Florida Phone & Distracted Driving Laws

Florida's handheld ban is narrower than most people assume, and that gap is worth knowing. There is no statewide ban on holding a phone while you drive. Holding one is prohibited only in a designated school crossing, a school zone, or a work zone where workers are present or equipment is operating. In those zones you may use a phone only hands-free, in voice-operated mode or through something like a Bluetooth connection. A violation there is a moving violation from the first offense: a $60 base fine and three points, though a first offender may instead complete an FLHSMV-approved wireless communications device driving safety program and have the fine and the points waived. Outside those zones, what still binds everywhere is the separate texting ban.

Source: s. 316.306, Florida Statutes, which prohibits using a wireless communications device in a handheld manner only "in a designated school crossing, school zone, or work zone area", and s. 316.306(4)(a), which makes it a moving violation with 3 points under s. 322.27(3)(d)8. and allows a first offender to elect an approved driving safety program in place of the s. 318.18 penalty and the points. The $60 base fine is s. 318.18(3)(a). Florida Driver License Handbook (rev. 08/2023), Chapter 4, p. 34 states the prohibition without the penalties. · Verified Aug 2026

Texting while driving is banned everywhere in Florida, and it is a primary offense, so an officer can stop you for it alone. The ban covers manually typing or entering multiple letters, numbers or symbols into a wireless device, and sending or reading data on it for non-voice communication: texting, email, instant messaging. A vehicle that is stationary is not being operated, so the ban does not reach you while stopped. Navigation, safety and traffic alerts, radio, data the vehicle itself uses, and voice communication that needs no typing or reading are all outside it. A first offense is a nonmoving violation, a $30 base fine plus court costs and no points; a second within five years is a moving violation, $60 and three points.

Source: s. 316.305, Florida Statutes, the "Florida Ban on Texting While Driving Law": s. 316.305(3)(a) defines the conduct and states that "a motor vehicle that is stationary is not being operated"; s. 316.305(3)(b) lists the exceptions including navigation and safety alerts; s. 316.305(4)(a) makes a first offense a nonmoving violation and (4)(b) makes a second within 5 years a moving violation. Fine amounts are s. 318.18(2) and s. 318.18(3)(a). Florida Driver License Handbook (rev. 08/2023), Chapter 4, p. 34. · Verified Aug 2026

no

Source: Florida sets no age-specific phone restriction. ss. 316.305 and 316.306, Florida Statutes, apply to every driver regardless of age, and neither carries a provision for minors or learner's license holders. Checked in both sections. · Verified Aug 2026

$30

Source: A first texting-while-driving offense is a noncriminal traffic infraction punishable as a NONMOVING violation (s. 316.305(4)(a)), and s. 318.18(2) sets $30 for all nonmoving traffic violations, plus court costs. A second offense within 5 years is punishable as a moving violation, $60 under s. 318.18(3)(a) plus 3 points. Holding a device in a school crossing, school zone or work zone is a moving violation from the first offense: $60 and 3 points under s. 316.306(4)(a), though a first offender may instead complete an FLHSMV-approved wireless communications device driving safety program and have both the fine and the points waived. The handbook states the prohibitions and the point values but publishes no fine amounts. · Verified Aug 2026