Can I hold my phone while driving?
No — the phone may not be in your hand; only hands-free is allowed. The Road Traffic Act says a driver may not hold in the hand, or otherwise operate, a telephone or other telecommunications, audiovisual or similar device while driving — with the sole exception of a "hands-free" system. It does not matter whether you are moving: the ban applies while you are stuck in traffic or waiting at a red light, because you are still driving the vehicle. Nor is it only about calls — texting, scrolling a map and skipping a track with the phone in your hand are all caught. From 1 September 2026 the offence is reclassified as a serious breach and the fines go up.
📋 The rules
- A phone in the hand while driving is banned
- Only a "hands-free" system is permitted
- The ban applies in traffic and at a red light
- It is not only calls — texts and maps too
- From 1 Sep 2026: a serious breach, higher fines
🔓 Exceptions
- Hands-free through the car speakers or a cradle is permitted
- A phone in a cradle as a satnav is fine, provided you do not operate it in your hand
- From September 2026 the offence also enters the objective-liability regime
⚠️ Penalties & fines
From 1 September 2026 this gets considerably more expensive. Holding and operating a phone without a "hands-free" system is reclassified as a serious breach of the traffic rules. The upper limit of the on-the-spot fine rises from €100 to €150, and in administrative proceedings from €200 to €300. And that is not all: the offence will also carry a possible ban on the activity — that is, a driving ban — and it will count towards the three serious offences in 12 months that cost you your licence. It is also to be brought into the objective-liability regime, so the fine can arrive without any patrol ever stopping you.
📎 Official sources
- Slov-Lex · Road Traffic Act (8/2009) →
- Ministry of the Interior · Police →
- National Council · Road Traffic Act amendment →
❓ Frequently asked
Can I take calls hands-free?
Yes. A "hands-free" system is the single exception to the ban — through the car speakers, an earpiece, or a phone in a cradle. What matters is that you neither hold the device in your hand nor otherwise operate it while driving.
Can I pick up the phone in a traffic jam?
No. The ban applies while you are driving the vehicle, and that includes sitting in a queue or waiting at a red light. You are still in charge of the vehicle even when it is not moving, and a patrol will treat it that way.
What is the fine?
From 1 September 2026 the on-the-spot maximum rises from €100 to €150 and the administrative maximum from €200 to €300. A ban on the activity — a driving ban — also becomes available for this offence.
What are the "three serious offences"?
Commit three serious breaches of the traffic rules within 12 months and you lose your driving licence. The phone at the wheel is now to be counted among them, which makes it a far riskier offence than it has been.
Can a fine arrive without being stopped?
Yes — the offence is to be brought into the regime of objective liability of the registered keeper. That means a fine can be imposed on the basis of a recording, without a patrol stopping you on the spot and identifying the driver.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “phone at the wheel fine slovakia”
- “using a phone while driving slovakia law”
- “hands free requirement slovakia”
- “phone in a traffic jam fine”
- “road traffic act amendment september 2026”
- “three serious offences driving licence”