Texas Texting and Driving Law: Rules for New Drivers

Photo: Jason Lawrence, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

In Texas it is illegal for any driver to read, write or send a text or other electronic message on a handheld device unless the vehicle is stopped. Drivers under 18 may not use a phone at all while driving, even hands-free, except in an emergency. Extra hands-free-only rules apply in school crossing zones. This guide sets out each Texas rule, the fines and the exceptions.

Texas phone laws at a glance

Rule	Who it covers	What is banned	Law
Statewide texting ban	All drivers	Reading, writing or sending electronic messages on a portable device unless stopped	Section 545.4251
Under-18 phone ban	Drivers under 18, including learner and provisional license holders	Any wireless device use, handheld or hands-free, except in an emergency	Section 545.424
School crossing zones	All drivers	Using a phone unless stopped or hands-free	Section 545.425
School property	All drivers	Using a phone while the school zone’s reduced speed limit is in effect, unless stopped or hands-free	Section 545.4252
Bus with a minor on board	School and passenger bus drivers	Using a phone unless the bus is stopped	Section 545.425

The Texas texting while driving law (all ages)

Under Transportation Code section 545.4251, you commit an offense if you use a portable wireless device to read, write or send an electronic message while driving, unless the vehicle is stopped. An electronic message means data you read from or enter into a device to communicate with another person.

What the law allows

It is a defense if you were using the device:

with a hands-free device, such as voice-to-text or a car’s built-in system
for GPS or navigation
to report illegal activity or call for emergency help
to enter information into an app that shares traffic and road conditions
to read a message you reasonably believed was about an emergency
to play music
mounted in the vehicle for work communication with a dispatcher or app service

These defenses are for adults. A driver under 18 is still covered by the under-18 ban on any device use.

Texting fines in Texas (as of November 2026)

First offense: $25 to $99
After a previous conviction: $100 to $200
If texting causes someone’s death or serious bodily injury: a Class A misdemeanor, with a fine of up to $4,000 and up to one year in jail

An officer who stops you for texting may not take or search your phone unless other law allows it.

Under 18 in Texas: no phone use at all

Section 545.424 bans drivers under 18 from driving while using a wireless communication device, except in an emergency. The law defines the device as handheld or hands-free, so Bluetooth calls, speakerphone and voice commands are all covered. The ban applies on a learner license with a supervisor in the car and on a provisional license.

First offense: $25 to $99
After a previous conviction: $100 to $200

Practical habits: set your GPS route and music before you move off. Put the phone out of reach or on do-not-disturb. If you must use it, pull over somewhere safe and stop first.

The same section sets the passenger and midnight to 5 a.m. limits. See Texas provisional license and GDL rules.

School zones: hands-free only

In a school crossing zone, you may not use a wireless device while driving unless you are stopped or using a hands-free device (section 545.425). Cities that enforce the rule must post a sign at each entrance to the zone. The same rule applies on public school property while the school zone’s reduced speed limit is in effect (section 545.4252). Emergency calls to 911, a hospital, fire department, doctor or police are a defense.

City-wide phone bans

A Texas city or other local authority may ban handheld phone use throughout its area. If it does, it must post signs where state, US and interstate highways enter its area, saying whether hands-free use is allowed. Watch for these signs when you drive into a new city. Texting rules themselves are set statewide.

Why this is on your Texas license test

The Texas license exam must test your knowledge of how phones and other distractions affect safe driving (section 521.161). Teens also complete the Impact Texas Teen Drivers program, which focuses on distracted driving, before the road test. See ITTD explained and the Texas learner license test.

Common questions

Is it illegal to hold your phone while driving in Texas?

Statewide, it is illegal to text on a handheld device unless you are stopped. Holding a phone for a call is not banned statewide for adults. It is banned in school crossing zones, in cities with their own bans, and for all drivers under 18.

Can I use GPS on my phone in Texas?

Adults can. Navigation is a defense under the texting law. Under 18s are banned from using a wireless device while driving, so set the route before you start.

Does stopping at a red light count as stopped?

The texting law says “unless the vehicle is stopped” but does not define the term further. The safe choice is to wait until you are parked.

I have a learner license and my parent is in the car. Can I take a hands-free call?

No. The under-18 ban applies whoever is supervising you, unless it is an emergency.

Does a texting ticket go on my record?

Texting while driving is a misdemeanor offense. For how convictions affect your license, see points systems and license suspensions.

How does Texas compare with other states?

Many states ban all handheld use. Texas’s statewide rule targets messaging. See hands-free and texting laws by state.

Related Texas guides

Sources

Texas Legislature, “Transportation Code Chapter 545, Operation and Movement of Vehicles”, sections 545.424, 545.425, 545.4251 and 545.4252 (statutes.capitol.texas.gov)
Texas Legislature, “Transportation Code Chapter 521, Driver’s Licenses and Certificates”, section 521.161 (statutes.capitol.texas.gov)
Texas Department of Public Safety, “Impact Texas Teen Drivers FAQ” (impacttexasdrivers.dps.texas.gov)

Texas Texting and Driving Law: Phone Rules for New Drivers