FAQ: Florida's Scanner Law

[IMPRES2]

and I quote

unless you are a licensed ham.

Here is an excerpt from the Statue in question:

(3) This section does not apply to the following:
(a) Any holder of a valid amateur radio operator or STATION LICENSE issued by the Federal Communications Commission.
(b) Any recognized newspaper or news publication engaged in covering the news on a full-time basis.
(c) Any alarm system contractor certified pursuant to part II of chapter 489, operating a central monitoring system.
(d) Any sworn law enforcement officer as defined in § 943.10 or emergency service employee as defined in § 496.404 while using personal transportation to and from work.
(e) An employee of a government agency that holds a valid Federal Communications Commission station license or that has a valid agreement or contract allowing access to another agency’s radio station.

A station license is the callsign (license) the FCC attaches to your FRN when you license frequencies.

 

[HudsonScannerGuy]

Ive been to florida multiple times, had no incident with law enforcement with walking around in public with a scanner. I dont think they care.

 

[AlphaFive]

Scanner

25 years and one day as a Florida L.E.O. Trust me when I tell you this NO ONE CARES, except the people who own the radios. The only way anyone would ever face a penalty for something like that would be to spend a day being a complete maniac in your community, then doing something incredibly stupid to an L.E.O. that qualifies as nuts. Then at that point some Officer might take the time to flip through Dade Book pages and locate something regarding scanners. There is a complete misconception regarding what is written as legislation, and what is actually enforced. That is for another discussion....

 

[ElroyJetson]

Since the law says "OR station license" then ANY station license issued by the FCC qualifies as per the letter of the law.

While the original intent was for the license to be an AMATEUR radio license only, that OR opens the door to the holder of any FCC station license issued in any radio service.

In the most practical sense, who's going to know? And nobody cares. Just don't go chasing fire or police calls.

I use mine to AVOID trouble spots. If there's an "interesting" scene near me, I want to get no closer to it than the radio.

 

[KC4RAF]

I've been down here over 40+ years and have never been questioned by LEOs about my scanner. That was before I became a licensed amateur operator. If you're not committing a crime or bringing attention to your self, they don't care.
If you should be stopped, just turn the scanner OFF and cover with something. But if you're licensed, don't worry about it.
What AlphaFive posted is pretty accurate.

 

[wbswetnam]

I use mine to AVOID trouble spots. If there's an "interesting" scene near me, I want to get no closer to it than the radio.

Same with me. Many is the time that I heard of an accident on the interstate ahead of me, and I took a quick detour several exits ahead of it and avoided the scene entirely.

 

[KK4JUG]

HunterScannerGuy, no one cares.

 

[N4KVE]

My friend was pulled over for speeding in Ft. Myers. When the cop saw his scanner, it was confiscated. He had to go to court to get it back, but he has since become a ham. You never know the mood of the cop pulling you over. Maybe his wife hasn't been as amorous as he would like, & as a result, your scanner is gone. Now while you'll probably get it back, your trip will be over, & you'll be back in Mass. Is it worth it to drive back to Florida for your scanner? By listening to the radio lately, I can tell you it's very easy to get a ham radio license. Just do it.

 

[KK4JUG]

Perhaps I don't understand the scanner addiction as I should but you don't get a ham license so you can have a scanner in your car.. You get a scanner because you have a ham license. The privilege could be abused to the point that they will discontinue the ham exemption.

 

[N4KVE]

Some people like to listen to LE all the time. There's a term for that, but I forget. I get bored listening to cops running tag numbers very quickly, & only listen when the chopper is over the house. Some people make a living doing this, getting to the story before reporters, & selling their story to the TV stations. I believe these people are called stringers. The reason we were granted the right to listen to the cops was because our UHF, & VHF ham radios were able to listen to the police on UHF, & VHF freq's. But since most LE Comms are on 800 trunking analog, & digital, this no longer applies. But we still have laws saying we can't buy beer on Sunday mornings. This law dates back hundreds of years to get people to go to church sober. But when I read the little saying at the bottom of the OP, "We're on our way Rampart" I just remembered the term "scanner whacker". But everyone has their hobby.

 

[BBFFTomM]

The scanner law states scanners may not be installed in a vehicle (unless a licenced FCC amature radio holder) handheld scanners are not regulated. If a scanner is used during the commission of a crime that crime is "enhanced" by the court to the higher level of sentencing guideline. The scanner use is only a misdemeanor in such a case.

I have had to school several officers on this point. I printed out the statute and carry it with me. One officer actually broke my scanner in lieu of arresting me!

See FS 843.16 Obstructing Justice
Statutes & Constitution :View Statutes : Online Sunshine

 

[TangoFox]

I've arrested one person for this in my career, and that was someone who was using a scanner while his buddy committed burglaries.

If you're really worried about it, go get your HAM license, you guys know the answers anyways.

 

[HudsonScannerGuy]

Does this apply if your a pedestrian walking around, say, Disney world area? The sherriffs there dont seem to care, i only got harrassed by one that mustve been low on quota..

 

[HudsonScannerGuy]

Ah, I saw that post, but I still wonder if its illegal to even possess one just walking around say Disney area, most of the sherriffs dont seem to mind, the occasional one will ask me about it but doesnt really do anything.. I think this "law" is ONLY for VEHICLES..

 

[HudsonScannerGuy]

Some people like to listen to LE all the time. There's a term for that, but I forget. I get bored listening to cops running tag numbers very quickly, & only listen when the chopper is over the house. Some people make a living doing this, getting to the story before reporters, & selling their story to the TV stations. I believe these people are called stringers. The reason we were granted the right to listen to the cops was because our UHF, & VHF ham radios were able to listen to the police on UHF, & VHF freq's. But since most LE Comms are on 800 trunking analog, & digital, this no longer applies. But we still have laws saying we can't buy beer on Sunday mornings. This law dates back hundreds of years to get people to go to church sober. But when I read the little saying at the bottom of the OP, "We're on our way Rampart" I just remembered the term "scanner whacker". But everyone has their hobby.

Emergency! was my favorite show on Netflix.. then it disappeared... loved that show..

 

[SCPD]

Like any law and leo, depends who it is, their mood, and if they want to press the issue if a law exists on the books. While 10 may not think about it care to bother with it one may if that leo wants the paper work and court time. Goes for any law out there.

 

[KK4JUG]

Like any law and leo, depends who it is, their mood, and if they want to press the issue if a law exists on the books. While 10 may not think about it care to bother with it one may if that leo wants the paper work and court time. Goes for any law out there.

Yep, that's pretty much the way it is. Furthermore, if you really upset the cop, he/she will go looking for things to pencil-whip you with.

In reality, not all are like that but many are.

 

[Rred]

Hudson, the law concerns equipment in motor vehicles.

Unless you are walking around Disneyworld with a Chevy in your pocket, it does not concern you.

Further, Disneyworld very aggressively defends its status as PRIVATE PROPERTY. If you see a uniformed cop in Disneyworld, it is very possible that they are off-duty working as private security ( a common thing in most states, they are allowed to wear their uniforms while working privately) and as such they would not be tasked, or able, to attend to violations of administrative codes beyond what their employer had hired them to do. Criminal codes, sure, but not the whole range of laws.

In case you've never noticed, cops who are working privately, or even working on their paid duty shifts, rarely give out tickets for littering, either. Disneyworld?? Is a nation of its own, just ask Walt.[sic]

 

[HudsonScannerGuy]

Ok then Also the disney security doesnt have plainclothes security (Or do they? I dont know...)

 

[superdeez]

Aviation receiver in vehicle in Florida

Given the Florida mobile scanner laws, do you think an aviation band receiver in an automobile would be legal in Florida? Any airband receiver/transceiver wouldn't pick up any law enforcement frequencies, it wouldn't be able to. What is everyone's opinion about this?