Cell Phone Ban in Schools by State (2026): Every State's Rule, Bell to Bell or Class Time
37 US states and DC have a binding rule on phones in school, 23 of them plus DC bell to bell. Every state's law, grades and start year, as of October 2026.
Muhammad Shahzeb·
Published
·12 min read
The short answer
As of 16 October 2026, 37 US states and the District of Columbia have a binding statewide law or policy restricting phones in school, and 23 of those states plus DC cover the whole school day ("bell to bell"). Five states only require districts to adopt a policy, five only encourage it, and Massachusetts, Mississippi and Pennsylvania have no statewide rule.
Phones in school went from a school-by-school decision to a state law in most of the United States in just three years. This page lists every state's rule as of 16 October 2026: what it requires, which grades, when it starts and the law behind it.
The short version
- 37 states and DC have a binding statewide law or policy.
- 23 of those states plus DC keep phones away for the whole school day, "bell to bell".
- 5 states only require districts to adopt their own policy: Alaska, Colorado, Minnesota, New Mexico and Wyoming.
- 5 states only encourage districts: Connecticut, Idaho, Montana, South Dakota and Washington.
- 3 states have no statewide rule: Massachusetts, Mississippi and Pennsylvania.
Counts differ between trackers. Ballotpedia counted 45 states as of 27 August 2026 and Education Week at least 39 plus DC as of 28 July 2026, because they also count encouragement and laws that have passed but not started. The table shows each state's actual rule so you can see the difference. A few rows rest on Ballotpedia's tracker where the state's own page could not be opened; they are marked.
Every state's rule
| State | Rule | When phones are off-limits | Grades | Starts | Law or policy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | State law | bell to bell / all day | K-12 | 2025-26 | HB 166 (2025), FOCUS Act, Act No. 2025-386, signed 2025-05-14 |
| Alaska | Districts must adopt a policy | district decides | K-12 | 2025-26 | HB 57 (2025), AS 14.33.300; enacted by veto override 2025-05-20; effective 2025-07-01 |
| Arizona | State law | district decides how much to limit; applies to the whole school day (meals, passing periods, recess) | K-12 (districts and charter schools) | 2025-26 | HB 2484 (2025), Laws 2025 Chapter 53, A.R.S. 15-120.05; approved 2025-04-14 |
| Arkansas | State law | bell to bell / all day | K-12 (districts and open-enrollment charters) | 2025-26 | SB 142 (2025), Bell to Bell, No Cell Act, Act 122 of 2025 (per Ballotpedia) |
| California | State law | district decides (must limit or prohibit at the schoolsite or under school supervision) | K-12 (districts, county offices, charter schools) | 2026-27 | AB 3216 (2024), Phone-Free Schools Act, Education Code 48901.7; amended by AB 962 (Stats. 2025, Ch. 284, eff. 2026-01-01) |
| Colorado | Districts must adopt a policy | district decides | K-12 (districts, charters, CSDB) | 2026-27 | HB25-1135 (2025), Session Laws ch. 162; signed 2025-05-01 |
| Connecticut | Encouraged only | district decides (SBE recommends restricting phones during the school day, with grade-band guidance) | K-12 | 2024-25 | CT State Board of Education Position Statement and Policy Guidance, 'Personal Technology Use in Connecticut Schools' (Aug 2024) |
| Delaware | State law | instructional time only (minimum; districts set the other times and places) | K-12 (districts and charter schools) | 2026-27 | SB 106 (153rd GA) as amended, 85 Del. Laws c. 238, 14 Del. C. 4124; signed 2026-03-12 |
| District of Columbia | State policy or order | bell to bell / all day | DCPS K-12 only (public charter schools not covered) | 2025-26 | DCPS Student Cell Phone and Electronic Device Policy (published 2025-06-06) |
| Florida | State law | instructional time only (2023 law; a 2025 extension to the whole day could not be confirmed) | K-12 | 2023-24 | HB 379 (2023), s. 1006.07(2)(f), F.S. (per Ballotpedia) |
| Georgia | State law | bell to bell / all day | K-8 now; 9-12 added from July 1, 2027 | K-8: 2025-26 (HB 340), no later than July 1, 2026 under HB 1009; 9-12: 2027-28 | HB 340 (2025, signed 2025-05-09, K-8); HB 1009 (2026, signed 2026-05-05, adds 9-12) (per Ballotpedia) |
| Hawaii | State policy or order | K-8 all school hours; 9-12 instructional time (schools may restrict more) | K-12 | 2026-27 | Hawaii State Board of Education statewide student cell phone policy, adopted 2026-02-12 |
| Idaho | Encouraged only | district decides | K-12 | 2024-25 | Governor's Executive Order 2024-11 (2024-10-31) (per Ballotpedia) |
| Illinois | State law | K-8 bell to bell; 9-12 bell to bell but districts may allow phones at lunch and passing periods (never in class) | K-12 | 2027-28 | SB 2427 (104th GA), signed 2026-07-28 (Ballotpedia links Public Act 104-0657; not opened) |
| Indiana | State law | bell to bell / all day (per SB 78 of 2026, reported by Ballotpedia News); was instructional time only under SB 185 (2024) | K-12 (school corporations and charter schools) | 2024-25 (SB 185); SB 78 effective date not verified (likely 2026-27) | SB 185 (2024), signed 2024-03-11; expanded by SB 78 (2026), signed 2026-03-05 (per Ballotpedia) |
| Iowa | State law | instructional time only (districts may be stricter) | K-12 | 2025-26 | HF 782 (2025), Iowa Code 279.87; approved 2025-04-30 |
| Kansas | State law | bell to bell / all day | K-12 (districts and state-accredited nonpublic schools) | 2026-27 | Senate Sub. for Sub. for HB 2299 (2026), signed by Governor (March 2026) |
| Kentucky | State law | instructional time only | K-12 (local boards of education) | 2025-26 | HB 208 (2025 RS), 2025 Ky. Acts ch. 90, signed 2025-03-26; amends KRS 158.165 (per Ballotpedia) |
| Louisiana | State law | bell to bell / all day (instructional day: device off and stowed, not on person) | K-12 public elementary and secondary | 2024-25 | SB 207 (2024 RS), Act No. 313 of 2024, signed 2024-05-28; amends R.S. 17:239(A) |
| Maine | State law | bell to bell / all day | K-12 (law names no grades; DOE implementation funds go to SAUs serving grades 6-12) | 2026-27 (policies due by 2026-08-01) | LD 2212 (HP 1491), 132nd Legislature supplemental budget, Part GG; Public Law chapter 650, signed 2026-04-10. Earlier LD 1234 (2025) only required a policy. |
| Maryland | State law | bell to bell / all day (first bell to dismissal, incl. lunch, recess, passing periods; devices stored) | K-12 county boards (excludes Maryland School for the Blind and School for the Deaf) | 2027-28 (act effective 2026-07-01) | HB 525 (2026 RS), Maryland Phone-Free Schools Act, Chapter 596 of 2026, approved 2026-05-26; new Education Art. 7-137. Crossfile SB 928 NOT enacted (passed Senate 40-0; last action House W&M hearing 4/01/2026). |
| Massachusetts | No statewide rule | district decides | n/a | n/a | none enacted found (per Ballotpedia) |
| Michigan | State law | instructional time only | K-12 (school districts and public school academies) | 2026-27 | HB 4141 (2025-26 session), signed 2026-02-10; Public Act number not verified (per Ballotpedia) |
| Minnesota | Districts must adopt a policy | district decides | K-12 districts and charter schools | 2024-25 (policy due 2025-03-15) | SF 3567 (2024), Laws 2024 ch. 109 art. 1 s. 1; Minn. Stat. 121A.73 |
| Mississippi | No statewide rule | district decides | n/a | n/a | none; 2025 bills HB 167, 673, 684, 808, 818, SB 2151, SB 2624 and 2026 bills HB 46, 317, 570, 702, SB 2069, SB 2099 all died |
| Missouri | State law | bell to bell / all day | K-12 districts and charter schools | 2025-26 | SB 68 (2025), signed 2025-07-09 (per Ballotpedia) |
| Montana | Encouraged only | district decides | K-12 | 2024-25 (letter dated 2024-08-22) | Governor Gianforte letter to school districts, 2024-08-22 (no EO number) (per Ballotpedia) |
| Nebraska | State law | bell to bell / all day (on school property and at school functions) | K-12 public schools | 2025-26 | LB 140 (2025), signed 2025-05-20 (per Ballotpedia) |
| Nevada | State law | instructional time only | K-12 school districts | 2026-27 | SB 444 (2025, 83rd Session), signed 2025-05-28 (per Ballotpedia) |
| New Hampshire | State law | bell to bell / all day | K-12 school districts and chartered public schools | 2025-26 (date not confirmed) | HB 2 (2025, budget trailer bill), signed June 2025 (per Ballotpedia) |
| New Jersey | State law | bell to bell / all day (non-academic use banned on school grounds during school day) | K-12 (grade-differentiated guidelines by the Commissioner) | 2026-27 | S3695 (2024-2025 session), signed 2026-01-08; P.L. chapter number not verified (per Ballotpedia) |
| New Mexico | Districts must adopt a policy | district decides | K-12 districts and charter schools | not verified (likely 2025-26) | SB 11 (2025), signed 2025-04-10; Laws 2025 chapter number not verified (per Ballotpedia) |
| New York | State law | bell to bell / all day (incl. homeroom, lunch, recess, study halls, passing time) | K-12 districts, charter schools and BOCES | 2025-26 (policy due 2025-08-01) | Education Law section 2803, added by the FY2026 budget (S.3006-C, 2025), section revision dated 2025-05-16; chapter number not verified |
| North Carolina | State law | instructional time only | K-12 public school units | not verified (likely 2025-26) | HB 959 (2025), signed 2025-07-01; S.L. number not verified (per Ballotpedia) |
| North Dakota | State law | instructional time (law text per Ballotpedia); press calls it bell-to-bell | K-12 public schools | 2025-26 (law effective Aug 1, 2025) | HB 1160 (2025), signed Apr 25, 2025 (per Ballotpedia) |
| Ohio | State law | bell to bell / all day (whole instructional day) | K-12 public school districts | 2026-27 (policy due by July 1, 2026) | HB 96 (2025, state budget) amending ORC 3313.753; earlier HB 250 (2024) required a limiting policy (per Ballotpedia) |
| Oklahoma | State law | bell to bell / all day (first bell to dismissal bell, on campus) | public school districts (all grades) | 2025-26 (SB 139, one year) and made permanent for each year thereafter by HB 1276 (effective July 1, 2026) | SB 139 (2025, O.S.L. 2025 ch. 30, 70 O.S. 1-126); extended by HB 1276 (2026), approved Apr 30, 2026 |
| Oregon | State policy or order | bell to bell / all day (start to end of regular instructional hours) | K-12 (every Oregon public school district) | 2025-26 (policy adopted by Oct 31, 2025; effective by Jan 1, 2026) | Executive Order 25-09 (signed July 2, 2025) |
| Pennsylvania | No statewide rule | district decides (pending bill would be bell to bell) | K-12 (pending bill) | none; pending bill targets 2027-28 | SB 1014 (2025-26 session) passed Senate 46-1 on Feb 3, 2026; House companion HB 1814 passed ~May 31/June 1, 2026; not enacted as far as found |
| Rhode Island | State law | bell to bell / all day (no physical access during the school day) | K-12 public schools | 2025-26 (date not confirmed) | SB 771 (2025), signed June 23/24, 2025 (per Ballotpedia) |
| South Carolina | State policy or order | bell to bell / all day (State Board minimum: first bell to dismissal) | K-12 public schools (charter districts added in FY2026-27 proviso) | 2024-25 (district policies from Jan 2025); renewed yearly | Budget proviso 1.99 (FY2025-26) and 1.95 (FY2026-27, H.5126) plus the State Board of Education policy (Sept 2024) |
| South Dakota | Encouraged only | district decides (resolution encourages limits during instructional time) | K-12 | 2025 (non-binding resolution) | HCR 6005 (2025), adopted by House 55-12 on Feb 4, 2025 and Senate 31-3 on Feb 11, 2025; SB 198 (2026) failed |
| Tennessee | State law | instructional time only (districts may go further) | K-12 public and charter schools | 2025-26 | SB 897 / HB 932 (2025), signed Mar 28, 2025 (per Ballotpedia) |
| Texas | State law | bell to bell / all day (on school property during the school day) | K-12 public and open-enrollment charter schools | 2025-26 | HB 1481 (89th Leg., 2025), signed June 20, 2025 (per Ballotpedia) |
| Utah | State law | bell to bell / all day (since SB 69 of 2026; SB 178 of 2025 covered classroom hours only) | K-12 public schools | 2026-27 (SB 69); SB 178 classroom-hours ban from 2025-26 | SB 69 'School Device Revisions' (2026), signed Mar 18, 2026; SB 178 (2025) |
| Vermont | State law | bell to bell / all day (arrival to dismissal) | K-12 public schools and approved independent schools | 2026-27 (policies adopted by July 1, 2026) | H.480, Act 72 of 2025 (16 V.S.A. § 583), signed June 27, 2025 |
| Virginia | State law | bell to bell / all day (on school property) | K-12 public schools (age-appropriate policies) | 2026-27 (presumed; law effective July 1, 2026) | SB 108 (2026), signed Apr 6, 2026; earlier EO 33 (2024) and VDOE guidance (instructional time) (per Ballotpedia) |
| Washington | Encouraged only | district decides | K-12 | OSPI challenge targeted 2025-26; proposed ban for Sept 2027 | OSPI Superintendent challenge (Aug 2024); SB 5346 (2026) study law; Phone-Free Schools Act proposed for the 2027 session |
| West Virginia | State law | instructional time only (county boards may be stricter) | K-12 public schools | 2025-26 | HB 2003 (2025), signed Apr 29, 2025 |
| Wisconsin | State law | instructional time only (districts get flexibility) | K-12 public schools | 2026-27 (policy due by July 1, 2026) | AB 2 (2025), signed Oct 31, 2025; Wis. Stat. 120.12(29) and 115.28(38) |
| Wyoming | Districts must adopt a policy | district decides | K-12 (district boards) | 2026-27 (policies submitted by July 1, 2026) | SF 35 / Enrolled Act No. 46 (2026 Budget Session), amending W.S. 21-3-110(a) |
Several trackers are out of date on particular states. Maryland's HB 525 (2026) is a bell-to-bell ban starting in 2027-28, Wyoming's SF 35 (2026) requires districts to adopt policies, Oklahoma's HB 1276 made its one-year ban permanent, and Indiana's SB 78 (2026) moved it from class time to the whole day. Sources disagree on whether North Dakota's and Kentucky's rules cover class time or the whole day.
England, the rest of the UK and Europe
| Country | Rule | Scope | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | Statutory guidance schools must have regard to (Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, s.36) | Mobile phone-free by default across the whole school day | In force since 29 June 2026; schools to follow it from 1 September 2026 |
| Scotland | Non-statutory guidance, updated June 2026 | At least teaching and learning time; schools encouraged to consider a whole-school ban | Consultation on legislation closes 17 November 2026 |
| Wales | Draft statutory guidance | Use restricted during the school day, up to a full restriction | Consultation from 9 September 2026; final guidance due early 2027 |
| Northern Ireland | Department of Education circular 2026/16 | Whole school day and site, including trips | Guidance issued 27 August 2026; consultation on legislation to 19 November 2026 |
| Finland | Basic Education Act, s.29, amended 2025 | No phones in lessons except with the teacher's permission for learning | In force since 1 August 2025 |
| Netherlands | National agreement, not a law | Not in the classroom unless needed for the lesson or for medical reasons | Secondary since 1 January 2024; primary since 2024-25 |
| Denmark | Recommendation to introduce mobile-free schools | School time | Recommendation (any change in law not confirmed) |
France, Italy, Ireland, Sweden, Poland, Portugal, Belgium, Austria, Greece and other countries are covered in school phone bans in Europe.
Use the interactive table
The school phone ban by state tool has the same rows with a filter and sorting. For the national rules on social media itself, see social media laws for minors by state.
Sources
Each state's row links to its law, governor's order or education department page; rows marked "per Ballotpedia" rely on Ballotpedia's school cell phone policy tracker because the state's own page could not be opened. Totals from Ballotpedia (27 August 2026) and Education Week (28 July 2026) are quoted as those organisations reported them.