Are Speed Camera Detectors Legal in the UK?

Speed Camera Detectors — What's Legal and What Isn't?

Speed camera detectors are one of the most searched topics among UK drivers, and for good reason — the legal landscape is more nuanced than many people realise. Some types of detector are perfectly legal, while others can land you with a criminal conviction. Understanding the difference could save you from a costly mistake.

GPS-Based Speed Camera Detectors — LEGAL

GPS speed camera detectors are legal in the UK. These devices use a database of known fixed camera locations combined with GPS positioning to alert you when you're approaching a camera. They do not detect the camera's radar or laser emissions — they simply know where cameras have been installed and warn you based on your location.

Common GPS detector brands include Snooper, Road Angel and various Garmin sat-nav devices with built-in camera alerts. Key features include:

• Alerts for fixed cameras (Gatso, Truvelo, SPECS, HADECS3, red light cameras)
• Alerts for known mobile camera hotspots (based on user-reported data)
• Speed limit display for the road you're on
• Regular database updates to include new camera locations

These devices are legal because they don't interfere with any police equipment — they simply use publicly available information about camera locations. The police have never objected to GPS-based detectors, and there is no legislation prohibiting their use.

Phone Apps (Waze, Google Maps, etc.) — LEGAL

Smartphone apps that provide speed camera alerts work on the same principle as GPS detectors — they use a database of camera locations and your phone's GPS to warn you. Popular apps include:

• Waze: Uses crowd-sourced reports of mobile camera locations in real time, plus a database of fixed cameras
• Google Maps: Shows fixed speed camera locations and alerts when approaching them
• TomTom and other sat-nav apps: Include camera databases in their navigation

These apps are legal to use, but there's an important caveat: using your phone to interact with the app while driving (touching the screen, typing) is illegal under the handheld phone laws. The app must be set up before you start driving, and the phone should be in a proper mount. Touching your phone screen while driving carries a penalty of 6 points and a £200 fine.

Radar Detectors — ILLEGAL

Radar detectors are devices that detect the radio frequency emissions from radar-based speed cameras (such as Gatso cameras). Unlike GPS detectors, which use a database of locations, radar detectors actively scan for electromagnetic signals emitted by cameras and alert the driver when they detect one.

Radar detectors have been illegal in the UK since 1998 under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 (and its predecessor legislation). Using a radar detector is a criminal offence because the device intercepts wireless telegraphy signals without authorisation. Penalties include:

• Confiscation of the device
• A fine of up to £5,000
• Potential criminal record

It's important to note that merely possessing a radar detector is not an offence — the offence is using it (i.e., having it switched on) while on a public road. However, if police find a radar detector plugged in and mounted on your windscreen, it's very difficult to argue you weren't using it.

Laser Jammers — ILLEGAL (Since 2018)

Laser jammers are devices that detect the laser beams used by LiDAR speed cameras and emit a counter-signal to confuse the camera, preventing it from obtaining an accurate speed reading. The legal status of laser jammers has changed significantly in recent years.

Prior to 2018, laser jammers occupied a legal grey area. However, following several high-profile prosecutions, laser jammers are now effectively illegal under the offence of perverting the course of justice — one of the most serious charges in English law. Courts have ruled that using a device to deliberately prevent a speed measurement amounts to interfering with the administration of justice.

The penalties for using a laser jammer are severe:

• Perverting the course of justice: This is an indictable offence with a maximum penalty of life imprisonment (though custodial sentences for jammer use are typically measured in months, not years)
• Confiscation: The device will be seized
• Criminal record: A conviction for perverting the course of justice is a serious criminal record that could affect employment, travel and other aspects of your life

Several drivers have received prison sentences for using laser jammers, making this an extremely high-risk device to use.

Dashcams with Camera Alerts — LEGAL

Many modern dashcams include GPS-based speed camera alert features. These work identically to standalone GPS detectors and are entirely legal. As with all GPS-based systems, they rely on a database of known locations rather than detecting any emissions.

Summary: What's Legal and What Isn't

• GPS detectors (standalone or sat-nav): Legal
• Phone apps (Waze, Google Maps, etc.): Legal (but don't touch your phone while driving)
• Dashcams with camera alerts: Legal
• Radar detectors: Illegal — fine up to £5,000
• Laser jammers: Illegal — potential prison sentence for perverting the course of justice

Should You Use a Speed Camera Detector?

Even legal GPS detectors have their critics. Some argue that they encourage drivers to only slow down when approaching a known camera rather than maintaining a consistent, safe speed. Road safety organisations generally advise that the best speed camera detector is your own speedometer — simply checking your speed regularly and driving within the limit is the safest and most reliable approach.

That said, GPS detectors and apps can serve as useful reminders, particularly on unfamiliar roads where you might not know the speed limit. Used responsibly alongside attentive driving, they are a legitimate tool for helping you stay within the law.