Currently, there are no laws that prohibit the ownership of police/radio scanners in the states of Hawai'i, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, and Nevada.

 

Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS), Utah Code (UC), Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS), Colorado Revised Statutes (CRS), New Mexico Statutes (NWS), Wyoming Statutes (WS), Idaho Statutes (IS), Montana Code Annotated (MCA) does not have a written law restricting the use of scanners or radio monitoring equipment.  However, the law of common sense shall be used at all times:

 

- It is LEGAL to own a scanner in this state.

- It is LEGAL to use while mobile in a vehicle (for those not licensed by the FCC)

- It is LEGAL to use while mobile in a vehicle with a valid amateur radio license issued by the Federal Communications Commission.

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- It is ILLEGAL, by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1934, as amended, to listen to any type of radio telephone calls/conversations (cellular or cordless)

- It is ILLEGAL, by Federal law, to monitor any scrambled and/or encrypted communications.