"Speed camera detector" covers several different devices, and UK sources treat them differently. An undated Ask the Police answer from the Police National Legal Database (PNLD), read on askthe.police.uk on 16 October 2026, says devices that only provide camera site locations are lawful in the UK and jammers are unlawful; it does not name radar receivers. The word "lawful" comes from that police answer, not from a statute. This guide sorts the devices by how they work and sets out what police and government pages say. It is a summary, not legal advice.
Four devices people call a speed camera detector
The Belgian road safety institute Vias separated four kinds of device in a 2023 study of radar warners.
| Kind | How it works (Vias) | What the UK sources say |
|---|---|---|
| Radar detector | A radio receiver tuned to the frequency range of police radars, a separate device | Not named in the PNLD answer |
| Radar jammer | A detector that also disturbs the radar signal so that vehicles become invisible to police radar | Unlawful (PNLD); interference is an offence under s 68 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 |
| Camera warning, no user community | A sat nav, purpose-built device or phone app that shows the location of known cameras on a digital map | Lawful in the UK if it only provides camera site locations, says the PNLD answer |
| Camera warning with user community | The same, and users can add or receive the location of a camera in real time | The PNLD answer does not discuss user reports |
The camera-warning devices and apps in this guide are the third or fourth kind. Road Angel describes its own range that way: alerts "based on GPS positioning rather than radar speed camera detectors", using a regularly updated database of known camera sites.
What the PNLD says
"Ask the Police" is the public question service of the PNLD, which its About page describes as a national organisation governed by West Yorkshire Police. Its answer to question Q367, "Is it illegal to have a speed camera detector in my car?", has three parts:
- Jammers. Devices that jam or interfere with speed detection devices operated by police officers are unlawful, and you could face prosecution for perverting the course of justice or obstructing the police.
- Warning devices. "Devices that only provide information about camera site locations are lawful in the UK."
- Other types. The government is considering legislation to make it unlawful to use other types of speed detectors, "but as yet nothing has been finalised".
The answer carries no date and is not the text of a law. It does not mention radar receivers, so this guide does not call them lawful or unlawful.
Jammers and the Wireless Telegraphy Act
Section 68 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 makes it an offence to use apparatus "for the purpose of interfering with wireless telegraphy", whether or not it is wireless telegraphy apparatus. Section 116 defines wireless telegraphy to include electromagnetic energy of a frequency up to 3,000 gigahertz that is used "for gaining information as to the presence, absence, position or motion of an object". Conviction on indictment carries up to two years in prison or a fine, or both. On 16 October 2026 legislation.gov.uk shows no known outstanding effects for section 68.
A call for evidence from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, open from 10 April to 8 May 2026, says that in most cases it is illegal to use equipment that deliberately interferes with wireless communications, but that the law does not currently prohibit possession of a radiofrequency jammer specifically. It was not consulting on firm proposals, and it concerns radiofrequency jammers in general, not speed cameras.
A speed camera detector for the car: unit or phone app
- Dedicated unit. Road Angel says its Pure One has a built-in SIM and works independently of a phone, although a compatible smartphone is needed to set it up. Its support page says the camera database is updated daily and that the Pure, Pure Touch and Pure One are primarily designed for UK use. What Road Angel's pages say about the Pure range covers models, subscription and use abroad.
- Phone app or sat nav app. The camera data sits inside a navigation app. Waze says cameras are added to its map from reports by partners and map editors, and that a camera nobody reported may be unknown to it. What Waze says about its camera alerts and what TomTom's help pages say cover two of them.
- Older units. Snooper publishes a Supported Devices table saying, model by model, whether a unit is still supported and whether speed cameras are available for it.
For the van that moves, see how mobile speed cameras work. Vias notes that camera warnings without a user community generally show the known, visible cameras and cannot warn of temporary and hidden checks.
Holding the device is a separate offence
GOV.UK says it is illegal to hold and use a phone, sat nav, tablet or any device that can send or receive data while driving, with 6 penalty points and a £200 fine. Hands-free use, such as a windscreen mount or voice command, is allowed as long as you do not hold the device at any time and it does not block your view of the road and traffic ahead.
Taking a detector abroad
The PNLD answer warns that abroad "even these types of detectors may be unlawful" and that you will need to check the legislation of the country you are travelling to. Where speed camera warnings are allowed sets out the law country by country, and the topic page on apps and the law lists the other guides.
BlitzBuddy and the UK
BlitzBuddy gives no speed camera warnings in the UK, Ireland or any other country outside the five where it warns. Your speed, your trips and reports from other drivers still work, and camera warnings switch on by themselves on arrival in one of those five countries. Where it warns, fixed cameras and average speed checks come from OpenStreetMap, Lufop.net and public government lists. BlitzBuddy is free, with no ads and no subscription. It is available for iPhone; the Android version is coming soon.
Sources
- Q367: Is it illegal to have a speed camera detector in my car?, Ask the Police, Police National Legal Database (undated)
- About Us, Ask the Police
- Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006, section 68, legislation.gov.uk
- Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006, section 116, legislation.gov.uk
- Possession of radiofrequency jammers and the relevant legal framework, call for evidence, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, GOV.UK
- Using a phone, sat nav or other device when driving, GOV.UK
- Waarschuwingssystemen voor snelheidscamera's, Vias institute, report 2023-R-16-NL (PDF, in Dutch)
- Speed Camera Detectors, Road Angel
- Support Centre, Road Angel
- Supported Devices, Snooper
- Manage camera alerts, Waze Help
- Camera data in the countries where BlitzBuddy warns: © OpenStreetMap contributors
Sources read on 16 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is a speed camera detector legal in the UK?
An undated Ask the Police answer by the Police National Legal Database (askthe.police.uk, read on 16 October 2026) says devices that only provide camera site locations are lawful in the UK and jammers are unlawful. It does not name radar detectors and says legislation on other types has not been finalised.
What is the difference between a speed camera detector and a jammer?
A detector receives or looks up information; a jammer interferes with a speed measurement. The Police National Legal Database says jammers are unlawful, and section 68 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 makes it an offence to use apparatus for the purpose of interfering with wireless telegraphy.
Can I use a speed camera detector app on my phone while driving?
GOV.UK says it is illegal to hold and use a phone or sat nav while driving, with 6 penalty points and a £200 fine. You can use a device with hands-free access, such as a windscreen mount, if you do not hold it and it does not block your view of the road.
Does a speed camera detector warn about mobile speed cameras?
It depends on the data. Vias, the Belgian road safety institute, says warnings without a user community cannot warn of temporary or hidden checks. Road Angel says its database holds known mobile enforcement locations, and Waze lists a mobile police camera among its alert types.
Can I take my speed camera detector to Europe?
An undated Ask the Police answer by the Police National Legal Database (read on 16 October 2026) says that abroad even devices that are lawful in the UK may be unlawful, so check the law of the country you travel to.
