Are radar detectors legal?
In the US, Radar detectors are legal for passenger vehicles in 49 states. Radar detectors are illegal in Virginia and Washington DC. Federal Law prohibits the use of radar detectors in all commercial vehicles over 10000 pounds. Radar detector use is also illegal on military bases. In Canada, only Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan allow the use of radar detectors. Various radar detector bans exist in other countries worldwide, check your local regulations.
Radar detectors are legal in most cities and states in the United States. Canada, however, has far more restrictive rules about radar detectors. Most provinces don’t allow them, and local law enforcement is very aggressive about detecting their use, confiscating units, and issuing steep fines. In the U.S., the Commonwealth of Virginia and Washington D.C. have laws banning the use of radar detectors. Be sure to check your local and state laws for regulations on radar detectors and their use. In addition, stay up to date on local and state law changes regarding these detectors.
Yes! Radar detectors are completely legal to use in non-commercial vehicles in 49 states. Virginia and Washington DC are the only places in the United States that currently ban radar detectors. Radar detector use in commercial vehicles has been prohibited in the U.S. since 1995 and radar detectors are also illegal in most Canadian provinces. We do not track detector regulations in other countries. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) provides these definitions for commercial vehicles: Commercial motor vehicle (CMV) means a motor vehicle or combination of motor vehicles used in commerce to transport passengers o property if the motor vehicle- (a) Has a gross combination weight rating of 11,794 kilograms or more (26,001 pounds or more) inclusive of a towed unit(s) with a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds); or (b) Has a gross vehicle weight rating of 11,794 or more kilograms (26,001 pounds or more); or (c) Is designed to transport 1
