Cell phone laws for drivers by state
Whether you may hold a phone to talk while driving, and the age under which any phone use is banned.
Updated October 20, 2026
Phone use while driving
| State | Adults: phone in hand to talk? | No phone at all for drivers under |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | No, only hands-free use is allowed | — |
| Arkansas | — | 18 years old |
| California | No, only hands-free use is allowed | 18 years old |
| Colorado | — | 18 years old |
| Connecticut | No, only hands-free use is allowed | 18 years old |
| District of Columbia | No, only hands-free use is allowed | — |
| Georgia | No, only hands-free use is allowed | — |
| Illinois | — | 19 years old |
| Indiana | No, only hands-free use is allowed | — |
| Iowa | — | 18 years old |
| Maine | — | 18 years old |
| Maryland | No, only hands-free use is allowed | 18 years old |
| Massachusetts | No, only hands-free use is allowed | 18 years old |
| Michigan | No, only hands-free use is allowed | — |
| New Hampshire | No, only hands-free use is allowed | 18 years old |
| New Jersey | No, only hands-free use is allowed | — |
| New York | No, only hands-free use is allowed | — |
| North Carolina | — | 18 years old |
| North Dakota | — | 18 years old |
| Ohio | — | 18 years old |
| Rhode Island | — | 18 years old |
| Tennessee | No, only hands-free use is allowed | — |
| Texas | — | 18 years old |
| Virginia | No, only hands-free use is allowed | — |
| Washington | No, only hands-free use is allowed | — |
| West Virginia | No, only hands-free use is allowed | 18 years old |
States in the table: 26. A dash means we have not confirmed that rule in the handbook yet; states with no confirmed rules are not listed.
Texting
Reading or sending text messages while driving is a common violation and a frequent test question. Pull over safely if you need to use your phone.
Where these numbers come from
Each value is the answer to a question in our state practice tests, and each of those questions is backed by a verbatim quote from the state's official driver handbook. Laws change: confirm with your state's handbook (linked on each state page) before you rely on a number.
Questions
Not for every driver. Several states ban all phone use, even hands-free, for young drivers. See the table.