When Will Iowa’s New Hands-Free Phone Law Take Effect?

Iowa drivers will have to keep this in mind when hitting the road this summer.

There is nothing more frustrating than driving on a highway and seeing someone clearly not paying attention to the road. Nine times out of ten, this driver is using their phone behind the wheel.

Starting this summer, this sort of behavior will not be tolerated by Iowa law enforcement.

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Iowa Senate Votes to Ban Handheld Phone Use

On Tuesday, March 18th the Iowa Senate voted 47-1 to pass a bill that would make the use of a cellphone while driving illegal, according to reports.

It moved forward in the Iowa legislature and eventually made it to the Governor's desk.

Understanding Iowa’s Current Texting and Driving Laws

Under the current laws that are in place, it is illegal to write/ send a text message while driving in Iowa. Officials have been trying for several years to implement a full out ban on the handheld use of these devices while driving.

Governor Kim Reynolds Signs Hands-Free Law

On Wednesday, April 2nd Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed into law a new hands free phone bill.

Iowa's New Hands-Free Law: What You Need to Know

This new piece of legislation will ban the usage of cellphones and other electronic devices while driving unless they are in hands free mode, according to reports.

What Devices Are Covered by the New Law?

The official definition of an "electronic device" according to this new law is any device that is "powered by electricity, including by a battery, and that is capable of being used to compose, send, receive, or read an electronic message, or that is capable of storing, retrieving on- demand, or displaying videos, movies, broadcast television images, visual images, or audio or video data files."

Examples of Electronic Devices Under Iowa’s New Law

This includes a cell phone (obviously), personal digital assistant, portable or mobile computer like a tablet or "two way messaging device," gaming device, or "any substantially similar portable device that is used to initiate, store, or receive electronic communication, information, or data."

When Will the New Law Go into Effect in Iowa?

While you should never drive distracted, you do still have some time to get acquainted with this new ban. According to reports, this new rule of thumb will not go into effect until July 1st, 2025.

Iowa Hands-Free Law Grace Period: What You Need to Know

For the following six months, law enforcement will hand out warning tickets to drivers that they catch doing this. However, starting on January 1st, 2026 the law will officially be enforced and the fine will be $100.

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