements are moving forward—that way you can stay safe on the road
and avoid getting an unexpected ticket. Plus, you’ll be safer for it. 
4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ drivers What are the texting and driving laws in Nevada?
It’s no secret that cell phone use while driving can be dangerous. That’s why Nevada’s distracted driving laws make texting and driving illegal.
The same goes for making or receiving calls or using the internet from a mobile phone or any other wireless communications device unless you’re using a hands-free accessory so you can keep your eyes on the road—like a built-in voice-activated feature on your vehicle or a wireless headset.
In Nevada, all of the following are outlawed:
Manually typing or entering text into a device
Sending or reading data on said device
Communicating with others through a device through any means other than your voice (like texting or instant messaging)
Using a device to communicate with your voice (i.e., a phone call) in a method that isn’t hands-free (other than activating or deactivating a device function)
Since 2012, the state of Nevada has banned the use of handheld devices while driving (NRS 484B.165
), but this law is about to change. Starting on January 1, 2023, a texting and driving violation will be downgraded from a misdemeanor to a civil infraction. Of course, that obviously doesn’t make texting and driving any less risky, and the penalty fees in place remain the same (which we’ll get to below).
Are there any exceptions to Nevada’s texting and driving laws?
Under Nevada law, you can have limited interaction with your phone or another wireless device—you’re able to touch your phone to “activate, deactivate, or initiate a feature or function on the device,” as the law states, but that’s it.
So, you could briefly press a button on your phone to call or hang up, but everything in between would need to be hands-free.
But further exceptions for certain circumstances can allow you to make more extensive use of your phone while you’re driving in Nevada. They include:
Calling emergency services to report accidents, medical emergencies, crimes, or public safety hazards
Using a voice-operated navigation system “affixed to the vehicle”
Riding (legally) in an autonomous vehicle
Law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel using devices while acting within the scope of their job duties
Utility workers using company devices to respond to outages or emergencies
Radio operators communicating during emergencies
Using two-way radios with an applicable license that have a separate, hand-held microphone
Can you use a cell phone as a GPS in Nevada?
Any hand-held cell phone use (outside the exceptions listed above) is illegal in Nevada, including for GPS navigation.
However, Nevada law allows for the use of voice-operated navigation systems, but as the law states, any GPS device would need to be “affixed to the vehicle” where you can see it—while also not obstructing your view of the road—so you can keep your hands free and your attention where it belongs.
Additionally, your interactions with it while driving should be limited. In other words, you should look up the address of your destination and start your navigation before you’re on the road—not while you’re already making your way down the interstate.
Can you be on your phone at a red light in Nevada?
Only if it’s a hands-free interaction.
As stated above, you can only initiate or deactivate features on a phone while driving in Nevada. While you could quickly make or accept a hands-free call or send a voice-activated, hands-free text to let someone know your ETA, scrolling through TikToks to pass time at a red light would be quite the overreach.
Are the Nevada texting and driving laws different for teen drivers?
The texting and driving rules of Nevada roads apply to teens just as they would to adults, and they’d be subject to the same penalty fees and points after a violation. And since young drivers can be just as susceptible to distracted driving, it’s important to have conversations with any teens in your household about safe driving practices.
Minors under the age of 18 will need to follow all traffic laws, including those regarding texting and driving, to keep their permits and licenses in good standing—and to eventually obtain their unrestricted Nevada driver’s licenses
. What are the penalties for texting and driving in Nevada?
Moving into 2023, Nevada’s penalties for texting and driving remain the same—and they increase with every subsequent citation:
Third and subsequent offenses: $250
This applies to any texting and driving offenses made within a seven-year period. And like other traffic violations, these penalty fees double in work zones.
Keep in mind, too, that you might have to pay administrative fees to the court.
How Nevada’s demerit point system works
In addition to the penalties listed above, traffic tickets doled out in Nevada can be accompanied by demerit points. Different tickets are assigned a different amount of points depending on their severity.
If you rack up enough points, you could end up having your license temporarily suspended.
When it comes to a first violation for using a phone or other wireless communication device while driving, an offender won’t receive any points, and it won’t be considered a moving violation. A second violation, however, comes with four points.
The Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will notify you by mail (as long as they have your current address) when you’ve accumulated three or more points. If you have three to 11 points, you can take a DMV-approved traffic safety course to remove three points—but it would have to be in addition to any court-mandated courses related to a certain conviction.
If you end up with 12 or more points within 12 months, your license will automatically be suspended
for six months. Points fall off after a 12-month period, but it’s important to remember that violations stay on your permanent Nevada driving record
. How to avoid distracted driving
Distracted driving can have serious consequences, but there are plenty of things you can do to keep those device-related distractions to a minimum, such as:
When car shopping, look for hands-free tech features like Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, etc. Set them up properly from the start and learn how to use them so you don’t end up fumbling with features on the road—which is what you’re trying to avoid here!
For the car you already have, consider upgrades like aftermarket Bluetooth adapters
or available software upgrades from your dealership to accommodate hands-free device usage if it’s not already equipped. Turn off your phone or put it on silent mode to lower the temptation of checking social media or making texts or calls while driving.
Update your phone’s settings to temporarily delay notifications and set up auto-replies to messages when it detects you’re driving if it has the capability.
Pull off the roadway and park somewhere safe to make an urgent call or send a message.
Ask your passengers to help by handling calls or navigation for you.
Does a distracted driving ticket affect your car insurance rate?
Generally speaking, a violation like a distracted driving ticket
or a speeding ticket may not affect your insurance rate as severely as reckless driving
or a DUI
, but it could still cause an insurance provider to consider you more at risk of getting into a car accident. After all, 8.1% of traffic fatalities in 2020 involved at least one distracted driver, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
. Additionally, with each new texting and driving violation, it’s possible you could see your rate continue to go up.
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, I went from paying $450/month to $273/month. They took care of everything—such a relief!” —Josephine R.
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