Pennsylvania’s hands-free law took effect on June 5, 2025. Under 75 Pa. C.S. § 3316.1, known as Paul Miller’s Law, you cannot hold or physically handle a phone, tablet, or similar interactive mobile device while driving on any highway in the state, including when you are stopped in traffic. Police can pull you over for this alone. Through June 5, 2026, officers may only issue written warnings; after that, a violation is a summary offense with a $50 fine plus court costs that typically push the total above $100.1Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code 75 PA Cons Stat 3316.1 – Prohibiting Use of Interactive Mobile Device
What Counts as Using a Device
The statute defines “using” a device three ways, and any one of them is a violation:
- Holding the device with a hand, or supporting it with any other part of your body such as your lap, shoulder, or knee.
- Dialing or answering by pressing more than a single button.
- Reaching for the device in a way that takes you out of a normal, seat-belted driving position.
These rules apply whenever you are operating a vehicle on a highway. That includes sitting at a red light, crawling through congestion, or waiting for a train to pass. If you are on the road and not safely parked, the law applies.1Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code 75 PA Cons Stat 3316.1 – Prohibiting Use of Interactive Mobile Device
Not everything with a screen is covered. PennDOT says the ban does not reach standalone GPS units, systems or displays built into the vehicle, or communication devices mounted on a mass transit vehicle, bus, or school bus.2Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Distracted Driving Your factory touchscreen and a dashboard-mounted GPS are fine. A phone in your hand is not.
What You Can Still Do
You do not have to power your phone off or put it out of reach. Anything that avoids the three prohibited actions is allowed. Voice commands, Bluetooth calling, and your car’s built-in infotainment system are all fair game, because none of them requires holding the phone or pressing multiple buttons on it. A single tap to accept a call is permitted.
If you need to type an address, send a text, or do anything else that means handling the phone, pull over first. The statute says “driving” does not include moving your vehicle to the side of or off the highway and stopping in a safe, stationary location.1Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code 75 PA Cons Stat 3316.1 – Prohibiting Use of Interactive Mobile Device Once you are safely parked, use your phone however you want.
Emergency Exception
You may use a handheld device while driving if it is necessary to contact law enforcement or emergency services to prevent injury to people or property.1Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code 75 PA Cons Stat 3316.1 – Prohibiting Use of Interactive Mobile Device Calling 911 to report a crash or hazard fits the exception. Calling your spouse to say you will be late does not.
Fines and Penalties
Enforcement is being phased in. For the first 12 months the law is in effect, ending June 5, 2026, police may issue only a written warning.1Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code 75 PA Cons Stat 3316.1 – Prohibiting Use of Interactive Mobile Device After that, a violation is a summary offense carrying a $50 fine. Court costs and administrative surcharges push the actual amount you pay past $100.
The stakes climb sharply when distracted driving contributes to a fatal crash. A driver convicted of homicide by vehicle who was also driving while distracted may face up to an additional five years in prison on top of the homicide sentence.3Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Distracted Driving Laws Fact Sheet
What Happens at a Traffic Stop
Two provisions of the statute matter during an actual stop. Police cannot confiscate your device based on this violation alone unless another law separately authorizes seizure. And the state law preempts any city or municipal ordinance on handheld device use, so the rules do not shift when you cross into a different jurisdiction within Pennsylvania.1Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code 75 PA Cons Stat 3316.1 – Prohibiting Use of Interactive Mobile Device
Stricter Rules for Commercial Drivers
If you hold a commercial driver’s license, the state law is only part of what applies to you. Federal regulation 49 CFR § 392.82 independently prohibits any CMV driver from using a handheld mobile telephone while driving, and motor carriers cannot require or allow their drivers to do so.4eCFR. 49 CFR 392.82 – Using a Hand-Held Mobile Telephone The federal definition of driving matches the state’s: it covers being temporarily stopped in traffic and excludes being safely pulled off the road, with a comparable exception for emergency contact.
Federal consequences are heavier than the state $50 fine. Commercial drivers face potential disqualification from operating a CMV, and carriers can face federal enforcement action. Driving commercially in Pennsylvania means both sets of rules apply, and the stricter one controls in any given situation.
Impact on Your Insurance
A $50 fine is not the whole cost. Insurance companies review your driving record when setting premiums, and a distracted driving conviction can trigger a surcharge. Each insurer uses its own formula and timeline, so the premium effect varies. On an otherwise clean record, the bump is usually modest. Paired with an at-fault crash or other tickets, it feeds a risk picture insurers use to justify steeper rates.