PACE codes, explained.
The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 gives the powers. Its codes of practice say how to use them. Here are all eight in plain English, with the timings that come up on every exam.
The eight codes
- A
Code A: Stop and search
Using statutory powers to stop and search people and vehicles without arresting them, and recording what happened. Searches need reasonable grounds for suspicion based on facts, information or intelligence, never on a generalisation or stereotype.
- B
Code B: Searching premises and seizing property
Entering and searching premises, with or without a warrant or consent, and seizing and keeping property found there.
- C
Code C: Detention, treatment and questioning
The big one: how people in police custody are detained, treated and questioned. Rights, reviews, rest, meals, the appropriate adult and when an interview can happen.
- D
Code D: Identification
Identifying suspects: video identification, identity parades, group identification and confrontations, plus fingerprints, footwear impressions, photographs and samples.
- E
Code E: Audio recording interviews
Audio recording interviews with suspects, and keeping the recordings secure.
- F
Code F: Visual recording of interviews
When interviews with suspects are visually recorded with sound, and how.
- G
Code G: Statutory power of arrest
The power of arrest without warrant under PACE s.24, and the necessity criteria that make an arrest lawful.
- H
Code H: Terrorism detention
Detention, treatment and questioning of people arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000, s.41.
The current codes are published by the Home Office on GOV.UK. Read the codes themselves for anything you rely on: this page is a summary.
Detention timings to know
The numbers from PACE and Code C that come up again and again, in exams and in custody.
| First review | No later than 6 hours after detention was first authorised (PACE s.40). |
|---|---|
| Later reviews | At intervals of no more than 9 hours after that. |
| Basic detention limit | 24 hours from the relevant time (PACE s.41). |
| Extension by a superintendent | Up to 36 hours, for an indictable offence (PACE s.42). |
| Warrant of further detention | From a magistrates’ court, up to 96 hours in total (PACE ss.43–44). |
| Rest | At least 8 hours in any 24, free from questioning, normally at night (Code C 12.2). |
| Breaks in interview | Short refreshment breaks about every two hours (Code C 12.8). |
| Meals | At least two light meals and one main meal in any 24 hours (Code C 8.6). |
| Visits | At least every hour; someone who’s drunk is roused and spoken to every half hour (Code C 9.3). |
Memory aids officers use
- GOWISELY Code A
- What to tell someone before a search: Grounds, Object, Warrant card (if not in uniform), Identity and Station, Entitlement to a copy of the record, Legal power, You are detained for the search.
- IDCOPPLAN Code G
- The arrest necessity reasons in PACE s.24(5): Investigation (prompt and effective), Disappearance, Child or vulnerable person, Obstruction of the highway, Physical injury, Public decency, Loss or damage to property, Address, Name.
- ADVOKATE Code D and Turnbull
- Testing an eyewitness’s identification: Amount of time, Distance, Visibility, Obstruction, Known or seen before, Any reason to remember, Time lapse, Errors or discrepancies.
Exam season?
Know the codes cold.
PACE runs through every police exam, from training to sergeant, inspector and the NIE. Test yourself with our free 8-question mock, then keep going with hundreds more.
Questions people ask
What are the PACE codes of practice?
Guidance issued under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 on how police use their powers. There are eight: A (stop and search), B (search of premises), C (detention and questioning), D (identification), E (audio recorded interviews), F (visually recorded interviews), G (arrest) and H (terrorism detention).
What is PACE Code C?
The code on detention, treatment and questioning of people in police custody: their rights, how they’re looked after, reviews of their detention, the appropriate adult and the rules on interviews.
What happens if police break the PACE codes?
Breaking a code isn’t a crime or a civil wrong in itself, but a court can take it into account. Evidence may be excluded under PACE s.78 if admitting it would make the proceedings unfair, and an officer may face disciplinary action.
How long can police hold you without charge?
Normally up to 24 hours from the relevant time. A superintendent can extend it to 36 hours for an indictable offence, and a magistrates’ court can authorise up to 96 hours in total. Terrorism suspects are covered by Code H and can be held longer.
What does GOWISELY stand for?
A memory aid for what officers tell someone before a search under Code A: Grounds for the search, Object of the search, Warrant card (if not in uniform), Identity (the officer’s name or number) and Station, Entitlement to a copy of the record, Legal power used, and You are detained for the purpose of the search.