Under the motor vehicle exception, which portion of a vehicle may be searched without a warrant?

• A. The passenger compartment and any containers within it
• B. The trunk only
• C. The engine compartment only
• D. The entire vehicle including exterior items

Answer: (A)

The motor vehicle exception lets officers search a vehicle without a warrant when there’s probable cause to believe evidence is inside, because a car can be moved and people have a reduced privacy expectation in it. The part of the vehicle that may be searched without a warrant is the interior where items could be hidden—the passenger compartment and any containers within it. These are the spaces most likely to conceal contraband and are the areas the occupants can access. The engine compartment or the trunk aren’t described as part of that interior search in this formulation, and sweeping the entire vehicle would exceed the commonly taught scope. So, the passenger compartment and containers within it is the best answer.