Updated Cell Phone Driving Laws

by Elise on September 4, 2008

Since California banned talking while using hand held cell phones, we decided to post an up to date list of which states ban  driving and talking on  a hand held  cell phone. Some states ban it for certain ages and different classes of drivers (public transportation, teenagers, etc), others enforce the ban  across the board, and yet others don’t seem to care at all. Seems confusing? It is, but hopefully our handy chart makes it a little easier to understand.

Summary:

Six States and Washington D.C. ban driving while talking on a
cell phone. California is the most recent state to enact the
ban:

  1. California
  2. Connecticut
  3. New Jersey
  4. New York
  5. Utah
  6. Washington

In Six states local municipalities (towns, cities, villages,
etc) are allowed to decide whether to ban talking on a cell
phone while driving. Chicago is the biggest and most recent city
to enact the ban:

  1. Illinois
  2. Massachusetts
  3. Michigan
  4. New Mexico
  5. Ohio
  6. Pennsylvania

In six states municipalities are forbidden from enacting a
ban:

  1. Kentucky
  2. Florida
  3. Louisiana
  4. Mississippi
  5. Nevada
  6. Oklahoma
  7. Oregon
  8. Utah

.

Below is a concise table explaining which state bans what.

State Illegal to Talk on Hand Held
Cell Phone?		 Illegal to use any type of
Cell Phone (including with hands free set)		 Illegal to send a text? Can Be Pulled Over for
Talking on Phone?
Alabama
no
no
no
no
Alaska
no
no
yes
yes
Arizona
no

 yes
for bus drivers
no
yes
Arkansas
no

 yes
for bus drivers

 yes
for bus drivers
yes
California yes

 yes
for bus drivers and drivers younger than 18


drivers younger than 18
yes
Colorado
no
yes permit holders
no
no
Connecticut
yes
yes for permit holders, drivers younger than 18, and
for bus drivers

 yes
for bus drivers
yes
Delaware
no

 yes
for bus drivers and permit holders
permit holders
yes
District of Columbia
yes

 yes
for bus drivers and permit holders
yes
yes
Florida
no
no
no
no
Georgia
no

 yes
for bus drivers
no
yes
Hawaii
no
no
no
no
Idaho
no
no
no
no
Illinois
municipality
yes permit holders younger than 19, drivers younger than
19, and  yes for bus drivers
no
yes
Indiana
no
no
no
no
Iowa
no
no
no
no
Kansas
no
no
no
no
Kentucky
no

 yes
for bus drivers
no
yes
Louisiana
no

 yes
for bus drivers
yes
no/ yes for bus drivers
Maine
no
permit holders
permit holders
yes
Maryland
no
permit holders
permit holders
no
Massachusetts
municipality

 yes
for bus drivers
no
yes
Michigan
municipality
no
no
no
Minnesota
no

 yes
for bus drivers and permit holders and provisional
license holders during the first 12 months after
licensing


yes
yes
Mississippi
no
no
no
no
Missouri
no
no
no
no
Montana
no
no
no
no
Nebraska
no
permit holders younger than 18


permit holders younger than 18


no
Nevada
no
no
no
no
New Hampshire
no
no
no
no
New Jersey
yes

 yes
for bus drivers and permit holders
yes
yes
New Mexico
municipality
no
no
no
New York
yes
no
no
yes
North Carolina
no
drivers younger than 18 and  yes for bus drivers
drivers younger than 18 and  yes for bus drivers
yes
North Dakota
no
no
no
no
Ohio
municipality
no
no
no
Oklahoma
no
no
no
no
Oregon
no
drivers younger than 18 who hold either a permit or an
intermediate license
drivers younger than 18 who hold either a permit or an
intermediate license
no
Pennsylvania
municipality
no
no
no
Rhode Island
no

 yes
for bus drivers and drivers younger than 18
no
yes
South Carolina
no
no
no
no
South Dakota
no
no
no
no
Tennessee
no

 yes
for bus drivers and permit holders
no
yes
Texas
no
yes for bus drivers when a passenger 17 and younger is
present; intermediate license holders for first six
months
yes for bus drivers when a passenger 17 and younger is
present;
yes
Utah
yes
no
no
no
Vermont
no
no
no
no
Virginia
no
drivers younger than 18 and  yes for bus drivers
drivers younger than 18 and  yes for bus drivers
no; yes for  yes for bus drivers
Washington
yes


no
yes
no
West Virginia
no
drivers younger than 18 who hold either a permit or an
intermediate license
drivers younger than 18 who hold either a permit or an
intermediate license
no
Wisconsin
no
no
no
no
Wyoming
no
no
no
no

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