SOUTH CAROLINA — In South Carolina, anyone caught holding a phone while driving will get a ticket starting Saturday.
Under the SC Hands-Free and Distracted Driving Act, it’s illegal to hold or support a device with any part of your body while driving. The legislation went into effect in September 2025, but up until now, law enforcement has only been issuing warnings.
The law aims to reduce distractions on the road by requiring drivers to use hands-free devices like earpods or wristwatches.
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Starting this weekend, violators will receive a $100 fine for the first offense. If you break the law again, that fine jumps to $200 and two points on your driving record.
Exceptions are made for drivers who are lawfully parked or stopped. Officials say you can also use your phone, as long as you’re not holding it, to unlock it or to initiate or end a hands-free call or a voice-based text, listen to audio, and to receive navigation information. You may use your cell phone, in hand, to report an accident, emergency, or safety hazard to public safety officials, according to the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office.
In North Carolina, there is no ban on holding a phone to talk while driving, but texting is illegal unless the vehicle is stopped at a light or sign. Drivers under 18 cannot use electronic devices at all.
VIDEO: South Carolina’s new hands-free driving law now in effect
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