Policing.uk
Section 17 vs section 18 PACE search
Section 17 PACE versus Section 18 PACE
Both sections 17 and 18 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 permit police entry to premises without a search warrant, but they apply at different stages of the custody process and for different purposes.
Side by side
| Section 17 PACE | Section 18 PACE | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose of entry | To execute an arrest warrant, arrest a person for a specified offence, recapture an escaped prisoner, save life or limb, or prevent serious property damage | To search premises occupied or controlled by a person who has been arrested for an indictable offence, for evidence of that offence or a connected offence |
| When used | Before or instead of arrest: the constable enters to find and arrest a named person or to respond to an emergency | After arrest: the person has already been arrested and taken (or is being taken) to custody |
| Offence type | Entry to arrest requires an indictable offence or one of the other specified grounds (saving life or limb requires no offence) | Only available following arrest for an indictable offence |
| Authorisation required | No prior authorisation required: any constable may enter | Written authorisation of an inspector is normally required before the search; where not practicable, an inspector must be informed as soon as possible |
| Scope of search | Limited to the extent reasonably required for the purpose of entry (e.g., only rooms where the subject might be hiding) | Limited to evidence relating to the offence for which the person was arrested or a connected or similar indictable offence |
| Consent of occupier | Not required: the power authorises entry without consent | Not required: the power authorises entry without consent. Entry may be by force if necessary |
| Evidential seizure | Items found during a lawful section 17 entry may be seized under section 19 PACE if there are reasonable grounds to believe they are evidence of an offence | Items found during a section 18 search may be seized under section 19 PACE |
Which applies
The most common use of section 17 in practice is entry to save life or limb at welfare incidents, which requires no preceding offence. Section 18 is a post-arrest investigative power and its scope is deliberately broader than section 17 for evidence gathering. Officers exercising section 18 should always seek written authorisation where possible and must make a contemporaneous written record of what was searched and found.
Last updated 24 September 2026