This is a law that all ham radio operators in Minnesota should know. 

To have a ham radio transceiver or a scanner in your car, you must have a valid Amateur Radio License, a special permit, or be a police officer.

 

Here is the law as it is written:

 

 

299C.37 Police communication equipment; use, sale. 
   

     Subdivision 1.    Use regulated.  (a) No person other
than peace officers within the state, the members of the State
Patrol, and persons who hold an amateur radio license issued by
the Federal Communications Commission, shall equip any motor
vehicle with any radio equipment or combination of equipment,
capable of receiving any radio signal, message, or information
from any police emergency frequency, or install, use, or possess
the equipment in a motor vehicle without permission from the
superintendent of the bureau upon a form prescribed by the
superintendent.  An amateur radio license holder is not entitled
to exercise the privilege granted by this paragraph if the
license holder has been convicted in this state or elsewhere of
a crime of violence, as defined in section 624.712, subdivision
5, unless ten years have elapsed since the person has been
restored to civil rights or the sentence has expired, whichever
occurs first, and during that time the person has not been
convicted of any other crime of violence.  For purposes of this
section, "crime of violence" includes a crime in another state
or jurisdiction that would have been a crime of violence if it
had been committed in this state.  Radio equipment installed,
used, or possessed as permitted by this paragraph must be under
the direct control of the license holder whenever it is used.  A
person who is designated in writing by the chief law enforcement
officer of a political subdivision issued a permit under
subdivision 3 may use and possess radio equipment while in the
course and scope of duties or employment without also having to
obtain an individual permit. 
    (b) Except as provided in paragraph (c), any person who is
convicted of a violation of this subdivision shall, upon
conviction for the first offense, be guilty of a misdemeanor,
and for the second and subsequent offenses shall be guilty of a
gross misdemeanor. 
    (c) An amateur radio license holder who exercises the
privilege granted by paragraph (a) shall carry the amateur radio
license in the motor vehicle at all times and shall present the
license to a peace officer on request.  A violation of this
paragraph is a petty misdemeanor.  A second or subsequent
violation is a misdemeanor. 
    Subd. 2.  Repealed, 1971 c 71 s 2 
    Subd. 3.    Permit.  The superintendent of the bureau
shall, upon written application, issue a written permit, which
shall be nontransferable, to a person, firm, political
subdivision, or corporation showing good cause to use radio
equipment capable of receiving a police emergency frequency, as
a necessity, in the lawful pursuit of a business, trade, or
occupation. 
    Subd. 4. Repealed, 1983 c 293 s 115 
    HIST: (9950-48) 1935 c 195 s 8; 1961 c 661 s 1; 1965 c 721 s
1; 1981 c 37 s 2; 1983 c 293 s 91; 1986 c 444; 1987 c 191 s 1;
2003 c 121 s 1,2