Are Radar Detectors Legal Through Europe and the UK?

Whether radar detectors are legal internationally is a tough question to answer since individual countries in the European Union and United Kingdom have very different laws on the purchase, use, or sale of radar detectors. Although some countries allow users to buy a radar detector, that does not mean they are necessarily allowed to use the product when driving.

Wondering where exactly you’re allowed to purchase and use a radar detector in Europe? Here’s a guide to radar detector laws by country to help determine where in Europe and the UK drivers are allowed to both purchase and legally use a radar detector.

Where Is It Legal To Buy Our Radar Detectors?

There are a few countries in the European Union that allow drivers to purchase radar detectors but that does not mean that it is legal to use a radar detector. Here are the countries where you can legally purchase a radar detector:

  • Austria
  • Bulgaria
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Germany
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • Lithuania
  • The Netherlands
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Slovakia
  • Switzerland
  • United Kingdom
Where are radar detectors legal to buy?

Where Are Radar Detectors Legal To Use In Europe?

Unfortunately for drivers, not all of the above-mentioned countries also allow for drivers to use the radar detectors they purchased. The following countries allow drivers to legally use radar detectors while on the road:

  • Austria
  • Bulgaria
  • Czech Republic
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • Lithuania
  • United Kingdom
Where are radar detectors legal to use?

 

Are radar detectors legal in the UK? In England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, radar detectors are legal to buy and use whilst driving.

There is an exception for those that want to continue using a radar detector everywhere in Europe by utilizing a feature called “Disabled Alerting Mode”. This feature, found on Escort radar detectors, can be set up manually on the device and it disables radar alerting, turning the system into a POI based alerting device vs. a radar alerting device. POI based alerting devices are legal for sale and use in all of Europe.

For those that are wondering if they can bring their radar detector outside of the UK or Europe for use, here are the countries that have radar detector laws favoring drivers planning to use a radar detector on their journey:

  • China
  • Cyprus
  • Israel
  • Mexico
  • Russia

Traveling to Australia, South Africa, Brazil, India, Saudi Arabia, or the UAE? These countries do not allow the use of radar detectors. Drivers should be sure to check radar detector laws wherever they plan to travel before bringing a radar detector along for international use.

Where Are Radar Detectors Illegal?

If you’re planning a cross-Europe trip, be aware that radar detector laws vary and some countries have stringent laws on use. Here are the European countries where radar detectors are illegal to buy and use:

  • Croatia
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France
  • Greece
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Serbia

For any questions concerning the laws in your country, feel free to reach out to our customer service team before ordering a radar detector.