Texting Driving Laws by State

Texting while driving laws in each state
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Updated: February, 2024

Texting while driving is banned in all but six states. Although there is not all state wide ban, many counties within those states ban texting while driving. Many states also ban all handheld devices, especially for drivers with a provisional license.

The map above shows which states impose texting while driving bans. Hover over a state too which type of enforcement is used in that state.

There are two type of enforcement of texting bans – Primary and Secondary. Primary Enforcement means that you can be pulled over for texting while driving. Secondary Enforcement means that you can only not be stopped for texting while driving. In states with secondary bans, you can only be changed with charged if you were stopped for a different offence such as speeding or reckless driving.

The table below shows which states ban Texting while driving. The “Crash Data” column indicates whether or not police officers collect information about cellphone use after an car accident.

StateHandheld Device BanTexting BanEnforcement TypeCrash Data
AlabamaAlabamaNovice DriversYesprimaryYes
AlaskaAlaskaNoneYesprimaryYes
ArizonaArizonaNoneNoNoneYes
ArkansasArkansasNovice DriversYesprimaryYes
CaliforniaCaliforniaAllYesprimaryYes
ColoradoColoradoNovice DriversYesprimaryYes
ConnecticutConnecticutAllYesprimaryNo
DelawareDelawareAllYesprimaryYes
District of ColumbiaDistrict of ColumbiaAllYesprimaryYes
FloridaFloridaNoneYesprimaryYes
GeorgiaGeorgiaNovice DriversYesprimaryYes
HawaiiHawaiiAllYesprimaryYes
IdahoIdahoNoneYesprimaryYes
IllinoisIllinoisAllYesprimaryYes
IndianaIndianaNovice DriversYesprimaryYes
IowaIowaNovice DriversYessecondaryYes
KansasKansasNovice DriversYesprimaryYes
KentuckyKentuckyNovice DriversYesprimaryYes
LouisianaLouisianaNovice DriversYesprimaryYes
MaineMaineNovice DriversYesprimaryYes
MarylandMarylandAllYesprimaryYes
MassachusettsMassachusettsNovice DriversYesprimaryYes
MichiganMichiganNovice DriversYesprimaryYes
MinnesotaMinnesotaNovice DriversYesprimaryYes
MississippiMississippiNoneNoNoneYes
MissouriMissouriNoneNoNoneYes
MontanaMontanaNoneNoNoneYes
NebraskaNebraskaNovice DriversYessecondaryYes
NevadaNevadaAllYesprimaryYes
New HampshireNew HampshireAllYesprimaryYes
New JerseyNew JerseyAllYesprimaryYes
New MexicoNew MexicoNoneYesprimaryYes
New YorkNew YorkAllYesprimaryYes
North CarolinaNorth CarolinaNovice DriversYesprimaryYes
North DakotaNorth DakotaNovice DriversYesprimaryYes
OhioOhioNovice DriversYessecondaryYes
OklahomaOklahomaNovice DriversNoNoneYes
OregonOregonAllYesprimaryYes
PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaNoneYesprimaryYes
Rhode IslandRhode IslandNovice DriversYesprimaryYes
South CarolinaSouth CarolinaNovice DriversYesprimaryYes
South DakotaSouth DakotaNovice DriversYesprimaryYes
TennesseeTennesseeNovice DriversYesprimaryYes
TexasTexasNovice DriversNoNoneYes
UtahUtahNovice DriversYesprimaryYes
VermontVermontAllYesprimaryYes
VirginiaVirginiaNovice DriversYesprimaryYes
WashingtonWashingtonAllYesprimaryYes
West VirginiaWest VirginiaAllYesprimaryYes
WisconsinWisconsinNovice DriversYesprimaryYes
WyomingWyomingNovice DriversYesprimaryYes