Finepost · Fines · Mobile phone

Six points in one go.

Since 25 March 2022 any hand-held use counts, scrolling, a photo, a playlist, and the fixed penalty is £200 with six points. Six points is exactly what revokes a licence held for under two years, so one offence puts a new driver back on a provisional. In court the ceiling is £1,000, or £2,500 for a lorry or bus, and unlike speeding there is no course that replaces the points.

The vehicle Car or motorcycle Goods over 3.5t or nine-plus seats

The driver Licence held for two years or more Passed the test within the last two years

The route Fixed penalty accepted Goes to court

Try:

Fixed penalty

gov.uk · reg 110 C&U Regs 1986 · s. 41D RTA 1988

In court

Sentencing Council, use of mobile telephone

Fixed penalty per gov.uk, £200 and six points since 1 March 2017; court figures per the Sentencing Council guideline, live page read 17 July 2026; any-use law in force since 25 March 2022. Checked 17 July 2026.

This states the published penalties; it does not judge a stop. The offence is holding and using the device, and since 25 March 2022 using means almost anything, illuminating the screen included. The published exceptions are narrow: a contactless payment in a stationary vehicle, parking the car remotely, and a 999 or 112 call where stopping would be unsafe. Hands-free stays legal, but a driver who is distracted can still face a careless-driving or not-in-proper-control charge on its own terms.