Know your rights

Not routinely. A traffic stop gives police the power to check your driving documents, not to search your phone. Police can only access your

Yes, in specific circumstances. Police can seize vehicle keys as part of a lawful arrest, under powers to seize and retain property, or to p

Yes. Refusing to provide a breath specimen when required by a police officer is a criminal offence under s.6(6) of the Road Traffic Act 1988

Yes, in most circumstances. Privately owned electric scooters are classified as motor vehicles under the Road Traffic Act 1988 and cannot la

There is no specific law making it illegal to sleep in your car in England and Wales. However, related offences can arise: being drunk in ch

Yes. Exceeding the speed limit is a criminal offence under s.89 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. Penalties range from a fixed penalt

Refusing a roadside drug screening test or a specimen of blood or urine required by a constable is a criminal offence under s.6 and s.7 of t

Yes. Cultivating cannabis is an offence under s.6 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 regardless of quantity or personal use. The maximum senten

No. There is no law in England and Wales that prevents you from filming police officers carrying out their duties in a public place. Officer

No, not in most circumstances. In England and Wales, you can lawfully record a conversation you are part of without telling the other person

Generally no. There is no general law in England and Wales prohibiting photography in public places, including photographs of people. Howeve

Not physically, but they can compel disclosure of your password through a legal notice. Under s.49 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers

Not without grounds. Police cannot routinely search your phone during a stop and search. They generally need to arrest you first, and even t

Yes. Police have several powers to seize mobile phones, most commonly under s.19 PACE 1984 (seizure during a lawful search of premises), s.3

Yes, if you are arrested for a recordable offence. Under PACE s.63, police can take a DNA sample without consent from anyone arrested and de

No. Every arrest must be based on reasonable grounds to suspect that the person has committed, is committing, or is about to commit an offen

Yes, in specific circumstances. Police can force entry to premises with a warrant under s.8 or s.17 PACE 1984, or without a warrant under s.

Yes, but only for a limited time and subject to review. Under PACE 1984, police can detain a suspect for up to 24 hours without charge. Exte

Yes, in certain circumstances. Police have several statutory powers to enter premises without a warrant, including to arrest someone, to sav

Yes, in certain circumstances. While a search warrant is the standard route, police have several statutory powers to enter premises without

Yes, in limited circumstances. Police can use reasonable force, including handcuffs, during a lawful stop and search or when detaining someo

Yes. Police have the same legal powers to stop and search a minor as they do an adult, provided the legal grounds exist. However, additional

Yes, but only if they have a specific legal power to do so. The main powers are: suspicion-based stop and search under s.1 PACE 1984, and su

Yes, but only with lawful grounds. Police can search your vehicle under PACE s.1 if they have reasonable grounds to suspect it contains stol

Generally no. A stop and search under PACE s.1 requires reasonable grounds for suspicion. However, under s.60 of the Criminal Justice and Pu

Yes. Police are lawfully permitted to use reasonable and proportionate force to carry out an arrest under s.117 of PACE 1984 and s.3 of the

The standard limit is 24 hours from arrival at the police station. A superintendent can authorise up to 36 hours for indictable offences. A

The police can hold you for up to 24 hours before they must charge or release you. A superintendent can extend this to 36 hours for indictab

There is no national law making public drinking illegal in England and Wales. However, local authorities can designate Public Space Protecti

No. The right to peaceful protest is protected by Articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights (freedom of expression and f

It depends on the circumstances. Swearing at a police officer is not automatically a criminal offence, but it can amount to an offence under

There is no general legal obligation to provide your name to police in England and Wales. However, specific statutory powers require you to

Flying a drone is legal in the UK subject to strict rules set by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) under the Air Navigation Order 2016 and

No. There is no legal requirement to carry identification in England and Wales. The UK does not have a national identity card system, and po

No. Using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) is completely legal in the United Kingdom. There is no law that prohibits the use of VPN services.

When stopped by police you have the right to know the officer's name and station, the legal basis for the stop, and what is being searched f

No. Tasers are classified as prohibited firearms under section 5(1)(b) of the Firearms Act 1968. Possession without authority carries a maxi

Owning a crossbow in England and Wales is not in itself illegal for adults aged 18 and over. However, the Crossbows Act 1987 restricts sale,

It can be. Under s.139 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988, it is an offence to have a bladed or sharply pointed article in a public place with

Owning most swords in your home is legal in England and Wales for adults. However, certain curved swords with blades over 50 cm are banned u

Yes. Pepper spray (OC spray) is classified as a firearm under s.5(1)(b) of the Firearms Act 1968 because it is a weapon designed to discharg

Yes. Tasers and stun guns are prohibited weapons under the Firearms Act 1968 as amended by the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997. Possession wit

No. Pepper spray is classified as a prohibited weapon under section 5(1)(b) of the Firearms Act 1968, alongside tasers and stun guns. Posses