Idaho No Chase Law
Agency discretion
Does Idaho have a no-chase law? No — Idaho has no statewide law restricting police pursuits. Each department sets its own chase policy.
What governs pursuits in Idaho
Idaho Code 49-623 (emergency vehicle privileges); Idaho Code 49-1404 (eluding a peace officer)
No statewide restriction found on when Idaho police may initiate or continue a pursuit. Idaho Code 49-623 grants emergency/police vehicles special driving privileges during pursuit but still requires 'due regard for the safety of all persons' and doesn't protect reckless driving; Idaho Code 49-1404 criminalizes fleeing/eluding. Actual pursuit initiation and termination criteria are set individually by each department (e.g., Idaho State Police).
Will police chase a motorcycle in Idaho?
No Idaho statute singles out motorcycles. Pursuing a fleeing motorcyclist is left to the individual agency's pursuit policy and officer discretion, balancing apprehension need against public-safety risk.
No US state has a literal law forbidding officers from chasing motorcycles. What riders call a "no-chase law" is nearly always a department policy that tells officers to break off a pursuit when the danger to the public outweighs the arrest — and fleeing remains a crime in Idaho regardless. See the state-by-state motorcycle guide for how this works everywhere.
Sources
- law.justia.com/codes/idaho/title-49/chapter-6/section-49-623/
- legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idstat/title49/t49ch14/sect49-1404/
Verified as of August 2026. Department policies can change without notice — check the agency's published policy for current break-off criteria.