It is legal to have a radar detector if your state permits it. The legality of radar detectors has evolved and has become one of the most important issues for motorists. The possession, operation, or marketing of any of these devices in a state where it is illegal will warrant strict penalties, including up to $50,000 and jail time. Is it legal to have a radar detector in your state? Keep reading to find out.
The legality of radar detectors varies per state and country. In America and Canada, both radar detectors are considered legal with a few exemptions. However, both radar detectors and laserjammers are totally illegal in countries such as Belgium, Brazil, and Australia. Car owners are buying radar detectors and laser jammers according to their legality in their states.
Using any of these in a state where it is considered illegal comes with a penalty. So be sure to check out the list of states and their legal status before purchasing a radar detector or laser jammer.
Table of Contents
How Do Radar Detectors Work?
Radar detectors use an inbuilt receiver to detect the wavelengths of radar guns within a specific range and alert the driver to adjust their speed accordingly. A radar gun emits a radio wave that bounces back to the radar gun. The police officer can determine if you’re going above the speed limit by simply checking the data on the radar gun.
Radar detectors have evolved to resist advanced radars. For example, most advanced radar detectors are equipped to detect lasers and immune to radar detector detectors.
It should, however, be noted that radar detectors are not 100% perfect and efficient because of factors such as false alerts, and 360 protection. While brands such as Escort have 360 protection, most brands only offer protection to 1 angle. K40 Platinum Radar detector Is Also used worldwide.
Advanced radar detectors also feature an inbuilt GPS that allows drivers to tag areas with high alerts and red light camera sightings. This could also be used to enhance your navigation system.
The Legality Of Radar Detectors And Radar Lasers According To the Various States In The United States.
The laws on possession, operation, and marketing of radar detectors are varied and defy by state and country. The following are states in the United States and their legality of radar detectors and jammers. We included data from other countries such as Canada and Mexico.
United States:
| STATE | LEGAL STATUS OF RADAR DETECTOR | LEGAL STATUS OF RADAR AND LASER JAMMING |
| Alabama | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to Federal law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| Alaska | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. L | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| Arizona | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| Arkansas | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| California | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Both laser and radar jammers are illegal. California also prohibits the mounting of radar detectors on the windshield for safety. |
| Colorado | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Both laser and radar jammers are illegal according to state and federal laws. |
| Connecticut | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| Delaware | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| Florida | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| Georgia | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| Hawaii | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| Idaho | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| Illinois | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in all commercial vehicles according to State law. | Both Laser and radar jammers are also illegal according to both state and federal laws. |
| Indiana | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| Iowa | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| Kansas | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| Kentucky | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| Louisiana | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| Maine | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| Maryland | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| Massachusetts | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| Michigan | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| Minnesota | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in all commercial vehicles according to State law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| Mississippi | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| Missouri | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| Montana | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| Nebraska | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in all commercial vehicles according to State law. | Both laser and radar jammers are illegal according to state and federal laws. |
| Nevada | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| New Hampshire | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| New Jersey | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in all commercial vehicles according to state law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| New Mexico | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| New York | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in all commercial vehicles according to state law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| North Carolina | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| North Dakota | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| Ohio | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| Oklahoma | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Both laser and radar jammers are illegal according to state and federal laws. |
| Oregon | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| Pennsylvania | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| Rhode Island | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| South Carolina | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Both laser and radar jammers are illegal according to state and federal laws. |
| South Dakota | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| Tennessee | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Both laser and radar jammers are illegal according to state and federal laws. |
| Texas | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Both laser and radar jammers are illegal according to state and federal laws. |
| Utah | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Both laser and radar jammers are illegal according to state and federal laws. |
| Vermont | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| Virginia | Radar detectors are illegal for both private vehicles and commercial vehicles according to state law. The distribution, usage, or marketing of radar detectors in California will attract a penalty. | Radar jammers and laser jammers are both illegal according to state law. |
| Washington | Radar detectors are illegal for both private vehicles and commercial vehicles according to state law. The distribution, usage, or marketing of radar detectors in Washington will attract a penalty. | Radar jammers and laser jammers are both illegal according to state law. |
| West Virginia | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| Wisconsin | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
| Wyoming | Radar Detectors are legal for private vehicles but illegal in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds according to federal law. | Laser jammers are legal but radar jammers remain illegal according to federal law. |
Legality In Other Countries
The legality of radar detectors in Canada is similar to that of the United States, however, Canada has fewer states where using a radar detector is legal, unlike the United States where using a radar detector is legal in 48 states, except Washington, D.C, and Virginia.
In Canada, It is legal in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia, and illegal in New Brunswick, Northwest Territories, Newfoundland, and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Prince Edward Island, Ontario, Manitoba, and Quebec.
While the legality of radar detectors is divided along state lines in the United and Canada, other countries are binding by federal laws.
For example, detectors are legal but Jammers illegal in countries such as Bulgaria, China, Czech Republic, Israel, and Russia.
It Is also legal to own a radar detector but not use it in a moving vehicle in Slovakia, Germany, Latvia, and Poland, and outright illegal in France, Vietnam, Turkey, UAE, Switzerland, Singapore, Serbia, Saudi Arabia, Portugal, Norway, Netherlands, North Korea, Malaysia, Jordan, Italy, Ireland, India, Honduras, Greece, Finland Estonia, Egypt, Cuba, Croatia, Brazil, Belgium, and Australia.
It is imperative to know the legality of radar detectors before using them in a different country or state. While some countries have lenient penalties, others are more stringent.
Can Law Enforcement Know That You’re Using A Radar Detector
The VG-2 and Spectre Elite are devices created to detect active radar detectors. They are called Radar Detector detectors. The invention came as a necessity for States and countries with an illegal stance on Radar Detectors.
Radar Detector Detector works by detecting the emissions from the radiating oscillator in radar detectors. Its invention led to the apprehension of numerous speed violators but most especially, drivers using them in prohibited areas.
Technological advancement in radar detection technology has made the VG-2 obsolete as numerous advanced radar detectors are immune, while pricey models are also immune to the Spectre Elite.
Radar detectors are mostly legal in North America but have received push backs from several European countries. Nonetheless, it is still important to know the specific laws surrounding radar detectors and jamming devices before purchasing or distributing any of these devices.
Radar detectors are simply a precaution and not a device to aid escape the law while constantly overspeeding.
