CA
California Scanner Frequency Guides
Select your county to see what you can monitor, which agencies are encrypted, and the best scanner equipment for your area.
Scanners are legal to own and use anywhere in California, with no permit or registration required. Police scanners are completely legal in California with no restrictions on ownership or use. Read the full California scanner law guide →
77 of the 186 agencies we track in California (41%) have moved to full encryption, meaning dispatch traffic from those departments no longer reaches a scanner at all. The county guides below break down where that access still exists and where it doesn't.
186 Total Agencies
77 Fully Encrypted
10 County Guides
County Frequency Guides
Los Angeles County ⚠️ Mixed
46 agencies 48% encrypted
Orange County ⚠️ Mixed
35 agencies 51% encrypted
Santa Clara County ⚠️ Mixed
22 agencies 50% encrypted
Monterey County ⚠️ Mixed
16 agencies 50% encrypted
Riverside County 🔒 Encrypted
11 agencies 82% encrypted
San Bernardino County ⚠️ Mixed
10 agencies 40% encrypted
Alameda County 📡 Open
9 agencies 22% encrypted
Contra Costa County 📡 Open
9 agencies 22% encrypted
San Diego County 📡 Open
7 agencies 0% encrypted
San Joaquin County 📡 Open
3 agencies 0% encrypted