Legalities of Badge Collecting

Laws in regards to owning and possessing Law Enforcement badges vary by state and jurisdiction. Many dealers and shows will require you to be an active or retired law enforcement officer, an established collector, or sponsored by an officer to attend, buy, sell, or trade badges. This is to discourage people who would use these collectibles as a means to pose as a law officer.

Some sites such as eBay even go as far as simply disallowing the sale of any badge that could be confused for a real officer’s badge. I also do not sell badges on this site, I only sell in-person and face to face at shows or in auctions so that I can be sure of who I’m selling to, and buyers can be sure of what they’re getting and from whom.

If you have questions about the legality of owning, buying or selling these objects, please consult your local or state police to learn more as laws vary around the country.

Comments are closed.