In June 2025, Pennsylvania passed a “no touch” rule. It’s now the 28th state in which police officers can pull you over just for touching, tapping, or swiping on your cellphone. Even to unlock the device or bring up navigation. Even while stopped at a red light.

States with “no touch” laws specify that drivers can’t touch their cellphones while on a public roadway. Ever. But not every state is this strict.

Montana still has no restrictions on cellphone use while behind the wheel. Other states, such as Ohio, have a “one swipe” rule. So if you accidentally lock your cellphone or need to swipe to change apps, authorities will cut you some slack. But no typing out a text message.

Missouri is an interesting case: It is technically a “no touch” state. But this isn’t a “primary enforcement” law. So while police could write you a ticket for using your cellphone, they can only do so after they’ve pulled you over for something else.

As early as 2000, some states passed “hands free” laws. But at first these laws just required drivers use a handset or connect their phone to their stereo for calls–instead of holding the handset to their ear while driving. They could still touch their cellphone to dial or answer a call. The first “no touch” law was passed in 2008, with more states joining all the time.

Here are the 28 states where “no touch” cellphone rules are a primary enforcement laws–as of 2025. Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia. The same law applies in Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico.