Law on Scanners?

Hey guys, what is the law on mobile scanners in your car? And why is it illegal in some places?

 

It's legal in AZ...

 

Looks like its legal in SC...and only an issue in 12 states

http://www.ncsl.org/programs/transportation/radar.htm

 

Thanks, I was just curious cause it's something I want to invest in

 

I had a cheap handheld one in my truck in AZ. I used it to listen to the highway patrol on my way to work... It was pretty interesting... range on the thing sucked though...

 

I had to get a permit to take my scanner to michigan to go to the nascar races there a few years ago. It was the only state I had to do this and I have been to a lot of different tracks around the country.
The michigan state police have (at least back then) the authority to confiscate the scanner without the permit.

Many law enforcement agencies have switched to digitally encrypted transmissions making these scanners useless.

My mom used to work for a PD in Aurora and her and my Dad used to sit there for hours listening to calls; once the agency switched to the new technology, the radio went off not to be used again.

 

Oh wow I see how they could be useless then. But anyways what do you have to do to get a permit if you ever needed one?

 

I just sent in an application and I believe they run a quick background check and then sent me a cheap looking, type-written card. When I was at the races (this was in 2003), you realize that more than 100K people have these scanners with them, you can imagine that very few of these folks knew about the law let alone bothered to send in for a permit.

I did it out of couriosity more than anything.

 

thats called a "trunked" system.

and there are new scanner for these types of systems already available for mucho $$.

 

I had a card in my truck with all the codes on it -- plus a retired local cop for me to ask questions on what the codes & procedures were...

It was pretty neat... learned a lot of stuff...