New Hampshire Hands-Free Law: Phone Rules, Fines and 2027 Changes
Can you hold your phone while driving in New Hampshire?
No. New Hampshire law bans a hand-held phone or other mobile device while you drive, also when you stop at a light or in traffic. Hands-free and built-in systems and emergency calls to 911 are allowed. Drivers under 18 may not use a phone even hands-free, except for emergencies or GPS. The fine is $100, $250, then $500 plus a penalty assessment, and it rises on January 1, 2027.
Where the New Hampshire hands-free law facts come from
The phone rules and fines come from New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated (RSA) 265:79-c, the state law on mobile device use while driving. The suspension rules for young drivers come from RSA 263:14. The higher fines come from a 2026 law (chapter 114) that takes effect on January 1, 2027, so this guide gives the fines of today and the fines from that date. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles (dmv.nh.gov) before you drive.
What the New Hampshire hand-held ban covers
- Reading, writing, viewing or posting any text, email or other electronic message.
- Starting, receiving or having a conversation on a hand-held device.
- Starting a command or request to access the Internet.
- Typing a destination or other information into a GPS or navigation device.
- Manually typing data into any other portable electronic device.
- Holding a phone near your ear while the vehicle moves: the law presumes that you are on a call.
Can you use your phone at a red light in New Hampshire?
No. The ban covers a moving car and a car that is stopped for a short time in traffic, for example at a red light, at a stop sign or in a line of cars. A short stop does not make a hand-held phone legal. The free practice question about a driver who gets a text at a red light shows this rule.
What you may and may not do with a phone while driving in New Hampshire
| Situation | Allowed? | What the law says |
|---|---|---|
| Text, scroll or browse on a phone in your hand | No | The ban covers messages and Internet requests on a hand-held device. |
| Report an emergency | Yes | You may call enhanced 911, or call the police, the fire department or an emergency medical provider directly. |
| Bluetooth, hands-free or built-in vehicle system | Yes, from age 18 | Allowed if you do not have to take your attention from the road ahead. A hands-free device lets you talk without the use of either hand. |
| Tap a hands-free or built-in device to start or end a call | Yes, from age 18 | You may use either hand only to turn a function on or off or to start it. |
| Hear spoken directions from hands-free GPS | Yes | Aural routing from a hands-free GPS or navigation service is allowed. |
| Read turn-by-turn directions on a screen | Yes, if built in or mounted | The screen must be integrated into the vehicle or mounted on the dashboard, windshield or visor. |
| Type a destination into a hand-held phone or GPS | No | Typing information into a GPS or navigation device is part of the ban. |
| Use a non-cellular 2-way radio | Yes, one hand | You may use one hand to send or receive messages on it. |
The rule for drivers under 18
A driver under 18 may not use a phone or other mobile electronic device while driving, or while stopped in traffic, even with a hands-free or built-in system. A call is allowed only to report an emergency to enhanced 911 or any public safety agency. The GPS rules in the table above apply at any age. The free practice question about a 17-year-old who gets a call on a built-in system tests this rule.
License suspension for young drivers who break the phone law
A driver under 18 who breaks the phone rule faces the fines in the next section, and also license suspension or revocation under RSA 263:14, III. Under that law, the DMV director may suspend or revoke an original license of a person under 20 after a hearing, when the driver is convicted of an offense. A first suspension is 20 to 40 days, a second is 45 to 90 days, and a third or later is 90 to 180 days. The guide to New Hampshire teen driver penalties covers the other teen rules.
New Hampshire hands-free fines: now and from January 1, 2027
| Offense | Until January 1, 2027 | From January 1, 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| First offense | $100 plus a penalty assessment | $250 |
| Second offense | $250 plus a penalty assessment | $500 (within 24 months of the first offense) |
| Third or later offense | $500 plus a penalty assessment (within a 24-month period) | $750 and a license suspension of up to 30 days (within 24 months of the first offense) |
Higher fines from January 1, 2027 when phone use causes a crash
Key takeaways
- You may not use a hand-held phone while you drive in New Hampshire, also when you stop for a light or other short delay.
- Drivers 18 and older may use hands-free, Bluetooth and built-in systems if they do not have to take their attention from the road ahead.
- Drivers under 18 may not use a phone, even hands-free, except to report an emergency or to receive GPS directions.
- Fines are $100, $250 and $500 plus a penalty assessment until January 1, 2027. From that date they are $250, $500 and $750, with higher amounts after a crash and a license suspension for a third offense.
- Next step: practice on the free New Hampshire non-commercial operator practice test.
New Hampshire hands-free law: common questions
Can I use my phone for GPS while driving in New Hampshire?
Yes, with limits, and at any age. You may hear spoken directions from a hands-free GPS, and you may follow turn-by-turn directions on a screen that is built into the car or mounted on the dashboard, windshield or visor. You may not type a destination into a hand-held phone or GPS while you drive, so set the route before you move.
Can I talk on Bluetooth while driving in New Hampshire?
Yes, if you are 18 or older. A Bluetooth, hands-free or built-in vehicle system is allowed if you do not have to take your attention from the road ahead. You may use either hand only to start or end a call or another function. Drivers under 18 may not use a phone, even hands-free, except to report an emergency or to hear GPS directions.
Is holding my phone to my ear illegal in New Hampshire?
Yes. If you hold a phone near your ear while the car moves, the law presumes that you are on a call, and a call on a hand-held phone is part of the ban. Use a hands-free or built-in system for calls if you are 18 or older, or pull off the road first.
When can I legally pick up my phone?
Pull to the side of the road, or off the road, at a place where it is legal to stop, and keep the car stopped. The law does not count this as driving, so you may then hold the phone. A stop at a red light or in a traffic jam does not count, and the ban still applies.
Can I use a CB or two-way radio while driving in New Hampshire?
Yes. The law lets you use one hand to send or receive messages on a two-way radio that is not a cell phone. You may also do any action that an ignition interlock device in your car requires. Other mobile devices follow the hand-held ban.
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