Are Radar Detectors Legal? State-by-State Law Guide
Are radar detectors legal? Yes in passenger cars in 49 states, but not in Virginia, DC or any commercial vehicle over 10,000 lbs. Each rule statute-cited.
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Yes. Radar detectors are legal in passenger vehicles in 49 states. The exceptions are Virginia, under Va. Code § 46.2-1079, and Washington D.C., under 18 DCMR § 736. They’re illegal in every commercial vehicle over 10,000 lbs nationwide under federal rule 49 CFR 392.71, and many states restrict windshield mounting.
Every legal statement on this page comes from our statute-cited table of all 50 states and D.C., which links each rule to its source. Look up your state below, or jump to the radar detector laws by state tool for the full table. This is general information, not legal advice; laws change, so follow the source links for the current text.
Are radar detectors legal in the US?
In passenger cars, almost everywhere. No federal law bans radar detectors in private vehicles, and 49 of the 50 states leave passenger cars alone. A radar detector is a passive receiver: it listens for police radar and laser and doesn’t deliberately transmit anything, which is the legal distinction that keeps it allowed where jammers aren’t.
Three layers decide whether your detector is legal on a given trip:
| Layer | What it covers | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Outright bans | Using or equipping a passenger car with a detector | Virginia and D.C. |
| Commercial-vehicle bans | Detectors in trucks and buses over 10,000 lbs | All 50 states (federal), plus extra state statutes in IL, NY and OK |
| Windshield-obstruction laws | Anything mounted where it blocks the driver’s view | Most states, with very different wording |
Where are radar detectors illegal?
Two jurisdictions ban them in passenger vehicles:
| State | Passenger vehicles | Commercial (10,001+ lbs) | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | illegal | illegal | 18 DCMR § 736 bans selling radar detectors in the District and using or possessing one in an automobile there, with an exemption only for U.S. Armed Forces vehicles. Source |
| Virginia | illegal | illegal | Va. Code § 46.2-1079 prohibits operating a vehicle equipped with, using, or selling any device that detects or interferes with police radar or laser speed measurement, except a device with no power source that is not readily accessible to the driver or passengers. Source |
Virginia. Va. Code § 46.2-1079 makes it unlawful to operate a vehicle on Virginia highways equipped with a device that detects, interferes with or diminishes the accuracy of police radar, laser or similar speed-measuring equipment, and unlawful to sell one in the state. Having one in the car is prima facie evidence of a violation.
There’s one exception that matters to travellers: you’re not guilty if the device had no power source and wasn’t readily accessible to the driver or any passenger. In practice, that means unplugged and stowed out of reach, such as in the trunk, before you cross the state line. Note that the exception covers passengers too: a detector a passenger is holding or has plugged in doesn’t qualify, because the statute requires that it not be readily accessible to the driver or any passenger.
Washington D.C. 18 DCMR § 736 goes further than Virginia: it bans selling a radar detector in the District and using or possessing one in an automobile there. The only exemption is for U.S. Armed Forces vehicles. If you commute into D.C. from Maryland, where detectors are legal, the detector has to come out of the car, not just off the windshield.
Are radar detectors legal in commercial vehicles?
No, anywhere in the US. Federal rule 49 CFR 392.71 says no driver shall use a radar detector in a commercial motor vehicle or operate a commercial motor vehicle equipped with or containing one, and no motor carrier shall require or permit it.
The weight line comes from the definitions in 49 CFR 390.5: a commercial motor vehicle includes one with a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating of 10,001 lbs or more. The same section defines a radar detector broadly, as any device that detects the radio microwaves or laser beams enforcement uses to measure speed. That’s why our table shows commercial use as illegal in every row.
Three states add their own statutes on top:
| State | Passenger vehicles | Commercial (10,001+ lbs) | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | legal | illegal | Radar detectors are legal in passenger vehicles, but 625 ILCS 5/12-714 bans them in commercial motor vehicles unless switched off and locked in an opaque container or kept outside the passenger compartment, and 625 ILCS 5/12-503(c-5) bars objects placed between the driver and windshield that materially obstruct the driver's view. Source |
| New York | legal | illegal | Radar detectors are legal in passenger vehicles, but VTL § 397-a bans them in vehicles over 18,000 lbs GVWR and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs, and VTL § 375(30) bars objects placed or hung in a vehicle that obstruct the driver's view through the windshield. Source |
| Oklahoma | legal | illegal | Radar detectors are legal in passenger vehicles, but 47 O.S. § 11-808.1 bans possessing, using or installing them in commercial motor vehicles, and 47 O.S. § 12-404 bars material or suspended objects that materially obstruct the driver's view through the windshield. Source |
- Illinois (625 ILCS 5/12-714) bans detectors in commercial motor vehicles unless switched off and locked in an opaque container or kept outside the passenger compartment.
- New York (VTL § 397-a) bans them in vehicles over 18,000 lbs GVWR as well as commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs.
- Oklahoma (47 O.S. § 11-808.1) bans possessing, using or installing them in commercial motor vehicles.
A heavy pickup or motorhome isn’t automatically a “commercial motor vehicle”; that depends on its rating and use under the federal definitions. If you drive anything near 10,000 lbs for work, read 390.5 or ask your carrier before you mount a detector.
Can you mount a detector on the windshield?
This is the rule most drivers overlook. A detector can be perfectly legal to own and use while its windshield mount isn’t. Most states have a windshield-obstruction law, and our table summarises each one. They fall into rough groups:
| Approach | Example states (statute) | What it means for a detector |
|---|---|---|
| Specific corner zones | California (§ 26708) and Arizona (§ 28-959.01): 7-inch square lower passenger side, 5-inch square lower driver side; Hawaii (§ 291-21.5) similar; Nevada (§ 484D.435) 6-inch square lower corner farthest from driver; Indiana (§ 9-19-19-3) 4-inch square | A windshield detector must fit those zones, which most suction mounts high on the glass don’t |
| Listed permitted items only | Florida (§ 316.2952), Minnesota (§ 169.71) | Radar detectors aren’t on the list; mount on the dash, visor or mirror instead |
| Electronic devices expressly allowed | Georgia (§ 40-8-73), Ohio (§ 4513.24) | Mounting is allowed if it minimises obstruction or doesn’t block signs and signals |
| General “don’t obstruct the view” | Texas (§ 547.613), Pennsylvania (§ 4524(c)), Michigan (§ 257.709) and most others | Legal if the detector doesn’t block your view of the road; enforcement is judgement-based |
| No mounted-object rule in the cited statute | North Carolina (§ 20-127), Tennessee (§ 55-9-107) | These statutes regulate wipers or tint rather than mounted objects |
Utah and Vermont have unusually precise zones too: Utah limits nontransparent windshield material to the top 4 inches or a 3-by-4-inch lower-left area, and Vermont allows items only in a 4-by-12-inch lower-right area, a 2-by-2.5-inch upper-left area or behind the mirror for toll transponders. The full details for every state are in the radar law table.
The simplest way to stay clear in any state is a mount that keeps the detector low on the glass or off it, such as a rear-view-mirror or dash mount. A remote-installed system like the Escort Redline Ci 360c or Uniden R9w puts nothing on the windshield at all.
Are laser jammers legal?
Jammers are a different legal category, because they transmit to defeat police equipment rather than just listen.
- Radar jammers transmit radio signals to interfere with police radar. Federal law at 47 U.S.C. § 333 bars willful or malicious interference with licensed or government radio communications, which is why radar jammers are off the table everywhere.
- Laser jammers (Escort calls its version “laser shifters”) fire infrared light back at a laser gun. They’re not covered by federal radio law, but states ban them by statute. Virginia’s § 46.2-1079 covers any device that interferes with police laser. Texas Transp. Code § 547.616 defines a radar interference device to include one that disrupts a laser speed device, and makes the offence a Class C misdemeanor.
Our table tracks detector laws, not jammer laws, so check your own state’s statutes before buying a laser defence system. The Escort Redline Ci 360c ships with five VX Laser Shifters, and Escort itself warns that laser shifters are illegal in some states.
What happens if you are caught with one where it is banned?
It depends on where. In Virginia, the statute says an officer may take the device as evidence and must return it when it’s no longer needed, and it expressly does not authorise forfeiture to the state. Unclaimed devices can be destroyed by court order after six months. The statute also says no DMV demerit points are awarded for a violation. It doesn’t set the fine itself.
In D.C., the regulation bans sale, use and possession; follow the source link in the table for the current penalty text. For commercial drivers, 49 CFR 392.71 is a federal safety regulation that applies on top of any state statute, and its second paragraph makes it the motor carrier’s problem too: a carrier may not require or permit a driver to break it.
Does a stealth detector change the law?
No. Some detectors carry manufacturer claims that radar-detector detectors (RDDs) can’t spot them. The Uniden R8 claims to be undetectable by Spectre I and IV, and Escort says the Redline 360c’s TotalShield makes it undetectable by RDDs.
Those claims affect only whether police can find the device. Virginia bans operating a vehicle equipped with one; D.C. bans possessing one. Neither cares whether it was detectable. Read our best undetectable radar detector guide for what stealth does and doesn’t buy, and our explainer on how radar detectors work for why RDDs can find detectors at all.
Spectre I/IV stealth claim, arrows and GPS lockouts
Uniden R8
- Front + rear antennas
- 2
- Directional arrows
- Yes
- MultaRadar (MRCD) detection
- Yes
- GPS
- Yes
A windshield-mount GPS radar and laser detector with dual antennas, directional arrows and MultaRadar detection. It suits drivers who want front and rear coverage and are happy to update it by computer.
Strengths
- Dual front and rear antennas with signal direction arrows and a rear-balance setting
- Detects MultaRadar CD/CT and Gatso, with Ka narrow, wide and segmentation modes
- Auto Mute Memory learns stationary false alerts; up to 1,750 GPS lockouts
- Manufacturer claims Spectre I/IV undetectable
Watch out for
- No Bluetooth or Wi-Fi in the owner's manual; the R8w adds both
- Sold out on uniden.com, which points buyers to the R8w
TotalShield stealth claim, Wi-Fi and app
Escort Redline 360c
- Front + rear antennas
- 2
- Directional arrows
- Yes
- MultaRadar (MRCD) detection
- Yes
- GPS
- Yes
Escort's flagship portable radar and laser detector, with a dual-front, single-rear antenna array, directional arrows, GPS AutoLearn and TotalShield RDD stealth. It suits drivers who want Escort's top portable detection and stealth.
Strengths
- Dual front and single rear antennas with three LNAs, plus 360-degree arrows
- TotalShield technology, which Escort says makes it undetectable by radar-detector detectors
- Software-defined radio receiver and Blackfin DSP
- GPS AutoLearn, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth with the Drive Smarter app
Watch out for
- X band is detected by the front antennas only
- The Defender camera database needs a paid subscription ($24.95 for 1 year or $49.95 for 3 years)
- MultaRadar CD/CT detection is off by default
How do you stay legal on a road trip?
A detector that’s legal at home can become illegal a few hours into a drive. A simple routine covers almost every case:
- Check every state on the route, not just where you start and finish. The lookup tool takes seconds per state.
- Before Virginia, unplug the detector and put it somewhere nobody in the car can reach, such as the trunk. That’s the statute’s own exception: no power source and not readily accessible.
- Before D.C., leave it out of the car if you can. The District bans possession, so stowing it doesn’t help.
- In a rental or work vehicle, check the weight rating on the door-jamb label. At 10,001 lbs GVWR or more, the federal commercial-vehicle definitions may apply.
- Re-check windshield rules. If your mount sits high on the glass, a corner-zone state such as California or Arizona may still cite you. A mirror or dash mount travels better.
How we built the law table
Every row in our table links to the statute or official regulation it summarises, mostly state legislature sites, Cornell’s Legal Information Institute and FindLaw’s statute pages. For each jurisdiction we record whether detectors are legal in passenger vehicles, whether commercial use is banned (always yes, because of the federal rule) and the windshield-obstruction rule that applies to mounting. We last reviewed the table in October 2026.
The table summarises; it doesn’t replace the statute. Wording such as “materially obstruct” leaves room for an officer’s judgement, and laws change. If a ticket or a commercial licence is at stake, read the linked source text.
All 50 states and D.C.
| State | Passenger vehicles | Commercial (10,001+ lbs) | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but Ala. Code § 32-5-215 bars signs, posters or other nontransparent material on the windshield that obstruct the driver's view, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| Alaska | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but 13 AAC 04.225(b) bars nontransparent material on the windshield that obstructs or impairs the driver's view, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| Arizona | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but A.R.S. § 28-959.01 bars objects on the windshield that obstruct the driver's view except in a 7-inch square in the lower passenger-side corner or a 5-inch square in the lower driver-side corner, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| Arkansas | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but Ark. Code § 27-37-304 bars material on the windshield more than 4.5 inches above its bottom that obstructs the driver's view, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| California | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but California Vehicle Code § 26708 bars objects on the windshield except in limited areas such as a 7-inch square in the lower passenger-side corner and a 5-inch square in the lower driver-side corner, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| Colorado | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but C.R.S. § 42-4-201 requires the driver's vision through required glass to be normal and unobstructed, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| Connecticut | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but Conn. Gen. Stat. § 14-99f(c) bars any device attached or hung in a vehicle so as to interfere with the driver's unobstructed view of the highway, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| Delaware | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but 21 Del. C. § 4309 bars signs, posters or other nontransparent material on the windshield other than legally required papers, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| District of Columbia | illegal | illegal | 18 DCMR § 736 bans selling radar detectors in the District and using or possessing one in an automobile there, with an exemption only for U.S. Armed Forces vehicles. Source |
| Florida | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but Fla. Stat. § 316.2952 bars any product attached to or located on the windshield except listed items such as GPS devices and toll transponders (radar detectors are not listed), and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| Georgia | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles; O.C.G.A. § 40-8-73 bars nontransparent material on the windshield that obstructs the view but allows a wireless telecommunications or stand-alone electronic device to be mounted there so as to minimize obstruction, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| Hawaii | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but HRS § 291-21.5 limits signs, stickers and other materials on the windshield to a 7-inch square in the lower corner farthest from the driver or a 5-inch square in the corner nearest the driver, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| Idaho | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but Idaho Code § 49-943(1) bars signs, posters or other nontransparent material on the windshield that obstruct the driver's clear view, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| Illinois | legal | illegal | Radar detectors are legal in passenger vehicles, but 625 ILCS 5/12-714 bans them in commercial motor vehicles unless switched off and locked in an opaque container or kept outside the passenger compartment, and 625 ILCS 5/12-503(c-5) bars objects placed between the driver and windshield that materially obstruct the driver's view. Source |
| Indiana | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but Ind. Code § 9-19-19-3 bars nontransparent material on the windshield that obstructs the view except items up to 4 inches square in the lower corner farthest from the driver, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| Iowa | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but Iowa Code § 321.438(1) prohibits driving with a windshield that does not permit clear vision, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| Kansas | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but K.S.A. § 8-1741(a) bars nontransparent material on the windshield that substantially obstructs the driver's clear view, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| Kentucky | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but KRS § 189.110(2) bars any sign, product or covering attached to or placed on the windshield other than required papers and a top-strip sunscreen, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| Louisiana | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but La. R.S. § 32:361.1 bars any object or material placed on or affixed to the front windshield that obstructs or reduces the driver's clear view, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| Maine | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but 29-A M.R.S. § 2082 bars signs, opaque material and objects placed or hung in a vehicle that obstruct the driver's view through the windshield, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| Maryland | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but Md. Transportation Code § 21-1104(c)-(d) bars objects that obstruct the driver's clear view through the windshield and limits nontransparent material on it to high-windshield or small lower-corner areas, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| Massachusetts | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but M.G.L. c. 90, § 9D bars signs, posters or stickers on the front windshield that obstruct, impede or distort the driver's vision, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| Michigan | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but MCL § 257.709(1) bars nontransparent material on the front windshield and any object that obstructs the driver's vision, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| Minnesota | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but Minn. Stat. § 169.71, subd. 1 bars objects suspended between the driver and windshield except listed items such as GPS units mounted near the bottom of the windshield (radar detectors are not listed), and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| Mississippi | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but Miss. Code § 63-7-59 bars signs or posters on the windshield other than legally required or authorized papers, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| Missouri | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, and Mo. Rev. Stat. § 307.173 permits labels, stickers and signs on the windshield as long as they do not interfere with the driver's normal view of the road; commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| Montana | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but MCA § 61-9-405(2) bars signs, posters or other nontransparent material on the windshield that obstruct the driver's view, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| Nebraska | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but Neb. Rev. Stat. § 60-6,256 bars objects placed or hung in a vehicle that significantly obstruct the driver's view through the windshield (enforced only as a secondary offense), and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| Nevada | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but NRS § 484D.435 bars nontransparent material on the windshield that obstructs the view except within a 6-inch square in the lower corner farthest from the driver, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| New Hampshire | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but RSA § 265:95 bars signs, stickers or other opaque material on or beside the windshield that obstruct the driver's clear view, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| New Jersey | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but N.J.S.A. § 39:3-74 bars signs, stickers or other non-transparent material on the front windshield other than required items, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| New Mexico | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but NMSA § 66-3-846(A) bars signs, posters or other nontransparent material on the front windshield, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| New York | legal | illegal | Radar detectors are legal in passenger vehicles, but VTL § 397-a bans them in vehicles over 18,000 lbs GVWR and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs, and VTL § 375(30) bars objects placed or hung in a vehicle that obstruct the driver's view through the windshield. Source |
| North Carolina | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, and N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-127 regulates windshield wipers and tint rather than mounted objects; commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| North Dakota | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but N.D.C.C. § 39-21-39 bars signs, posters or other nontransparent material on the windshield that obstruct the driver's view, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| Ohio | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles; Ohio Rev. Code § 4513.24 bars nontransparent material on the windshield but allows electronic devices such as navigation units and cameras to be mounted there if they do not block the driver's view of signs and signals, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| Oklahoma | legal | illegal | Radar detectors are legal in passenger vehicles, but 47 O.S. § 11-808.1 bans possessing, using or installing them in commercial motor vehicles, and 47 O.S. § 12-404 bars material or suspended objects that materially obstruct the driver's view through the windshield. Source |
| Oregon | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but ORS § 815.220 bars any material on the front windshield that prevents or impairs seeing into or out of the vehicle, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| Pennsylvania | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but 75 Pa.C.S. § 4524(c) bars objects hung, placed or attached so as to materially obstruct the driver's vision through the front windshield, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| Rhode Island | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-23-16 bars signs, posters or other opaque items on the windshield that obstruct the view of the road, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| South Carolina | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but S.C. Code § 56-5-5000 bars signs, posters or other nontransparent material on the front windshield that obstruct the driver's view, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| South Dakota | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but SDCL § 32-15-5 bars nontransparent material on the windshield that obstructs the driver's clear view, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| Tennessee | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, and Tenn. Code § 55-9-107 limits material that reduces windshield light transmittance below 70% rather than mounted objects; commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| Texas | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but Tex. Transp. Code § 547.613 makes it a misdemeanor to operate a vehicle with an object or material attached to the windshield that obstructs or reduces the operator's clear view, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| Utah | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but Utah Code § 41-6a-1635 bars devices mounted so as to significantly obstruct the driver's view and limits nontransparent windshield material to the top 4 inches or a 3-by-4-inch lower-left corner area, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| Vermont | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but 23 V.S.A. § 1125 bars items adhered to or hung behind the windshield except in small lower-right (4 by 12 inches) and upper-left (2 by 2.5 inches) areas or toll transponders behind the mirror, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| Virginia | illegal | illegal | Va. Code § 46.2-1079 prohibits operating a vehicle equipped with, using, or selling any device that detects or interferes with police radar or laser speed measurement, except a device with no power source that is not readily accessible to the driver or passengers. Source |
| Washington | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but RCW § 46.37.410(2) bars signs, posters or other nontransparent material on the front windshield that obstruct the driver's clear view, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| West Virginia | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but W. Va. Code § 17C-15-36(a) bars signs, posters or other nontransparent material on the windshield that obstruct the driver's view, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| Wisconsin | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but Wis. Stat. § 346.88(3) bars nontransparent material on the front windshield other than government stickers and any object placed or hung that obstructs the driver's clear view through it, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
| Wyoming | legal | illegal | No state law restricts radar detectors in passenger vehicles, but Wyo. Stat. § 31-5-955(a) bars any sign, poster or other material on the windshield that materially obstructs the driver's clear view, and commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs are covered by the federal ban. Source |
Want a detector for a state where they’re legal? Our best radar detectors ranking and the radar detector hub score every model on antennas, arrows, MultaRadar, GPS lockouts and stealth.
Frequently asked questions
Are radar detectors legal in the US?
Yes, in passenger vehicles everywhere except Virginia and Washington D.C. They're banned in all commercial motor vehicles over 10,000 lbs nationwide under 49 CFR 392.71.
Which states ban radar detectors?
Only Virginia and the District of Columbia ban them in passenger cars. Virginia's ban is Va. Code § 46.2-1079; D.C.'s is 18 DCMR § 736, which also bans selling and possessing one.
Can truckers use radar detectors?
No. 49 CFR 392.71 bars drivers from using a radar detector in, or operating, a commercial motor vehicle equipped with one, and bars carriers from permitting it.
Is it legal to mount a radar detector on the windshield?
Detectors are legal in most states, but windshield-obstruction laws still apply. States such as California and Arizona limit windshield objects to small corner zones, and Minnesota and Florida list permitted windshield items without naming radar detectors.
Are laser jammers legal?
Not everywhere. Virginia's statute covers devices that interfere with police laser, and Texas Transp. Code § 547.616 makes radar or laser interference devices a Class C misdemeanor. Radar jammers also fall foul of federal law on radio interference.
Does an undetectable radar detector make it legal in Virginia?
No. Stealth claims only affect whether police can detect the device; Virginia's statute bans operating a vehicle equipped with one regardless.