State rankings
Texting and Driving Legality by State
Texting and Driving Legality by State: compare 51 US states on 3 metrics.
Texting while Driving Legality (& Offense Type)
4 values across 51 entries
Handheld Cell Calls While Driving Legality (& Offense Type)
6 values across 51 entries
Data
Click a column to sort.
51 states
 Alabama | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | No ban | Banned for 16-year-old drivers and 17-year old drivers who have had an intermediate license for less than 6 months (Primary) |
 Alaska | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | No ban | No ban |
 Arizona | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for learner's permit holders and intermediate license holders during the first 6 months after licensing (Secondary) |
 Arkansas | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for drivers 18 and over but under 21, banned in school and highway work zones (Secondary) | Banned for drivers under 18 (Secondary) |
 California | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for drivers under 18 (Secondary) |
 Colorado | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | No ban | Banned for drivers under 18 (Primary) |
 Connecticut | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for drivers under 18 (Primary) |
 Delaware | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for learner's permit holders and intermediate license holders (Primary) |
 District of Columbia | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for drivers under 18 (Primary) |
 Florida | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | No ban | No ban |
 Georgia | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for drivers under 18 (Primary) |
 Hawaii | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for drivers under 18 (Primary) |
 Idaho | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | No ban |
 Illinois | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for drivers and learner's permit holders under 19 (Primary) |
 Indiana | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for drivers under 21 (Primary) |
 Iowa | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | No ban | Banned for learner's permit holders and intermediate license holders (Primary) |
 Kansas | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | No ban | Banned for learner's permit holders and intermediate license holders (Primary) |
 Kentucky | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | No ban | Banned for drivers under 18 (Primary) |
 Louisiana | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned in signed school zones (Primary) | Banned for all novice drivers (Primary) |
 Maine | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for learner's permit holders and intermediate license holders (Primary) |
 Maryland | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for drivers under 18 (Primary) |
 Massachusetts | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for drivers under 18 (Primary) |
 Michigan | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | No ban | Banned for learner's permit holders and intermediate license holders, integrated voice operating systems excepted (Primary) |
 Minnesota | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for learner's permit holders and provisional license holders during the first 12 months after licensing (Primary) |
 Mississippi | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | No ban | No ban |
 Missouri | Banned for drivers 21 and younger (Primary) | No ban | No ban |
 Montana | No ban | No ban | No ban |
 Nebraska | Banned for all drivers (Secondary) | No ban | Banned for learner's permit holders and intermediate license holders under 18 (Secondary) |
 Nevada | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | No ban |
 New Hampshire | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for drivers under 18 (Primary) |
 New Jersey | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for learner's permit holders and intermediate license holders (Primary) |
 New Mexico | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | No ban | Banned for learner's permit holders and intermediate license holders (Primary) |
 New York | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | No ban |
 North Carolina | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | No ban | Banned for drivers under 18 (Primary) |
 North Dakota | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | No ban | Banned for drivers under 18 (Primary) |
 Ohio | Banned for all drivers (Secondary) | No ban | Banned for drivers under 18 (Primary) |
 Oklahoma | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for learner's permit and intermediate license holders (Primary) | No ban |
 Oregon | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for drivers under 18 (Primary) |
 Pennsylvania | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | No ban | No ban |
 Rhode Island | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for drivers under 18 (Primary) |
 South Carolina | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | No ban | No ban |
 South Dakota | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | No ban | Banned for learner's permit holders and intermediate license holders (Secondary) |
 Tennessee | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for learner's permit holders and intermediate license holders (Primary) |
 Texas | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned in school crossing zones and on public school property during the time the reduced speed limit applies (Primary) | Banned for drivers under 18 (Primary) |
 Utah | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | No ban | Banned for drivers under 18 (Primary) |
 Vermont | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for drivers under 18 (Primary) |
 Virginia | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for drivers under 18 (Primary) |
 Washington | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for learner's permit holders and intermediate license holders (Primary) |
 West Virginia | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | Banned for drivers under 18 who have a learner's permit or intermediate license (Primary) |
 Wisconsin | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | No ban | Banned for learner's permit holders and intermediate license holders (Primary) |
 Wyoming | Banned for all drivers (Primary) | No ban | No ban |
Quick answers
- Where does this texting and driving legality by state data come from?
- Rankodex compiles it from World Population Review and the primary sources it cites: Is texting & driving illegal? - Policy Genius; Texting and Driving in South Carolina - Schiller Hamilton; Florida Law Makes Texting While Driving a Primary Offense - Miami Springs.