Investigatory Powers Act 2016 — United Kingdom law | Esheria

Investigatory Powers Act 2016

This Part sets privacy rules for investigatory powers, including when interception is lawful, when it is an offence, and who can issue or review warrants and penalties.

AI-assisted research synopsis — verify against the official legal text below.

Jurisdiction
United Kingdom
Instrument
Act or statute
Version
Undated source snapshot
Language
en
Official source
View official record ↗

Citation provenance: source:global:stored-legal-sources · schema StatuteEnrichmentPublicV1.

appeals authorisations bulk personal datasets collaboration agreements communications data communications interception compliance cross-reference updates data breach notification data handling dataset examination disclosure controls disclosure offences equipment interference governance government authorisations guidance individual authorisation information notices intelligence service operations interception journalistic material lawful disclosure lawful interception +21 more

Statute overview

About this statute

This Part sets privacy rules for investigatory powers, including when interception is lawful, when it is an offence, and who can issue or review warrants and penalties. This provision sets extra safeguards for interception warrants, especially where legal privilege or confidential journalistic material may be involved. The provision requires notices to the Commissioner in some interception and legal-privilege cases, restricts handing over material or copies to overseas authorities, creates secrecy rules with offences for unauthorised disclosure, and sets out communications-data authorisation and filtering procedures. This provision sets rules for collaboration agreements, retention notices, approval of authorisations, disclosure offences, and retention/security duties for communications data. This part lets certain authorities issue targeted equipment interference warrants, but only if the legal conditions are met and, in some cases, Judicial Commissioner approval is required.