Driving Tests

Minnesota Hands-Free Law: Phone Rules, Fines and the Teen Cell Phone Ban

informational·how to guide·Published July 29, 2026

What is the Minnesota hands-free law, and what is the fine?

Since Aug. 1, 2019, Minnesota drivers may not hold a phone while the vehicle is in motion or part of traffic, also at a red light. You may use voice or single-touch commands for calls, messages, music and GPS. A second or later violation brings a $275 fine. The Department of Public Safety (DPS) says a first ticket costs more than $100 with court costs.

Where the Minnesota hands-free law facts come from

The rules and the fine come from Minnesota Statutes section 169.475, the hands-free law. The allowed uses, the earphone rule, the phone mount rule and the ticket costs come from the DPS hands-free cell phone page. The teen rules come from the DPS teen driver laws page and Minnesota Statutes sections 171.05 and 171.055. The earphone rule is also in the Minnesota Driver's Manual (June 2026). The citation count comes from a DPS news release of May 14, 2026. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services (dps.mn.gov/divisions/dvs) before you drive.

Can you hold your phone at a red light in Minnesota?

No. The law bans holding a wireless device with one or both hands while the vehicle is in motion or part of traffic. A car that waits at a red light or a stop sign is still part of traffic.
A car is not part of traffic only when all three things are true: it is lawfully stopped, it is in a place not made for vehicle travel, and it blocks no traffic. A parking spot off the road can meet this test. A travel lane with stopped cars cannot. Try our free question about phone use in stopped freeway traffic.

What you can and cannot do with your phone while driving

What you can and cannot do with your phone while driving
You can (without holding the phone)	You cannot
Make or join a call by voice or single touch	Hold the phone in one or both hands
Write, send or listen to a message by voice	Type, scroll or read a message
Use GPS or navigation without typing	Use a non-navigation app
Listen to music or a podcast without scrolling	Look at stored video or photos, make video calls, live-stream or play games

What does hands-free mean in Minnesota?

Hands-free means you use voice commands or a single touch to turn the phone, or an app on it, on or off. The hands-free link can be an accessory such as an earpiece, a wireless or cable connection, an app, or a built-in feature of the phone or the car. Typing and scrolling are never hands-free, also when the phone is in a mount. Amateur, two-way and CB radios are exempt from the law.

Where can you put your phone in the car?

On the passenger seat, in a cup holder or in another place in the car, as long as you do not hold it.
In a mount. A mount on the windshield must sit at the bottom of the windshield.
Tucked into a headscarf or head wrap, if it stays secure and does not block your view. If you take it out and hold it while you are part of traffic, you break the law.
If you need to type or read, pull off the road completely, for example at a gas station. When it is not an emergency, stopping on the shoulder of an interstate freeway or a controlled access highway is illegal.

Can you wear earphones while driving in Minnesota?

You may use one earphone with a microphone for hands-free calls. Earphones or headphones in both ears at the same time are illegal in Minnesota, also when you listen to music or a radio. Other hands-free options are to pair the phone with your car, or with a Bluetooth speaker or a single Bluetooth earphone.

What are the fines for the Minnesota hands-free law?

The law sets a $275 fine for a second or later violation. For a first ticket, DPS says the cost is more than $100 with court costs, and later tickets cost more than $300 with court costs.
The stakes are higher if you hurt someone. Injuring or killing a person while you break the hands-free law is reckless and careless driving, and it can bring a felony charge of criminal vehicular operation or homicide. In April 2026, 296 Minnesota law enforcement agencies reported 5,426 hands-free citations in one statewide campaign.

What is the Minnesota teen cell phone ban?

Drivers under 18 with an instruction permit or a provisional license may not use a cell phone while the vehicle is in motion, in the hand or hands-free. The only exception is an emergency: call 911. A violation is a petty misdemeanor.
DPS adds that a teen may use the phone as GPS in hands-free mode if the destination was set before driving, and may listen to music or podcasts by voice. For the other teen limits, see our guides to provisional license rules and instruction permit rules. Try our free question about a permit driver and a hands-free call.

What should you do if your phone rings while you drive?

You are 18 or older and the phone is paired or in a mount

Answer by voice or with one touch, and do not pick the phone up.

You are under 18 with a permit or provisional license

Let the call go. Call back after you park. Use the phone while moving only to call 911 in an emergency.

You see a crash, a medical emergency or a serious traffic hazard, or a life is in danger

The law lets you use the phone, also in your hand, to get emergency help.

Key takeaways

Minnesota bans holding a phone while driving, also at a red light or stop sign. The law started on Aug. 1, 2019.
Calls, messages, GPS and audio are allowed by voice or single touch, and one earphone is allowed. Typing, scrolling, video and reading messages are not.
A second or later violation is a $275 fine. A first ticket costs more than $100 with court costs.
Under 18 with a permit or provisional license, no phone use while moving, also hands-free.
Next step: practice on the free Minnesota Class D practice test.

Minnesota hands-free law: common questions

Can I use my phone or car screen for GPS in Minnesota?

Yes, if you do not hold the phone and do not type on it while the car is in motion or part of traffic. Enter the address before you drive, or say it by voice. A navigation-only GPS unit and the car's own screens and systems are exempt from the hands-free law.

Is a smart watch covered by the Minnesota hands-free law?

Yes. DPS says a smart watch counts as an electronic communications device, so it has the same limits as a phone. You may check the time on it. You may also use it by voice or one touch, but you may not type, text or scroll on it while you drive.

Can I take a photo while driving in Minnesota?

No. While the car is in motion or part of traffic, you may not hold the phone, and you may not open a camera or another app on it. In April 2026, Elk River police cited a driver for taking a photo of a squad car while stopped in traffic.

Can police hold a phone while driving in Minnesota?

Yes, in some cases. The law allows hand-held phone use in an authorized emergency vehicle while the driver performs official duties. Some agencies set stricter rules: the Minnesota State Patrol told troopers to use their phones only in hands-free mode before the law started.