North Carolina does not yet have a hands-free driving law

Lanier Law Group says North Carolina drivers are still bound by the state’s texting-while-driving statute, not a hands-free ban. Two proposed hands-free bills, including Senate Bill 797 in the 2025-2026 session, remain in committee and have not become law.

Why it matters: - North Carolina drivers are not required to use hands-free devices under a statewide hands-free law because no such law has passed. - The current law still bans texting and reading messages while driving, so distracted-driving enforcement continues under existing statutes. - Misunderstanding the law could lead drivers to rely on a bill that has not become effective.

What happened: - Lanier Law Group clarified that the NC Hands Free Act is not law yet. - Senate Bill 797 remains in committee in the North Carolina Senate as of June 1, 2026. - Senate Bill 526 did not become law in 2025. - North Carolina’s current texting-while-driving law is N.C.G.S. § 20-137.4A.

The details: - N.C.G.S. § 20-137.4A prohibits texting while driving and reading emails and texts while driving. - North Carolina is not currently a hands-free driving state. - Senate Bill 526, titled the Hands Free NC Act, was filed March 25, 2025, and referred to the Senate Committee on Rules and Operations on March 26, 2025. - Senate Bill 526 would have barred drivers from holding a wireless device, watching a video or movie, communicating by video, or texting on a wireless communications device. - Under Senate Bill 526, a first violation would have been an infraction with a $100 fine, with higher penalties for repeat offenses. - A violation while driving a school bus would have been a Class 2 misdemeanor under Senate Bill 526. - Senate Bill 797 was filed March 21, 2026, by Sens. Jim Burgin, Kevin Corbin and Jay J. Chaudhuri. - Senate Bill 797 would prohibit holding a wireless communications device, watching videos, video chatting and texting while driving if enacted. - Senate Bill 797 has been referred to the Senate Committee on Rules and Operations and has not been voted on. - North Carolina law also prohibits reckless driving, which can include distracted driving in especially dangerous circumstances.

Between the lines: - Hands-free laws have become common across the U.S., which has helped fuel confusion about North Carolina’s status. - New York passed the first hand-held cell phone driving ban in 2001, and 33 states now have hands-free laws. - Social media posts about a supposed North Carolina hands-free law spread more than 3,000 times. - Some local TV and radio outlets reported that the law took effect Dec. 1, 2025, but the legislation did not pass. - Lawmakers say they still hope to pass a hands-free law in North Carolina.

What’s next: - North Carolina legislators could keep advancing Senate Bill 797 during the 2025-2026 session. - Until a hands-free bill becomes law, drivers must follow the state’s existing texting and reckless-driving rules. - Lanier Law Group says it represents clients in car accident compensation claims and urges accident victims to seek legal help.

The bottom line: - North Carolina has distracted-driving laws on the books, but no hands-free mandate yet.