State by State Cell Phone Restrictions: Cell-Phone & Hands-Free Laws across the United States

State Wide Cell-Phone Laws

Read the New Laws for 2009

Jurisdictional laws cover the entire state, the states listed below all "Ban" the use of Cell-Phones while driving, however in some of these states you are permitted to use a cellular device if the connection is "hands-free".

Alaska - Text-Messaging Ban
California - Over 18 hands-free ok - Under 18 prohibited, complete text-messaging ban
Connecticut - Over 18 hands-free ok - Under 18 prohibited
New York - hands-free ok
New Jersey- hands-free ok
Utah- hands-free ok
Washington State- hands-free ok , complete text-messaging ban
District of Columbia - hands-free ok

The States that have enacted a jurisdiction-wide ban on text messaging while driving is Washington State and California. Certain States allow localities, to determine their own policy on cell-phone driving laws and hands-free policies. The States listed below grant that right to their localities.

Illinois
Massachusetts
Michigan
New Mexico
Ohio
Pennsylvania

The cities listed below all reside in states (listed above) that determine their own driver cell-phone and hands free laws.

Chicago, Illinois
Brookline, Massachusetts
Detroit, Michigan
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Brooklyn, New York
North Olmstead, Ohio
Walton Hills, Ohio
Conshohocken, Pennsylvania
Lebanon, Pennsylvania
West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania

There are also States that don't allow any city or locality to ban cell-phone use while driving, these states are listed below.

Florida
Kentucky
Louisiana - 4 Separate Cell Phone Laws (New July / August 2008 )
Mississippi- No Cell-Phone Law
Nevada- No Cell-Phone Law
Oklahoma- No Cell-Phone Law
Oregon
Utah - Distracted Driving Law (Includes Cell-Phones)

Many states prohibit School Bus Drivers from using cellular phones while driving, those states are listed below.

Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Georgia
Illinois
Kentucky
Louisiana
Massachusetts
Minnesota
New Jersey
North Carolina
Rhode Island
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia
Washington

All of the states below restrict cell-phone use by drivers under the age of 18.

Alaska
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Illinois
Kansas
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Minnesota
Nebraska
New Jersey
North Carolina
Oregon
Rhode Island
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia
West Virginia
District of Columbia

All but eight states with cell phone bans have primary enforcement laws.

New Jersey's ban is a secondary enforcement law for everyone except school bus drivers and learner's permit and intermediate license holders.

Secondary enforcement laws may only be enforced when a driver has been stopped for another infraction, the states listed below have secondary enforcement laws.

Colorado
Maryland
Nebraska
Oregon
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia

The Following States have NO cell phone law as of January 2009

Alabama
Florida
Hawaii
Idaho
Indiana
Iowa
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nevada
New Hampshire
North Dakota
South Dakota
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Vermont
Wisconsin
Wyoming