Do duty to inform (traffic stop) rules differ by state?

Yes. Must you tell police you are armed on a stop? Crosstatelaws maps all 50 states for travelers who are physically in that state — not for what a state requires of its own plates or licenses.

Does duty to inform (traffic stop) apply if my vehicle is registered in another state?

Operate-here rules (speed, helmets, possession, inspections you must stop for) follow the state you are in. Registration-state rules such as a front license plate do not. Read the layer notes on the map.

Where can I see a duty to inform (traffic stop) map?

Open the Crosstatelaws interactive map with this layer soloed: https://crosstatelaws.com/?solo=duty_to_inform

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Duty to inform (traffic stop) laws by state

People search “Duty to inform (traffic stop) by state”, “Duty to inform (traffic stop) laws by state”, and “Duty to inform map” when a road trip, boat, bike, or load is about to cross a line. This page is the 50-state index for duty to inform (traffic stop). Colors and quotes are written for someone in that state today, not for what that state demands of its own registered vehicles.

Open the Duty to inform difference map

How states differ

Must you tell police you are armed on a stop?.

Affirmative duty — volunteer that you are armed
Disclose if the officer asks
Depends on permit / constitutional-carry status
No statewide duty to inform (still be careful locally)

Searches this page is meant to answer

If you typed any of these — or a close variant with a state name — this is the Crosstatelaws topic that should show up:

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Duty to inform (traffic stop) in California / Texas / Florida / New York
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All 50 states

One-line traveler summary for each state. Open the map for the quoted rule and footnotes.

Alabama (AL): Alabama: disclose if the officer asks; no published statewide volunteer-first duty.
Alaska (AK): Alaska: must volunteer that you are armed on a stop (Alaska Stat. § 11.61.220).
Arizona (AZ): Arizona: disclose if the officer asks; no published statewide volunteer-first duty.
Arkansas (AR): Arkansas: must volunteer that you are armed on a stop (Ark. Code § 5-73-120 / 5-73-309).
California (CA): California: no published statewide duty to volunteer that you are armed. If the officer asks, answer.
Colorado (CO): Colorado: no published statewide duty to volunteer that you are armed. If the officer asks, answer.
Connecticut (CT): Connecticut: no published statewide duty to volunteer that you are armed. If the officer asks, answer.
Delaware (DE): Delaware: no published statewide duty to volunteer that you are armed. If the officer asks, answer.
Florida (FL): Florida: disclose if the officer asks; no published statewide volunteer-first duty.
Georgia (GA): Georgia: no published statewide duty to volunteer that you are armed. If the officer asks, answer.
Hawaii (HI): Hawaii: must inform if you have a firearm in the vehicle when an officer asks or when presenting a license (Haw. Rev. Stat. § 134-9).
Idaho (ID): Idaho: no published statewide duty to volunteer that you are armed. If the officer asks, answer.
Illinois (IL): Illinois: CCL holders: disclose if the officer asks (430 ILCS 66/10 / ISP CCL rules).
Indiana (IN): Indiana: no published statewide duty to volunteer that you are armed. If the officer asks, answer.
Iowa (IA): Iowa: no published statewide duty to volunteer that you are armed. If the officer asks, answer.
Kansas (KS): Kansas: no published statewide duty to volunteer that you are armed. If the officer asks, answer.
Kentucky (KY): Kentucky: disclose if the officer asks; no published statewide volunteer-first duty.
Louisiana (LA): Louisiana: must volunteer that you are armed on a stop (La. R.S. 40:1379.3).
Maine (ME): Maine: permit holders: inform if asked; permitless carriers have no published volunteer-first duty (25 M.R.S. § 2003-A).
Maryland (MD): Maryland: no published statewide duty to volunteer that you are armed. If the officer asks, answer.
Massachusetts (MA): Massachusetts: no published statewide duty to volunteer that you are armed. If the officer asks, answer.
Michigan (MI): Michigan: CPL holders must volunteer the license and that they are armed (MCL 28.425f).
Minnesota (MN): Minnesota: disclose if the officer asks (Minn. Stat. § 624.714).
Mississippi (MS): Mississippi: no published statewide duty to volunteer that you are armed. If the officer asks, answer.
Missouri (MO): Missouri: disclose if the officer asks; no published statewide volunteer-first duty.
Montana (MT): Montana: no published statewide duty to volunteer that you are armed. If the officer asks, answer.
Nebraska (NE): Nebraska: must volunteer that you are armed on a stop (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 69-2440).
Nevada (NV): Nevada: no published statewide duty to volunteer that you are armed. If the officer asks, answer.
New Hampshire (NH): New Hampshire: no published statewide duty to volunteer that you are armed. If the officer asks, answer.
New Jersey (NJ): New Jersey: permit holders must inform on a stop (N.J.S.A. 2C:58-4).
New Mexico (NM): New Mexico: no published statewide duty to volunteer that you are armed. If the officer asks, answer.
New York (NY): New York: disclose if the officer asks; licensees present the license on request (Penal Law § 400.00).
North Carolina (NC): North Carolina: must volunteer that you are armed on a stop (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-415.11).
North Dakota (ND): North Dakota: class 1 / permit holders: inform; class 2 permitless residents have a different duty (N.D.C.C. § 62.1-04-03).
Ohio (OH): Ohio: disclose if the officer asks (Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.12 / 2923.16).
Oklahoma (OK): Oklahoma: disclose if the officer asks (21 O.S. § 1290.8).
Oregon (OR): Oregon: disclose if the officer asks (ORS 166.291 / 166.370).
Pennsylvania (PA): Pennsylvania: disclose if the officer asks (18 Pa.C.S. § 6109).
Rhode Island (RI): Rhode Island: no published statewide duty to volunteer that you are armed. If the officer asks, answer.
South Carolina (SC): South Carolina: no published statewide duty to volunteer that you are armed. If the officer asks, answer.
South Dakota (SD): South Dakota: no published statewide duty to volunteer that you are armed. If the officer asks, answer.
Tennessee (TN): Tennessee: disclose if the officer asks; no published statewide volunteer-first duty.
Texas (TX): Texas: LTC holders must display the license if the officer asks; announcing the gun is the safe compliance path (Gov’t Code § 411.205).
Utah (UT): Utah: no published statewide duty to volunteer that you are armed. If the officer asks, answer.
Vermont (VT): Vermont: no published statewide duty to volunteer that you are armed. If the officer asks, answer.
Virginia (VA): Virginia: disclose if the officer asks (Va. Code § 18.2-308.02).
Washington (WA): Washington: disclose if the officer asks (RCW 9.41.050).
West Virginia (WV): West Virginia: no published statewide duty to volunteer that you are armed. If the officer asks, answer.
Wisconsin (WI): Wisconsin: disclose if the officer asks (Wis. Stat. § 175.60).
Wyoming (WY): Wyoming: disclose if the officer asks; no published statewide volunteer-first duty.

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Not legal advice. Confirm statutes before you travel. Disclaimer.