Phone free schools in Australia: the rules in every state and territory
Every Australian state and territory now restricts phones in government schools. Here’s what each one requires, what “phone free” means in practice, and how schools make it work every day.
What “phone free” means in practice
Most Australian policies don’t stop students bringing a phone to school. They require phones to be switched off and out of sight for the school day, often called “off and away” or “away for the day”, with exceptions for students who need a device for a health condition or another approved reason. Newer policies also cover smartwatches, earbuds and other connected devices.
Government school rules are set by each state and territory. Catholic and independent schools generally set their own policies, except in Victoria, where every school must restrict devices from 28 January 2027.
School phone rules by state and territory
| State or territory | Government school rule (summary) |
|---|---|
| New South Wales | Public primary schools since 2020. Public high schools “off and away” bell to bell, including breaks, from Term 4, 2023. |
| Victoria | Government schools since Term 1, 2020. From 28 January 2027 every school, including Catholic and independent schools, must restrict phones, wearables and personal audio devices. Read our Victoria guide. |
| Queensland | “Away for the day” in all state schools from Term 1, 2024, including breaks, camps and excursions. Smartwatch notifications must be off. |
| South Australia | Public high schools: phones off while school is on, phased in from Term 1, 2023 and in place across all public high schools by Term 3, 2023. |
| Western Australia | “Off and away all day” in public schools from Term 1, 2020. Kindergarten to Year 6 students may not have phones with them; Years 7 to 12 keep them off and out of sight. Smartwatches and earbuds are covered too. |
| Tasmania | “Off and away all day” in government schools, Kindergarten to Year 12, from Term 2, 2020. |
| ACT | Public schools from Term 1, 2024: phones restricted during the school day for Kindergarten to Year 10; Years 11 and 12 silenced and put away in class. |
| Northern Territory | From Term 1, 2026: preschool to Year 6 may not have phones or smartwatches with them; Years 7 to 12 keep phones off and put away all day, with smartwatches in flight mode. |
Rules change and schools may add their own requirements. Check your department or sector guidance for the latest detail.
Why schools are going phone free
Schools usually point to fewer distractions in class, more face to face time at breaks and fewer incidents that start online. In Victoria, the Education Minister has said an independent evaluation of the government school ban found students were more focused in class and more social during breaks, and schools reported fewer critical incidents involving phones.
Making a phone free policy work
Writing the rule is the easy part. The hard part is applying it the same way in every class, every day. Schools generally choose between phones off in bags, collecting phones in lockers or at the office, or lockable pouches that students keep with them. See phone lockers vs phone pouches for a side by side comparison.
- Decide which devices are covered, including smartwatches and earbuds.
- Write clear exceptions for health conditions and approved access.
- Pick one routine every teacher can apply the same way.
- Plan how families reach students in an emergency (through the office).
- Decide how you’ll handle hotspotting from phones that are put away.
PhoneLock gives schools one visible routine: PhoneLock Secure pouches, PhoneLock Access pouches, unlocking stations and release tools, with no app, charging or subscription.
See PhoneLock pouches Request the sample pack
Questions
Are phones banned in all Australian schools?
Every state and territory restricts phones in government schools. Catholic and independent schools generally set their own policies, except in Victoria, where all schools must restrict devices from 28 January 2027.
Can students still bring a phone to school?
In most states, yes. Policies usually require phones to be switched off and put away for the school day, so students can still use them travelling to and from school. Some states don’t allow younger primary students to keep phones with them.
Do school phone bans include smartwatches?
Increasingly, yes. Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory include smartwatches, and Victoria’s 2027 law covers wearables and personal audio devices such as earbuds.
What is the best way to enforce a school phone ban?
The most reliable approach is one simple routine applied the same way everywhere. Lockable pouches let students keep their phone while it stays locked until staff open it.
Sources
This guide summarises public information as at October 2026. Check the latest official advice for your school.
- NSW Government: mobile phone ban in public high schools
- Victorian Government: no more phones in non government schools
- Queensland Government statement: away for the day
- SA Government: phones off when school’s on
- Tasmanian Department for Education: use of mobile phones by students policy
- ACT Government: new policy on mobile phones in schools
- NT Department of Education and Training: mobile phone and personal digital device policy
- ABC News: Victorian device ban extended (April 2026)
Try it before you roll it out
Request free samples of our cases and headphones, or the PhoneLock Sample Pack, or call us to talk through your rollout.