Minnesota's Hands-Free Driving Law: What's Banned, What's Allowed, and the Fines

Minnesota became a hands-free state in August 2019, and the law has been actively enforced ever since. The general idea — "no phone in your hand while driving" — is well known, but the specifics catch a lot of people off guard, especially around red lights, GPS apps, and the much stricter rules for teen drivers. This guide covers every part of Minnesota Statute 169.475, what enforcement actually looks like, and the practical hardware that keeps you legal.

Quick answer: Minnesota is a hands-free state. While driving — including stopped at a red light or stop sign — you cannot hold your phone in your hand for any reason except calling 911. You can use voice commands, Bluetooth, or a mounted phone with hands-free controls. Drivers under 18 cannot use a phone at all, including hands-free. Two or more convictions add a $275 fine on top of the court-set amount.

What the law actually prohibits

Under Minnesota Statute 169.475, while you are driving you may not:

• Compose, read, or send any electronic message. That covers texts, emails, instant messages, social media DMs, and group-chat messages.
• Access the internet on a wireless device. That covers browsing, scrolling social feeds, and watching videos.
• Hold the phone in your hand for any of the above purposes — and the law treats holding the phone as evidence of these purposes.

What "driving" means in this law is broader than most people assume. The vehicle is "driving" any time it is on a public roadway and capable of motion, including:

• Stopped at a red light.
• Stopped at a stop sign.
• Stopped in traffic on the freeway.
• Stopped to wait for a pedestrian.
• Slowed to under 5 mph in a parking lot exit lane.

The vehicle is not considered "driving" only when it is fully parked, off the roadway (in a parking spot or pulled over to the shoulder), and ideally with the engine off. Pulling over to the shoulder of a freeway to text is technically legal, but is itself dangerous and can be cited under reckless-driving statutes.

What is allowed

The law explicitly permits:

• Voice-activated operation. Saying "Hey Siri, send a text to Mom" while the phone is mounted is fine. You can dictate messages this way.
• Hands-free mode. A Bluetooth speakerphone, a single earbud (one ear must remain unobstructed), or a head unit that integrates with the phone.
• A mounted phone with one-tap operation. Touching the screen briefly to accept a call or activate navigation is technically permitted, though officers have discretion if they observe extended interaction.
• Calling 911 for emergency assistance, even handheld.
• Reporting a crash, fire, or crime in progress — handheld is permitted in this specific case.

The exception list is short and specific. Calling work to say you're running late is not on it. Texting your partner to say you're on the way is not on it.

The under-18 rule is much stricter

Drivers under 18 with an instruction permit or provisional license cannot use a phone at all while driving — even in hands-free mode. The only exception is dialing 911 in an emergency.

This rule covers:

• Bluetooth phone calls.
• Voice-dictated texts.
• Streaming music through a Bluetooth car stereo while the phone is paired.
• Using navigation apps even with voice prompts.

The reasoning is that under-18 drivers are still learning to manage attention, and the state's research found that any phone use — even hands-free — measurably degraded their performance.

The fines, court costs, and insurance impact

A typical Minnesota hands-free citation breaks down like this:

• First offense: Court fine of $50 + administrative court costs (~$80) = roughly $130 total.
• Second offense: Court fine of $50 + court costs + an automatic $275 statutory surcharge = roughly $400 total.
• Third and subsequent offenses: Same $275 surcharge each time, plus the court has discretion to set a higher base fine.

These are the fines paid to the court. The bigger long-term cost is insurance. Minnesota insurers treat hands-free violations as moving violations, and most major carriers raise premiums 15–25% for two years after a conviction. For a driver paying $1,200 a year, that's $360–$600 in extra premiums over two years — roughly the cost of three more citations stacked together.

Why GPS apps are still mostly fine

Minnesota's hands-free law was deliberately written to allow navigation apps because the legislature recognized that GPS is also a safety tool. The legal way to use Google Maps, Apple Maps, or Waze while driving is:

• Mount the phone before you leave the parking lot (windshield mount, dashboard mount, or vent mount).
• Set the destination before you start driving. Type, search, scroll — fine while parked.
• Once moving: glance at the screen briefly, like you'd glance at the speedometer. No typing, no scrolling.
• For changes en route: pull off the road, change the destination, then continue.

Officers will not pull you over for a quick glance at a mounted screen. They will pull you over for picking the phone up off the mount and holding it in your hand while you scroll.

What enforcement actually looks like

This is a primary offense, which means an officer can stop you for the hands-free violation alone — no other infraction needed. They don't have to "also" pull you over for speeding or weaving. Officers are trained to look for:

• A driver looking down at their lap repeatedly.
• A phone visible in the driver's hand at a red light.
• A driver whose head is tilted down or to the side at a freeway speed (the classic texting posture).
• Slowed reaction times at green lights — a tell that the driver's attention is on the phone.

Some Minneapolis and St. Paul intersections have unmarked enforcement vehicles parked specifically to watch for hands-free violations during morning and evening commutes. Highway Patrol uses elevated vehicles (vans, semi-truck cabs) on the freeway because they can see down into the driver's seat.

Hardware that keeps you legal

If you want to drive lawfully and not think about it, the simple setup is:

• A magnetic or vent-mounted phone holder. $15 on Amazon. Position it at eye level, near the dashboard, not blocking your view.
• A wireless charging mount (optional). Eliminates the cable.
• Bluetooth pairing with your car's audio system. Almost every car since 2014 has this; pair your phone once and forget it.
• Train Siri / Google Assistant for the people you call most. "Hey Siri, call Mom" is a 2-second interaction with your eyes still on the road.

Most modern cars also have a "Driving Focus" or "Do Not Disturb While Driving" mode. Turn it on. It auto-replies to texts so you don't feel pressure to check.

What about hold-to-talk apps like Voxer or Slack huddles?

Voice-only push-to-talk apps are technically allowed if operated hands-free (single button on a steering-wheel control or a paired earbud). However, if you have to hold the phone to keep transmitting, that's a violation. The safest practice: don't use these apps while driving at all.

A note on cyclists and scooter riders

Minnesota's hands-free law applies to motor vehicles — it doesn't directly cover bicycles or stand-up scooters. But if you cause a crash on a bike while looking at your phone, you can still be cited under general distracted-driving and reckless-driving statutes. And the city of Minneapolis has its own ordinance prohibiting handheld phone use on rented e-scooters within city limits, with a $50 fine.

---

This article is based on the 2025 Minnesota Class D Driver's Manual (May 2025 edition, pages 43–44 and 80), Minnesota Statute 169.475, and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety at dps.mn.gov/officeoftrafficsafety. Statutes and fines change — always confirm current text and amounts at the Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes website before relying on this guide.