PACE Codes of Practice

Official rules under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 on how police stop, search, arrest, detain, identify and interview people.

The PACE Codes of Practice are detailed rules issued under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 that police in England and Wales must follow. Code A covers stop and search; Code B searching premises and seizing property; Code C detention, treatment and questioning; Code D identification, such as fingerprints and identity procedures; Code E audio recording of interviews; Code F visual recording; Code G arrest; and Code H detention in terrorism cases. You have the right to read the Codes while in custody. Breaching a Code is not itself a crime, but it can lead to a complaint or disciplinary action, and a court can take it into account, for example by excluding evidence obtained unfairly under section 78 of PACE. The Codes are revised from time to time, and the current versions are published on GOV.UK.

Checked as at 25 September 2026. General information only, not legal advice.