Texas laws

[Warboar]

What are the laws on having your scanner mounted in your vehicle?

 

[texasemt13]

Don't speed, keep your eyes on the road and don't litter.

No problem with mounting the scanners in your vehicle *unless it blocks your field of vision* (which is the about the only law close to restricting anything in a vehicle except alcohol).

I have two mounts in my car.

 

[K5RYA]

Many people will tell you it's illegal to use expect in your home unless you are emergency personal, but I cannot find any definite law on this. Although it is illegal to have a scanner in the commission of a crime. What is a crime? Well as the above poster said if the cop wanted to they could consider speeding with a scanner to be use of a scanner in commission of a crime.

 

[BaLa]

Although it is illegal to have a scanner in the commission of a crime.

I think that's pretty much the same in all states.

 

[texasemt13]

Many people will tell you it's illegal to use expect in your home unless you are emergency personal, but I cannot find any definite law on this.

I have never heard this. I have plenty of LE friends who have said nothing about my scanner (know I carry it, know why I use it, know I hear them- even got a ticket with it in the cradle once). So "many" people might tell you it is illegal but many people also thought the world was flat.

You are fine. Carry it all you want.

 

[K5RYA]

I have never heard this. I have plenty of LE friends who have said nothing about my scanner (know I carry it, know why I use it, know I hear them- even got a ticket with it in the cradle once). So "many" people might tell you it is illegal but many people also thought the world was flat.

You are fine. Carry it all you want.

Yep. I will be good anyhow. Not only am I emergency services personal, but I am soon to be licensed radio operator as well.

 

[davidbond21]

Many people will tell you it's illegal to use expect in your home unless you are emergency personal, but I cannot find any definite law on this. Although it is illegal to have a scanner in the commission of a crime. What is a crime? Well as the above poster said if the cop wanted to they could consider speeding with a scanner to be use of a scanner in commission of a crime.

I've been pulled over before with a mounted scanner. Before the officer gets up to your vehicle, just turn it off. I don't think he even noticed it in my truck, and it was conspicuously in sight.

I don't think any but the most jackbooted cops are going to try and even attempt to get you for using your scanner in the commission of a crime(if crime=speeding). The much easier route is to just illegally confiscate your scanner, and by the time you've gone through the hoops to get it back, and surprise! They won't be able to find it in evidence(must've "disappeared") and you're SOL.

You're better off worrying your vehicle will be broken into because you have a nicely mounted scanner that is a pain in the butt for you to remove it out of sight but takes 10 seconds for a thief to literally rip out, damaging whatever he needs to get at it.

Also, "the illegal to use it except in your home unless you're emergency personnel" I think applies to South Dakota. They have some pretty draconian laws about that stuff, and I think Sioux Falls(or other large city) it is illegal for anyone to use a scanner anywhere within the city limits. There are multiple threads about this and people losing their scanners(wrongly) over in the SD forum.

 

[K5RYA]

You're better off worrying your vehicle will be broken into because you have a nicely mounted scanner that is a pain in the butt for you to remove it out of sight but takes 10 seconds for a thief to literally rip out, damaging whatever he needs to get at it.

No doubt. Wouldn't be the first time my truck had been broken into for nice electronics. I have a high end alarm with pager now and my pager is always with me and I am almost always in range of my truck.

 

[SCPD]

Don't speed, keep your eyes on the road and don't litter.

(and PLEASE use your ashtray) DON'T YOU MESS WITH TEXAS!

David Stark has a GREAT page with a link to US states with Scanner laws. While Texas doesn't have any including felons owning scanners. Other states have laws and they enforce them. But even in those states I do believe a valid FCC Radio Operators license will exempt you from prosecution and enforcement. from what I have read even a GMRS license is a acceptable license. Texas is debating legislation on banning all communications in the front seat except (thanks to the ARRL) for radio and FCC accepted radio communications equipment.

If you NOT a radio licensed person, Arkansas and Michigan and I believe NY will (or can) seize your scanner on the spot. (I think Arkansas applies to truck drivers with scanners)

 

[mikebennett]

Don't speed, keep your eyes on the road and don't litter.

(and PLEASE use your ashtray) DON'T YOU MESS WITH TEXAS!

David Stark has a GREAT page with a link to US states with Scanner laws. While Texas doesn't have any including felons owning scanners. Other states have laws and they enforce them. But even in those states I do believe a valid FCC Radio Operators license will exempt you from prosecution and enforcement. from what I have read even a GMRS license is a acceptable license. Texas is debating legislation on banning all communications in the front seat except (thanks to the ARRL) for radio and FCC accepted radio communications equipment.

If you NOT a radio licensed person, Arkansas and Michigan and I believe NY will (or can) seize your scanner on the spot. (I think Arkansas applies to truck drivers with scanners)

Hey Max that's the first I've heard about Arkansas. I've been driving through there once or twice a year the past seven years with antennas sticking out everywhere. My new vehicle now has a PSR-600 mounted on the dash. I better start carrying my ham license with me!

 

[SCPD]

State Scanner Laws

http://www.panix.com/~clay/scanning/Frequencies/handy-info/scan-law.txt

The link above is the listing below. there are more detailed pages online. it just takes time to find them.
=========================================================================
LEGAL LEGAL LEGAL-HAM
RADAR MOBILE MOBILE
UNITED STATES DETECTORS 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......
DELAWARE............. YES...... YES...... YES......
DIST. OF COLUMBIA.... NO ...... NO ...... NOT SURE
FLORIDA.............. YES...... NO ...... YES......
GEORGIA.............. YES...... YES...... YES......
HAWAII............... YES...... YES...... YES......
IDAHO................ YES...... YES...... YES......
ILLINOIS............. YES...... YES...... YES......
INDIANA.............. YES...... NO ...... YES......
IOWA................. YES...... YES...... YES......
KANSAS............... YES...... YES...... YES......
KENTUCKY............. YES...... NO ...... NOT SURE
LOUISIANA............ YES...... YES...... YES......
MAINE................ YES...... YES...... YES......
MARYLAND............. YES...... YES...... YES......
MASSACHUSETTS........ YES...... YES...... YES......
MICHIGAN............. YES...... NO ...... YES......
MINNESOTA............ YES...... NO ...... YES......
MISSISSIPPI.......... YES...... YES...... YES......
MISSOURI............. YES...... YES...... YES......
MONTANA.............. YES...... YES...... YES......
NEBRASKA............. YES...... Y/N**.... NOT SURE
NEW YORK............. YES...... YES...... YES......
NEVADA............... YES...... YES...... YES......
NEW HAMPSHIRE........ YES...... YES...... YES......
NEW JERSEY........... YES...... YES...... YES......
NEW MEXICO........... YES...... YES...... YES......
NEW YORK............. YES...... NO ...... NOT SURE
NORTH CAROLINA....... YES...... YES...... YES......
NORTH DAKOTA......... YES...... YES...... YES......
OHIO................. YES...... YES...... YES......
OKLAHOMA............. YES...... Y/N**.... NOT SURE
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...... Y/N**.... NOT SURE
VIRGINIA............. NO ...... YES...... YES......
WASHINGTON........... YES...... YES...... YES......
WEST VIRGINIA........ YES...... Y/N**.... YES......
WISCONSIN............ YES...... YES...... YES......
WYOMING.............. YES...... YES...... YES......

================================================================================
Now here is the Best one: http://www.afn.org/~afn09444/scanlaws/scanner5.html
But I just read the Michigan is repealing their law except when used in commission of a crime.

So looks like I was wrong on Arkansas, Mike. Have fun scanning ASP!