State Cell Phone Laws

State

Crash
Data
Collected

Pre-
emption
Law

Handheld Ban

Texting Ban

All Cell Phone Ban

Enforcement

School Bus Drivers

Novice Drivers

Alabama

Alaska

Yes

Yes
(eff. 9/1/08)

Arizona

Yes

Primary

Arkansas

Yes

Primary

California

Yes

Yes

(commercial drivers exempted until 2011)

Yes

<18

Primary

Colorado

Yes

Learners Permit

Secondary

Connecticut

Yes

Yes

(some professions exempted)

Yes

Learners Permit and <18

Primary

Delaware

Yes

Yes

GDL

Primary

D.C.

Yes

(applies to all drivers, regardless of residency; some professions exempted)

Yes

Learners Permit

Primary

Florida

Yes

(”Driver Distraction” w/ cell phone in the narrative. <0.2% of 2006 reports cited cell phone use.)

Yes

Georgia

Yes

Yes

Primary

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Yes

By jurisdiction

Yes

<19 with Permit or GDL

Primary

Indiana

Yes

Iowa

Yes

Kansas

Kentucky

Yes

Yes

Primary

Louisiana

Yes

Maine

<18

Primary

Maryland

Yes

<18 w/ Learner or Provisional License

Secondary

Massachusetts

Yes

By jurisdiction

Yes

Primary

Michigan ¹

Yes

By jurisdiction

See footnote

Minnesota

Yes

Yes
(eff. 8/1/08)

Learner or Provisional License or until age 18

Primary

Mississippi

Yes

Missouri

Montana

Yes

Nebraska

Yes

Teens w/ Learners or Provisional License

Secondary

Nevada

Yes

Yes

New Hampshire ²

New Jersey

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

<21 w/ GDL or Provisional License

Primary

New Mexico

By jurisdiction and in State vehicles

New York

Yes

Yes

North Carolina

Yes

Yes

<18

Primary

North Dakota

Ohio

By jurisdiction

Oklahoma

Yes

Yes

Oregon

Yes

Yes

>18 w/ Learner or Provisional License

Secondary

Pennsylvania

Yes

By jurisdiction

Rhode Island

Yes

<18

South Carolina

South Dakota

Yes

Tennessee

Yes

Yes

Learners Permit or Intermediate License

Primary

Texas

Yes

Yes, w/ passenger <17

<18 in Learner or Intermediate Stage

Primary

Utah ³

Yes

Yes

Vermont

Virgin Islands

Yes

Yes

No data

Virginia

Yes

Yes

Intermediate License

Secondary

Washington

Yes

Yes

Yes

Secondary

West Virginia

Learner or Intermediate Stage

Secondary

Wisconsin

Wyoming

Total

29 States + Virgin Islands