Under the Motor Vehicle Exception, can an officer search every part of a vehicle?

The Motor Vehicle Exception allows law enforcement officers to search a vehicle without a warrant if they have probable cause to believe that it contains evidence of a crime, contraband, or other items subject to seizure. The rationale behind this exception is tied to the inherent mobility of vehicles; they can quickly leave an area, making it impractical to obtain a warrant in time.

When an officer has probable cause, they are permitted to search the entire vehicle. This includes not just the visible areas, but also compartments such as the trunk and glove compartments. The scope of the search can extend to all areas where contraband or evidence might reasonably be stored, as long as the probable cause supports the search. Therefore, the officer is not limited to just certain parts of the vehicle; they have the authority to comprehensively search the entire vehicle in pursuit of their probable cause findings.

Other options, while they present certain limitations or considerations, do not fully capture the breadth of authority that the Motor Vehicle Exception grants under the condition of having probable cause.