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An Overview of State Scanner Laws


  =========================================================================
           Mobile Scanners and Radar Detectors following states.       
              (For private vehicles, not commercial vehicles)
  (March 12, 1998)                          E-mail--> folson@advancenet.net
  =========================================================================
                         LEGAL      LEGAL      LEGAL-HAM  LEGAL-HAM-NOVICE
                         RADAR      MOBILE     MOBILE     MOBILE
  UNITED STATES          DETECTORS  SCANNERS   SCANNERS   SCANNERS
  ---------------------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
  ALABAMA..............  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........  
  ALASKA...............  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........  
  ARIZONA..............  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........  
  ARKANSAS.............  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........   
  CALIFORNIA...........  YES......  YES**....  YES**....  .........  
  COLORADO.............  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........  
  CONNECTICUT..........  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........  12/02/97
  DELAWARE.............  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........  
  DIST. OF COLUMBIA....  NO ......  NO ......  .......... .........  
  FLORIDA..............  YES......  NO ......  YES......  .........  
  GEORGIA..............  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........  
  HAWAII...............  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........  
  IDAHO................  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........  
  ILLINOIS.............  YES......  YES......  YES......  YES......  
  INDIANA..............  YES......  NO ......  YES......  .........  
  IOWA.................  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........  
  KANSAS...............  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........  
  KENTUCKY.............  YES......  NO........ YES......  YES......  05/16/96
  LOUISIANA............  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........  
  MAINE................  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........  
  MARYLAND.............  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........  
  MASSACHUSETTS........  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........  
  MICHIGAN.............  YES......  NO ......  YES......  NO.......
  MINNESOTA............  YES......  NO ......  YES......  .........  
  MISSISSIPPI..........  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........  
  MISSOURI.............  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........  
  MONTANA..............  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........  
  NEBRASKA.............  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........  
  NEVADA...............  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........  
  NEW HAMPSHIRE........  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........  
  NEW JERSEY...........  YES......  YES......  YES......  YES......  
  NEW MEXICO...........  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........  
  NEW YORK.............  NO....... *NO.......  YES......  .........  
  NORTH CAROLINA.......  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........  
  NORTH DAKOTA.........  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........  
  OHIO.................  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........  
  OKLAHOMA.............  YES...... *YES......  .........  .........  
  OREGON...............  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........  
  PENNSYLVANIA.........  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........  
  RHODE ISLAND.........  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........  
  SOUTH CAROLINA.......  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........  
  SOUTH DAKOTA.........  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........  
  TENNESSEE............  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........  
  TEXAS................  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........  
  UTAH.................  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........  
  VERMONT..............  YES...... *YES......  .........  .........  
  VIRGINIA.............  NO ......  YES......  YES......  .........  
  WASHINGTON...........  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........  
  WEST VIRGINIA........  YES...... *YES......  YES......  .........  
  WISCONSIN............  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........  
  WYOMING..............  YES......  YES......  YES......  .........  
                                               
 * Denotes that it might be controlled by local government. (permit needed)
**a 1944 Los Angeles County "Anti-Scanner" ordinance is still in effect, and 
was amended as recently as 1983.

See it at  http://www.snowcrest.net/marnells/lacountyord.htm
===========================================================================
Copyright 1994,1995,1996,1997,1998 by Fran Olson, WB9ULS

Do not repost this anywhere else,  unless that you contact the author
above for permission to do so.   Otherwise, this is for your personal
use only. 

This is compiled on heresay only. Check with your state police before
you travel with a radio capable of receiving police or emergency type
transmissions. 
 
NOTE: Some states won't allow Novice Class hams to have radios capable
of receiving police or emergency transmissions.
 
Some states and cities require that you have a special permit to have
receivers such as these in your vehicle.
 
There also are other laws banning receivers such as these in commercial
type vehicles. Again, check with your state police before you travel. 

 
Leave me a message if you know of any changes. folson@advancenet.net


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