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Massachusetts drivers 18 and older may use a phone only in hands-free mode, mounted, and touched only to switch hands-free on. Drivers under 18, on a learner’s permit or Junior Operator License (JOL), may not use any mobile electronic device for any reason, hands-free included, except to report an emergency. This page sets out both rules from the RMV Driver’s Manual, what counts as a device, and the penalties, which are much heavier for junior operators.
Key facts (RMV Driver’s Manual, 2026)
- Law: Chapter 90, Section 13B and Chapter 122 of the Acts of 2019 (the hands-free law).
- 18 and older: hands-free only; the device must be mounted on the windshield, dashboard or center console.
- Under 18: no mobile electronic device use at all while driving, except to report an emergency.
- No one may write, send or read texts, emails or instant messages, or use the internet, while driving.
- Adult fines: $100, then $250, then $500. Under 18, a phone conviction also suspends your license for 60 days on a first offense.
Drivers 18 and older: what hands-free means in Massachusetts
- Don’t hold it. The device cannot be held or supported in your hand.
- Don’t touch it, except once to activate hands-free mode.
- Mount it on the windshield, dashboard or center console, where it does not interfere with driving.
- No messages or browsing. Writing, sending or reading any electronic message, or accessing the internet, is banned.
- GPS is allowed if the phone is fixed in the car for navigation.
- Stopped means parked. Hand-held use is allowed only when the vehicle is stationary and not in a public travel lane. Red lights and stop signs do not count.
The RMV also warns against stopping on the side of a busy road or highway to use a phone. Find a safe place off the road.
Drivers under 18: no device use at all
The JOL phone rule is simple: no mobile electronic device, for any reason, while driving. Hands-free calls, voice-to-text and Bluetooth are all covered. The one exception is reporting an emergency. The same rule applies to learner’s permit holders under 18.
What counts as a mobile electronic device?
The law’s definition is broad: any hand-held or portable equipment that lets two or more people communicate, including:
- phones and text messaging devices
- pagers and personal digital assistants
- laptops
- video game and DVD equipment
- cameras that take or send digital photos
- equipment that can receive a TV broadcast
It does not include audio equipment, or equipment installed or fixed in the car to provide navigation or emergency help to the driver, or video for rear-seat passengers. So a car’s built-in navigation screen is not a mobile electronic device. A phone running a map app is a device. If you are under 18, set it before you start and do not touch it.
Penalties: adults vs junior operators
| Offense | Driver 18 or older | Junior operator (under 18) |
|---|---|---|
| First | $100 fine | $100 fine, 60-day license suspension, new learner’s permit exam, Driver Attitudinal Retraining course |
| Second | $250 fine and a distracted driving educational program | $250 fine, 180-day suspension |
| Third and later | $500 fine, insurance surcharge and a distracted driving program | $500 fine, 1-year suspension |
The reinstatement fee after a junior operator phone suspension is $100. A phone violation that leads to negligent driving and injury brings a further suspension of 180 days for a first offense and 1 year for later ones, with a $500 reinstatement fee. A crash caused by device use can also bring criminal charges.
Insurance surcharges work through the Safe Driver Insurance Plan. See Massachusetts SDIP surcharges and license suspensions.
Headphones
Wearing headphones or any device that restricts your attention to your surroundings while driving is illegal in Massachusetts. Drivers 18 and older may use one earplug for a phone.
Common questions
Can I use my phone at a red light in Massachusetts?
No. Hand-held use is allowed only when the vehicle is stationary and outside a public travel lane. Red lights and stop signs are specifically excluded.
Can a 17-year-old with a JOL use Bluetooth?
No. Drivers under 18 may not use any mobile electronic device for any reason, hands-free included, except to report an emergency.
Can I use Google Maps on a mounted phone at 18?
Yes. GPS devices, including phones, can be used if fixed in the car for navigation. Don’t type addresses while moving.
Does the phone suspension delay my full license?
It can. You cannot get a full license until you have served any suspension imposed while you held a JOL and you have reached 18. See Massachusetts junior operator license rules.
Can my passenger use a phone?
Yes. The law covers the driver. A passenger handling navigation or replying to messages for you is the best way to keep your hands free.
Is the phone law on the permit test?
It can be, since it is in the Driver’s Manual. Review it with the Massachusetts learner’s permit test guide.
Back to the complete Massachusetts learner guide. Other states: hands-free and texting laws.
Sources
- Massachusetts RMV, “Driver’s Manual”, Chapter 2 (Distracted Driving Law / Hands-Free Mobile Phone Use) and Chapter 3 (License Suspension or Revocation) (mass.gov)
- Massachusetts General Court, “General Laws Chapter 90, Sections 8M and 13B” (malegislature.gov)