Photo: Jeffrey M. Vinocur, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
Pennsylvania’s hands-free law, known as Paul Miller’s Law, bans every driver from holding or using a hand-held phone or other interactive mobile device while driving, including while stopped at a red light or in traffic. Fines started on June 5, 2026: $50 plus court costs and other fees. A separate texting ban, in force since 2012, also carries a $50 fine. This guide is for Pennsylvania permit holders, junior drivers and their parents, and covers what you can and cannot do with a phone behind the wheel.
Key facts (as of November 2026)
- Paul Miller’s Law took effect June 5, 2025. The first 12 months brought written warnings only.
- From June 5, 2026: a summary offense with a $50 fine, plus court costs and other fees.
- It is a primary offense. Police can stop you just for having a device in your hand.
- It applies to any driver, so learner’s permit and junior license holders are covered.
- The texting ban (since March 8, 2012) is also a $50 summary offense and carries no points on a non-commercial record.
What Paul Miller’s Law bans in Pennsylvania
PennDOT describes the law in three parts.
| Term | What it means under the law |
|---|---|
| Interactive mobile device | A hand-held phone, smartphone, tablet, laptop or similar device that can be used for calls, texts, email, browsing, games, photos, video, social media or other data. |
| Driving | Operating a vehicle on a highway, including any time you are temporarily stopped because of traffic, a traffic light, a stop sign or another momentary delay. |
| Using a device | Holding it in at least one hand or supporting it with another part of your body; dialing or answering by pressing more than one button; or reaching for it in a way that takes you out of your seated, belted driving position. |
What you can still do with a phone while driving in PA
- Hands-free calls, GPS and music. Pennsylvania State Police say drivers can still use hands-free technology for calls, navigation and listening to music.
- A single tap. Pressing more than a single button to dial or answer counts as use. A single tap on a mounted phone or the car’s own controls falls outside that part of the definition, as long as you are not holding the phone.
- Pull over and park. You may use the device once you move off or to the side of the highway and stop where the vehicle can safely stay stationary. A red light or a traffic jam does not count.
- Emergencies. You may use it if you need to contact police or another emergency service to prevent injury to people or property.
Pennsylvania texting-while-driving ban
The older ban prohibits any driver from using a mobile device to send, read or write a text message, instant message, email or other written communication while the vehicle is in motion.
- Penalty: summary offense, $50 fine plus court costs and other fees.
- No points, and it is not recorded on a non-commercial driver record. Commercial drivers get it recorded as a non-sanction violation.
- Not covered: a GPS device, systems built into the vehicle, and communication devices fixed to a transit bus or school bus.
- It overrides any local ordinances on drivers’ device use, so the rule is the same across the state.
- Police cannot seize your phone under this law.
Penalties at a glance
| Offense | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Hand-held device use (Paul Miller’s Law), from June 5, 2026 | $50 fine plus court costs and other fees |
| Texting while the vehicle is moving | $50 fine plus court costs and other fees; no points |
| Homicide by vehicle while driving distracted | Up to five extra years in prison |
PennDOT also warns that, depending on the circumstances, drivers who break either law may be convicted of homicide by vehicle or aggravated assault by vehicle and face longer sentences. PennDOT’s pages do not list points for the hand-held offense; check your record questions with PennDOT. Points for other violations are in the Pennsylvania point system guide.
Does it apply on a learner’s permit or junior license?
Yes. Both laws apply to “any driver”. On a permit you are driving, even with a supervisor beside you, so holding the phone to change a song or check a map at a light is an offense. A practical setup for new drivers:
- Mount the phone and set the route before you shift out of park.
- Turn on Do Not Disturb while driving.
- Let a passenger handle calls and messages, as PennDOT suggests.
- If something cannot wait, park somewhere safe off the road first.
Junior license holders also have curfew and passenger limits: see Pennsylvania junior license rules. Distraction questions can also come up on the PA permit test.
Other distractions the PA Driver’s Manual lists
The manual defines a distraction as anything that takes your attention, eyes or hands from driving. Examples include eating and drinking, adjusting audio, talking with passengers (a particular risk for teens driving with other teens), reaching for objects, grooming, and rubbernecking at crashes or work zones. Headphones or earpieces may be worn in one ear only, for communication. PennDOT data counts 9,950 crashes involving a distracted driver in 2024, with more than 6,000 injuries and 49 deaths.
Common questions
Can I hold my phone at a red light in Pennsylvania?
No. The law treats you as driving while temporarily stopped for traffic, a light, a stop sign or another momentary delay.
Can I use GPS on my phone in PA?
Yes, hands-free. Set it up before you drive and keep it mounted. Holding it, or tapping more than one button to operate it, falls under the ban.
How much is the fine for Paul Miller’s Law?
$50 plus court costs and other fees, from June 5, 2026. Between June 5, 2025 and June 2026, drivers got written warnings.
Who was Paul Miller?
Paul Miller Jr. was killed in 2010 in Monroe County in a crash with a tractor trailer whose driver reached for a phone. His mother, Eileen Miller, campaigned for the law.
Can I make an emergency call while driving?
Yes. The law allows device use when needed to contact police or other emergency services to prevent injury to people or property.
Can local towns in PA set their own phone rules?
No. The state texting law overrides local ordinances on drivers’ device use.
How do other states compare?
Rules vary widely. See hands-free and texting laws by state.
Back to the main guide: how to get a driver’s license in Pennsylvania.
Sources
- PennDOT, “Distracted Driving” (pa.gov)
- PennDOT, “Shapiro Administration Reminds Drivers to Put the Phone Away or Pay a Fine”, April 1, 2026 (pa.gov)
- Pennsylvania State Police, “PSP Conducts Statewide Enforcement Initiative to Uphold Paul Miller’s Law”, June 12, 2026 (pa.gov)
- PennDOT, “Online Driver’s Manual: Chapter 5, Laws and Related Issues” (pa.gov)
- PennDOT, “Pennsylvania Driver’s Manual, PUB 95 (4-21)” (pa.gov)