Indiana's Hands-Free Law: 4 Points and What They Actually Cost

Since July 1, 2020, Indiana law has prohibited drivers from holding a mobile device while driving. Not just texting. Holding it at all.

A violation is a Class C infraction with a fine ranging from $35.50 to $500 depending on your record, plus statutory fees and court costs. But the fine is not the expensive part.

The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles adds 4 demerit points to your driving record for a cell phone violation. That is the same point total as speeding 16 to 25 mph over the limit, and it is exactly the amount a Driver Safety Program credit is worth.

Why the Law Replaced the Old One

Indiana banned texting while driving in 2011, and the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals found it effectively unenforceable because it was too narrowly tailored. An officer could not tell whether a driver was texting, dialing, or checking a map.

The hands-free law solved that by removing the question. If the device is in your hand, it is a violation, regardless of what you were doing with it.

The Indiana Department of Transportation cites the reasoning behind it: across 15 states with hands-free laws, traffic fatalities decreased by an average of 16 percent, and independent studies found crash risk was two to six times greater when drivers were manipulating a phone.

What Is Allowed and What Is Not

Allowed	Not allowed
Built-in Bluetooth	Holding a phone or tablet
Bluetooth adapters	Supporting a device with your body
Dashboard or vent mounts	Handheld use of any kind
Voice-operated features	—

If you do not have hands-free technology, the law requires you to pull off the road before making a call or sending a message.

Drivers Under 21 Face a Stricter Rule

This applies to a distinct group and is worth stating separately.

Indiana prohibits drivers younger than 21 from using hands-free or voice-operated devices at all. Bluetooth is not a workaround for a 20-year-old the way it is for a 30-year-old.

The only exception is a 911 call.

An Officer Cannot Take Your Phone

Most drivers do not know this, and it is worth knowing before it matters.

Indiana law prohibits an officer from confiscating your device without your consent to determine whether you were using it. You are not required to hand your phone over during a stop.

An officer also may not seize and retain your phone as evidence pending trial. If you are ticketed, the phone stays with you.

The 4-Point Connection

Here is where the cost compounds, and where the math is worth doing.

Points added by a cell phone violation last two years and count toward Indiana's suspension thresholds. The Bureau of Motor Vehicles sends a warning notice around 14 points and begins suspending at 20.

Completing a BMV-approved Driver Safety Program applies a 4-point credit, available once every three years. For a cell phone violation specifically, that credit cancels the points exactly.

The conviction itself remains on your record and your insurer can still see it. What the credit changes is the point total the BMV uses when deciding on a suspension.

One further consequence worth noting: a hands-free violation linked to a crash can contribute to liability in civil litigation, and it can affect professional driving credentials for commercial operators.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many points is a cell phone ticket in Indiana?

Four demerit points, the same as speeding 16 to 25 mph over the limit. Points remain on your record for two years.

How much is the fine?

A Class C infraction carrying a fine between $35.50 and $500 depending on your record, plus statutory fees and court costs.

Can I use a phone mount in Indiana?

Yes. Dashboard and vent mounts are permitted, as are built-in Bluetooth, Bluetooth adapters, and voice-operated features. What is prohibited is holding or supporting the device.

Are the rules different for drivers under 21?

Yes, and stricter. Drivers younger than 21 may not use hands-free or voice-operated devices at all, with an exception only for 911 calls.

Can I get the points removed?

You can offset them. A BMV-approved Driver Safety Program applies a 4-point credit once every three years, which exactly cancels the points from a cell phone violation. The conviction stays on your record.

The Bottom Line

Put the phone in a mount or leave it alone. Holding it is the violation, and the 4 points it adds are worth more than the fine, because they last two years and count toward a suspension at 20.

If you have already picked one up, a BMV-approved Driver Safety Program applies a 4-point credit that cancels a cell phone violation exactly. ABetterDriver offers the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles approved course fully online for $28.95, self-paced, with completion reported directly to the BMV.