Phone bans in German schools 2026: what each federal state requires and where pupils' phones are kept during the day
Eight of Germany's federal states have now restricted private mobile phone use in schools by legislation or ministerial decree, while others require their schools to draw up a phone policy of their own. That leaves school principals with a practical problem: where are the devices to be kept during the school day? This article summarises where the rules stand and compares the usual storage options.
Where the rules stand (sources up to June 2026)
Based on an overview published by the Evangelical Press Service (Evangelischer Pressedienst, epd) on 7 April 2026, phone bans are in force in eight federal states:
| Federal state | Rule |
|---|---|
| Bavaria | since 2022 in primary schools and the primary stages of special schools; from 2026 in year 7 as well |
| Thuringia | since August 2024 as a general rule in all school types, with exceptions in individual cases at the teacher's discretion |
| Schleswig-Holstein | since 2023/24 in primary schools, since 2025/26 up to senior cycle level; from year 10 on the pupils' own responsibility |
| Hesse | since 2025/26 in all school types, with exceptions for senior cycle, lessons, medical purposes and emergencies |
| Bremen | primary schools and junior cycle level, devices stay switched off in the bag, applies to smartwatches as well |
| Brandenburg | since 2025/26 in primary and special schools (years 1 to 6) |
| Saxony | since 1 February 2026 in primary schools, extension to years 5 to 8 agreed |
| Saarland | since August 2025 in primary schools |
Baden-Württemberg and North Rhine-Westphalia require their schools to set a binding phone policy through the school conference. Berlin, Hamburg and Lower Saxony leave the matter to each individual school.
Sources: epd, 7 April 2026 (evangelisch.de); lehrer-online.de, overview of the state rules, as of 14 June 2026. For any given school, the wording of the relevant state decree is what applies.
The ban is settled, the storage is not
A ban only states that the device may not be used. It says nothing about where it is to be kept. The Hessian Ministry of Education explains that schools may "take devices in, as a rule until the end of lessons", so that pupils have them again for the way home. This is exactly where the school's work starts: who collects them, who carries the liability, where can 25 smartphones be kept safely for six hours?
Three models have established themselves in practice, and a fourth leaves the responsibility with the pupils themselves.
Four options compared
1. The phone stays in the school bag. Costs nothing, but is only as effective as the supervision. The phone is within reach, the temptation stays, and if it is stolen from the bag there is no clear line of responsibility.
2. Lockable magnetic pouches. Every device is placed in a pouch that is sealed at the door in the morning and released at a magnetic station in the afternoon. The pupil keeps the device but cannot use it. Drawbacks: a recurring cost for each pouch, queues on the way in and out, and the pouch gives no protection against loss or damage.
3. Collection by the teacher. A box or a phone cabinet in the classroom or the school office. Simple and cheap, but in practice the teacher is liable for 25 devices, each hand-back eats into lesson time, and an open box offers no protection against unauthorised access.
4. Lockable individual compartments with a personal code. Each pupil locks their own device into a steel compartment and chooses a personal PIN for it. In the mode for changing users, the compartment is free for the next pupil once opened. Nobody collects phones, nobody looks after keys, and the responsibility rests with the pupil without the school needing to police them.
What does not qualify: signal jammers. They are prohibited in Germany and their use is a criminal offence.
What school boards should check in individual compartments
- Steel, not plastic. A compartment made of 2 mm hardened steel and enclosed on all sides is more resistant to levering tools; a break-in attempt takes considerably more force, time and tools.
- A code that needs no administration. A PIN code lock that can be switched between changing and fixed users saves the school from managing keys. A fake-PIN function makes it harder for others to observe the code.
- Permanent fixing. Three wall fixing points, with anchor bolts and screws included in the delivery. Free-standing compartments tend to disappear.
- Weather resistance. A lock rated to IP65 is protected against water and dust, so it suits indoor spaces and sheltered outdoor areas.
- Size. A compartment of 200 × 134 × 70 mm takes a smartphone, keys and small valuables.
The WardHub by DiaDorn is one such individual compartment: 2 mm hardened steel, electronic PIN code lock rated to IP65 with fake PIN, switchable between changing and fixed users, three fixing points, insurable up to around 1,500 euros. For a class, the compartments are fitted side by side on the wall.
Recommended approach
- Read the decree, agree a phone policy. Even in states with legislation, it is the school conference that sets out how collection, storage and return are handled.
- Settle the question of liability. Whoever takes in the device is responsible for keeping it safe. Individual compartments with a personal code move that responsibility back to the pupil; the phone policy should say so.
- Begin on a small scale. One class, one half-year, then review: how many devices are handed in, how often something goes wrong, what parents think.
- Involve the parents. In an emergency, contact goes through the school office rather than the child's phone. That answers most objections.
Summary
In 2026 the rules are clear in most of the federal states, but storage often is not. Magnetic pouches and collection by teachers both work, yet they cost time or recurring fees and leave the liability with the school. Lockable individual compartments with a personal code are a one-off purchase, need no key management and put the responsibility where the ban places it anyway: with the pupils. If you have questions about how many compartments a class needs or about fitting them, we are happy to help.
