It will be against state law starting Sept. 1 to hold a cell phone while driving in South Carolina. The Palmetto State is the 33rd state to have such a law.
Starting next month, anyone who violates the new law will get a warning through the end of February. When full enforcement begins on Feb. 28, 2026, violations will carry a $100 fine for the first offense. Subsequent offenses within a three-year period will result in a $200 fine and the addition of two points to a driver’s record.
S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster at a ceremonial bill signing on July 31 said the so-called “Hands Free and Distracted Driving Act” will protect people’s lives.
The law “makes it clear that when you’re driving that vehicle, you’ve got to have your hands on the wheel,” McMaster said. “You can’t be distracted. It’s just common sense. But, sometimes, it takes a law to remind everybody of that common sense.”
Exceptions include drivers who are parked or stopped, using a phone that requires voice-activated or hands-free option, using a phone navigation, music or podcasts without holding it, or reporting traffic accidents, hazardous conditions or medical emergencies to a public safety official.
