Pennsylvania Hands-Free Law (Paul Miller's Law): Rules and Fines 2026
What does Pennsylvania's hands-free law (Paul Miller's Law) ban?
Pennsylvania's Paul Miller's Law bans using a hand-held phone or similar device while you drive. Holding it, or dialing or answering with more than one button, counts as use. A stop at a red light still counts as driving. Police can stop you for it alone. Since June 5, 2026, the penalty is a $50 fine plus court costs and fees.
Where the hands-free law rules come from
The rules come from the PennDOT distracted driving page and section 3316.1 of Pennsylvania Title 75, the hands-free law. The texting ban is section 3316, and the teen rules come from sections 1505 and 1508 and from PennDOT form DL-180C. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services (pa.gov/dmv) before you drive.
What counts as using a phone under Paul Miller's Law
- Holding the device in at least one hand, or supporting it with another part of your body.
- Dialing or answering by pressing more than a single button.
- Reaching for the device so that you are no longer seated in the driving position with your seat belt on.
- The ban covers a hand-held phone, a smart phone, a personal digital assistant, a portable or mobile computer and similar devices that you can use for calls, texts, email, the web, games, photos, video or social media.
Can I hold my phone at a red light in Pennsylvania?
No. The law counts a stop at a traffic light or stop sign, a stop in traffic and any other short delay as driving. A phone in your hand at a red light is a violation. The free question page on using a phone at a red light tests this rule.
When you may use your phone
When did Paul Miller's Law fines start, and what is the fine?
The law has been in effect since June 5, 2025. For the first 12 months, police could give only a written warning. Since June 5, 2026, a violation is a summary offense with a $50 (U.S. dollars) fine, plus court costs and other fees. A driver convicted of homicide by vehicle and driving while distracted can get up to five more years in prison.
Hands-free law and texting ban compared
| Point | Hands-free law (3316.1) | Texting ban (3316) |
|---|---|---|
| What it bans | Using a hand-held device while driving | Sending, reading or writing a text while the vehicle is in motion |
| Stopped at a red light | Covered: a stop for traffic or a light counts as driving | Not covered: it applies while the vehicle is in motion |
| In force since | June 5, 2025 (fines since June 5, 2026) | March 8, 2012 |
| Fine | $50 plus court costs and fees | $50 plus court costs and fees |
| Police can stop you for it | Yes, primary offense | Yes, primary offense |
How does the texting ban work with the hands-free law?
The texting ban does not count reading, selecting or entering a phone number or name only to start or end a call. The hands-free law is stricter: dialing or answering with more than one button is use of the device, even at a red light. A texting violation carries no points and is not recorded on the driver record of a non-commercial driver.
What teen drivers should know about the law
The hands-free law covers every driver, teens included. Before the junior license road test, a parent, guardian or other allowed adult must certify on form DL-180C that the teen printed or viewed PennDOT's distracted driving material. The 65-hour driving log explains that form. The traffic law part of the Pennsylvania knowledge test must have at least one question on distracted driving. That test has 18 questions, and 15 correct answers pass.
Key takeaways
- Paul Miller's Law bans holding or supporting a phone while you drive, and a stop at a red light counts as driving.
- Police gave only written warnings for the first 12 months. Since June 5, 2026, the fine is $50 plus court costs and fees.
- You may use a device after you move to the side of the road or off the highway and stop safely, or to contact police or emergency services to prevent injury or damage.
- The texting ban (section 3316) is a separate law with the same $50 fine, but you cannot be charged under both laws for one act.
- Next step: the knowledge test has at least one distracted driving question, so practice on the free Pennsylvania Class C permit practice test (English only).
Pennsylvania hands-free law: common questions
Can I call 911 while driving in Pennsylvania?
Yes. The hands-free law allows use of a device when you need to contact a law enforcement official or other emergency services to prevent injury to people or damage to property. The texting ban has the same emergency exception. For any other call that needs the phone in your hand, first move to the side of the road or off the highway and stop where the vehicle can safely stay.
Can police take my phone for holding it while driving?
No. The hands-free law does not allow police to seize or forfeit your phone, unless another law allows it. The penalty for holding a phone while you drive is a $50 fine plus court costs and other fees.
Can I use my phone's GPS while driving in Pennsylvania?
Not with the phone in your hand. The hands-free law bans holding the phone, supporting it with any part of your body, and pressing more than one button to dial or answer, also at a red light. The texting ban does not cover a GPS device or a system built into the vehicle. Set your route before you drive.
Can a Pennsylvania city have its own phone-while-driving rule?
No. The state law replaces and overrides all local ordinances on a driver's use of an interactive mobile device. The same rule applies to a driver in each city, borough and township of Pennsylvania.
Can I get a texting ticket and a hands-free ticket for one act?
No. A driver may not be charged under the texting ban and the hands-free law for an offense at the same time and place. Both laws carry a $50 fine plus court costs and fees, and police can stop you for either one alone.
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