Driving Tests

Wyoming Texting and Driving Law: What Is Allowed and the $75 Fine

informational·how to guide·Published April 1, 2026

Is texting while driving illegal in Wyoming?

Yes. Wyoming law bans a driver from using a handheld wireless device to write, send or read a text message, instant message or email on a public street or highway. A violation is a misdemeanor with a fine of not more than $75. You may text when the vehicle is lawfully parked or when you use voice-operated or hands-free technology.

Where the Wyoming texting law facts come from

The ban, the exceptions, the definitions and the $75 fine come from Wyoming Statutes, title 31, section 31-5-237. The driving advice and the note on city rules come from the WYDOT "Rules of the Road" Class C manual, 2021 edition. The study note comes from the WYDOT testing page. This post is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Wyoming Department of Transportation (dot.state.wy.us) before you drive.

What does the Wyoming texting law ban?

The law covers one act: using a handheld wireless device to write, send or read a text-based communication while you drive a motor vehicle on a public street or highway. Text-based communication includes a text message, an instant message and email. The law describes this act as manual communication with a person by text.
The device is a cell phone or another mobile device that uses radio or satellite signals for wireless calls.

Wyoming texting law at a glance

Wyoming texting law at a glance
Question	Answer
What is banned	Writing, sending or reading a text, instant message or email on a handheld device while you drive
Where	A public street or highway
Penalty	Misdemeanor, fine of not more than $75
Phone calls	Allowed under the state law: you may enter a number or select a name to make or receive a call
Who is covered	Every person who drives a motor vehicle, at any age

What is allowed under the Wyoming texting law?

The vehicle is lawfully parked.
You use the device to contact an emergency response vehicle.
You write, read, select or enter a phone number or name to make or receive a call.
You use voice-operated or hands-free technology.

What counts as hands-free in Wyoming?

The law defines voice-operated or hands-free technology as technology that lets you write, send or read a text without either hand. The one use of a hand that it allows is to turn on, turn off or start a feature or function.
So a voice command that you start with one touch can fit the exception. Typing a message on the screen does not.

Is your phone use legal while you drive in Wyoming?

You type a text, an instant message or an email on a handheld phone while you drive

This is banned. The fine is up to $75.

You read a new text on a handheld phone while the car is not lawfully parked

This is banned. The law bans reading a text-based communication while you drive, and its exception is for a vehicle that is lawfully parked. Park first.

You dial a number or pick a name from your contacts to make a call

This is allowed. The law lets you write, read, select or enter a number or name to make or receive a call.

You dictate a message and the phone sends it by voice

This is allowed when the technology works without either hand, except to start a feature.

You park legally, then text

This is allowed. WYDOT also recommends that you pull well off the highway and stop before a call or a text.

Do Wyoming cities have their own phone rules?

The state law covers texting only. The WYDOT manual adds that some cities and towns in Wyoming have ordinances against using a cell phone while you drive within city limits. A city rule can go further than the state law. Check ahead before a trip, and watch for signs that ban cell phone use when you drive into a town.

What does WYDOT advise about phone calls while you drive?

Your first responsibility when you drive is to pay attention to the road.
Pull well off the highway and stop before you make a call or text.
If you must dial, dial a few numbers, look back at the road and your mirrors, and then dial the last numbers.
Do not have long, emotional or otherwise distracting conversations. Tell the person you will call back when it is safe.
Hands-free phones give little safety benefit over handheld phones, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The act of conversing is among the greatest driver distractions.

Practice the Wyoming phone rule for your permit test

The Wyoming written test has questions on seat belt use and other laws for driving on Wyoming roads, and WYDOT tells Class C applicants to study the "Rules of the Road" manual. The texting law is one of those laws. Try our free question on which phone use is illegal for a driver to check what you know. Our practice test and question pages are free and in English only. They are not the questions on the real test.

Key takeaways

Wyoming law bans writing, sending or reading a text, instant message or email on a handheld device while you drive on a public street or highway.
A violation is a misdemeanor with a fine of not more than $75.
You may text when the vehicle is lawfully parked or with voice-operated or hands-free technology, and you may dial a number or select a name to make a call.
Some Wyoming cities and towns have their own cell phone ordinances. Watch for signs.
Next step: practice on the free Wyoming Class C practice test.

Wyoming texting and driving: common questions

Is it illegal to talk on the phone while driving in Wyoming?

Not under state law. The state law bans text-based communication on a handheld device, and it lets you enter a number or select a name to make or receive a call. Some Wyoming cities and towns have their own cell phone ordinances, so watch for signs. WYDOT recommends that you pull well off the highway and stop before you make a call.

Can I text at a red light in Wyoming?

Wait until you park. The law's exception is for a vehicle that is lawfully parked, and a stop at a red light or in traffic is not on its list of exceptions. Until you park in a legal place, use only voice-operated or hands-free technology that works without your hands.

How much is a texting ticket in Wyoming?

Texting while driving in Wyoming is a misdemeanor. Section 31-5-237(c) of the Wyoming Statutes sets the penalty: a fine of not more than $75. That is the top limit of the fine. The ban covers a text message, an instant message and email, so each of them can lead to the same fine.

Does the Wyoming texting law apply to teen drivers?

Yes. The law says that no person may drive on a public street or highway while using a handheld device to write, send or read a text. That includes a teen with a permit and an adult with a full license. For the other rules that can cost a new driver a permit or license, see our guide to Wyoming teen driver penalties.

Can police and ambulance drivers use a phone while driving in Wyoming?

Yes, for their duties. The texting ban does not apply to a person who drives an emergency response vehicle and makes the communications needed for official duties as an emergency responder. The law defines an emergency response vehicle as an ambulance, a fire department, law enforcement or civil defense vehicle, or another vehicle used mainly for emergencies.