State driving laws: all 50 states in one table

Every rule we track, for every state. Click a value for the details, or a state for its full guide to state driving laws.

Reading the table of state driving laws

Each row is one state and each column one topic: the highest speed limit, the phone law, the learner's permit age, minimum car insurance, the state car sales tax, inspection rules, the first deadline for new residents, the motorcycle helmet law and lane splitting. Colors match the national maps, so the strictest values stand out. Sort any column by clicking its heading.

A few numbers show how much state driving laws vary. 9 states post 80 mph or more, while 10 top out at 65 mph or less. 12 states use a no-fault insurance system. Teens can get a permit at 14 in 9 states and must wait until 16 in 8. Only 6 states allow motorcycles to ride between lanes in any form.

Which state driving laws matter most to you

Planning a road trip? Check the speed limit, phone law and, if you ride, the helmet and lane splitting columns for every state on your route. Moving? Look at the new-resident deadline, the insurance minimum and the inspection column for your new state. Buying a car? The car sales tax column shows the state rate, and the calculator adds local tax and your trade-in.

When state driving laws change

Most new state driving laws take effect on January 1 or July 1. When a state changes a rule, we update its row here, its state guide, the topic map and every comparison that includes it, and we change the review date shown at the bottom of each page. If you spot a rule that looks out of date, the contact page explains how to report it.

StateMax speed limitPhone lawLearner's permit ageCar insuranceCar sales taxCar inspectionNew resident deadlineHelmet lawLane splitting
Alabama 70 mph Hands-free law Permit at 15 25/50/25 2% No regular inspection 30 days All riders Not allowed
Alaska 65 mph Texting ban only Permit at 14 50/100/25 None No regular inspection 10 days Under 18 Not allowed
Arizona 75 mph Hands-free law Permit at 15 25/50/15 5.6% Emissions only Right away Under 18 Filtering only
Arkansas 75 mph Texting ban only Permit at 14 25/50/25 6.5% No regular inspection 30 days Under 21 Not allowed
California 70 mph Hands-free law Permit at 15 30/60/15 7.25% Emissions only 10 days All riders Lane splitting legal
Colorado 75 mph Hands-free law Permit at 15 25/50/15 2.9% Emissions only 30 days Under 18 Filtering only
Connecticut 65 mph Hands-free law Permit at 16 25/50/25 6.35% Emissions only 30 days Under 21 Not allowed
Delaware 65 mph Hands-free law Permit at 16 25/50/10 5.25% Safety + emissions 60 days Under 19 Not allowed
District of Columbia 55 mph Hands-free law Permit at 16 25/50/10 6% Emissions only 60 days All riders Not allowed
Florida 70 mph Texting ban only Permit at 15 PIP + 10k PD 6% No regular inspection 10 days Under 21 Not allowed
Georgia 70 mph Hands-free law Permit at 15 25/50/25 7% Emissions only 30 days All riders Not allowed
Hawaii 60 mph Hands-free law Permit at 15 40/80/20 4% Safety only 30 days Under 18 Not allowed
Idaho 80 mph Hands-free law Permit at 14 25/50/15 6% No regular inspection 30 days Under 18 Not allowed
Illinois 70 mph Hands-free law Permit at 15 25/50/20 6.25% Emissions only 30 days No helmet law Not allowed
Indiana 70 mph Hands-free law Permit at 15 25/50/25 7% Emissions only 60 days Under 18 Not allowed
Iowa 70 mph Hands-free law Permit at 14 20/40/15 5% No regular inspection 30 days No helmet law Not allowed
Kansas 75 mph Texting ban only Permit at 14 25/50/25 6.5% No regular inspection 90 days Under 18 Not allowed
Kentucky 70 mph Texting ban only Permit at 15 25/50/25 6% No regular inspection 15 days Under 21 Not allowed
Louisiana 75 mph Hands-free law Permit at 15 15/30/25 5% Safety + emissions 30 days All riders Not allowed
Maine 75 mph Hands-free law Permit at 15 50/100/25 5.5% Safety + emissions 30 days Under 18 Not allowed
Maryland 70 mph Hands-free law Permit at 15 30/60/15 6.5% Emissions only 60 days All riders Not allowed
Massachusetts 65 mph Hands-free law Permit at 16 25/50/30 6.25% Safety + emissions 30 days All riders Not allowed
Michigan 75 mph Hands-free law Permit at 14 50/100/10 6% No regular inspection Right away Under 21 Not allowed
Minnesota 70 mph Hands-free law Permit at 15 30/60/10 6.875% No regular inspection 60 days Under 18 Splitting with limits
Mississippi 70 mph Texting ban only Permit at 15 25/50/25 5% No regular inspection 30 days All riders Not allowed
Missouri 75 mph Hands-free law Permit at 15 25/50/25 4.225% Safety + emissions 30 days Under 26 Not allowed
Montana 80 mph No texting ban Permit at 14 25/50/20 None No regular inspection 60 days Under 18 Filtering only
Nebraska 75 mph Texting ban only Permit at 15 25/50/25 5.5% No regular inspection 30 days Under 21 Not allowed
Nevada 80 mph Hands-free law Permit at 15 25/50/20 6.85% Emissions only 30 days All riders Not allowed
New Hampshire 70 mph Hands-free law Permit at 15 25/50/25 None No regular inspection 60 days No helmet law Not allowed
New Jersey 65 mph Hands-free law Permit at 16 35/70/25 6.625% Emissions only 60 days All riders Not allowed
New Mexico 75 mph Texting ban only Permit at 15 25/50/10 4% Emissions only 30 days Under 18 Not allowed
New York 65 mph Hands-free law Permit at 16 25/50/10 4% Safety + emissions 30 days All riders Not allowed
North Carolina 70 mph Texting ban only Permit at 15 50/100/50 3% Safety + emissions 60 days All riders Not allowed
North Dakota 80 mph Texting ban only Permit at 14 25/50/25 5% No regular inspection 60 days Under 18 Not allowed
Ohio 70 mph Hands-free law Permit at 15 25/50/25 5.75% Emissions only 30 days Under 18 Not allowed
Oklahoma 80 mph Texting ban only Permit at 15 25/50/25 4.5% No regular inspection 30 days Under 18 Not allowed
Oregon 70 mph Hands-free law Permit at 15 25/50/20 0.5% Emissions only 30 days All riders Not allowed
Pennsylvania 70 mph Hands-free law Permit at 16 15/30/5 6% Safety + emissions 20 days Under 21 Not allowed
Rhode Island 65 mph Hands-free law Permit at 16 25/50/25 7% Safety + emissions 30 days Under 21 Not allowed
South Carolina 70 mph Hands-free law Permit at 15 25/50/25 5% No regular inspection 45 days Under 21 Not allowed
South Dakota 80 mph Texting ban only Permit at 14 25/50/25 4% No regular inspection 90 days Under 18 Not allowed
Tennessee 70 mph Hands-free law Permit at 15 25/50/25 7% No regular inspection 30 days All riders Not allowed
Texas 85 mph Texting ban only Permit at 15 30/60/25 6.25% Emissions only 30 days Under 21 Not allowed
Utah 80 mph Texting ban only Permit at 15 30/65/25 4.85% Emissions only Right away Under 21 Filtering only
Vermont 65 mph Hands-free law Permit at 15 25/50/10 6% Safety + emissions 60 days All riders Not allowed
Virginia 70 mph Hands-free law Permit at 15 50/100/25 4.15% Safety + emissions 30 days All riders Not allowed
Washington 70 mph Hands-free law Permit at 15 25/50/10 6.8% No regular inspection 30 days All riders Not allowed
West Virginia 70 mph Hands-free law Permit at 15 25/50/25 6% Safety only 30 days All riders Not allowed
Wisconsin 70 mph Texting ban only Permit at 15 25/50/10 5% Emissions only Right away Under 18 Not allowed
Wyoming 80 mph Texting ban only Permit at 15 25/50/20 4% No regular inspection Right away Under 18 Not allowed