Using a radar detector in a private passenger car is legal in any state except Virginia and Washington DC. Although it is 100% legal to use and own a radar detector in California, mounting a radar detector on your vehicle`s windshield is illegal and prohibited. You may actually end up with a ticket if you do. In answer to the question « Are radar detectors legal in California? », the answer is yes. However, do not mount them on the windshield. When questioning the legality of radar detectors in general, the answer is not a simple yes or no. As with any other law, the rules vary in different parts of the world. So, if you travel frequently from one country to another or even just from one state to another, you should do a little research. However, there are gray areas regarding laws in Virginia and the District of Columbia. Under Virginia law, it is acceptable to have a radar detector as long as it is inaccessible to the occupants of the vehicle and there is no power source. For example, if the device is out and in the trunk, you need to be clear. According to the Virginia pilot, you could face a fine of up to $250 for violating the law.
Police can also seize radar detectors on the spot if they arrest you. Radar detectors are legal in these states, with the exception of Virginia. Radar detectors are also banned for large trucks in some states such as Illinois and New York. Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Greece and Spain are some of the countries where drivers are not allowed to own and use radar detectors. For complete information, here is a short map that allows you to go through the different laws by country in Europe: When a police officer has a radar gun to detect the speed of cars on the road, he uses a phenomenon called the Doppler effect. When this happens, the frequency of radio waves changes depending on the movement of the car relative to the radar. If a vehicle moves towards the radar, the frequency increases. The frequency shift indicates the speed at which the vehicle moves.
Although a radar jammer is different from a radar detector, it is also useful to know the laws about it. This is mainly because the two devices are often used together to avoid tickets. But while a radar detector simply warns you when a speed gun is nearby, a radar jammer is designed to interfere with police radars and prevent them from detecting your current speed. Pro Tip: If you want to be absolutely on the safe side, many manufacturers offer a visor holder with which the radar detector can cling to the car`s sun visor. If you want to know everything about radar and laser detectors and how to install wired detector systems in cars, check out Kosilla`s full video below. Radar detectors can be used legally in British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. Radar detectors are legal in Illinois. However, laser jammers are not allowed. Similarly, radar detectors are not allowed in any commercial vehicle, even if it weighs less than 10,000 lbs. Radar detectors are legal in Nebraska. Laser jammers are illegal, as are any references to the Colorado Buffaloes (which hasn`t changed, although the Huskers are now in ben Ten).
So, if you plan to travel in these conditions, you need to keep your radar detector away from the windshield. Minnesota`s law is similar to California`s. You may have a radar detector, but it cannot be mounted on the windshield. If you live in Minnesota, save it on the dashboard instead to avoid a ticket. Keep in mind that laser jammers are illegal under state law and radar detectors are not allowed in a commercial vehicle, even if it is less than £10,000. In addition, radar and laser jammers are prohibited by Florida law and federal law. The state of Colorado legalizes the use of radar detectors on the road without exception for drivers and vehicles. Owners of private cars can use radar detectors. However, commercial vehicle drivers are prohibited from having radar detectors in their possession. Indeed, the owners of their own private cars are responsible for all the accidents they cause by accelerating when they dodge police radar detectors. So we answer the question: is it illegal to have a radar detector? In New Jersey, radar detectors are also legal everywhere, but not for commercial vehicles.
Drivers of commercial vehicles rely on the company, so their actions when using radar detectors are the responsibility of the company. That is why it has been made illegal for commercial vehicles. Radar jammers or jammers are illegal in all 50 states because they interfere with the broad uses of law enforcement to target fast vehicles, but they can even cause problems for planes. Federal law (section 333 of the Communications Act of 1934) describes radar jammers as « malicious interference » and even a first offense can result in heavy fines and jail time. So if you live outside of Washington and Virginia, you have the freedom to get on radar detectors without having to worry about officers and police officers confiscating your device or imposing a penalty on you.
