Part 6Bulk warrants

Chapter 1 – Bulk interception warrants

Section 136Bulk interception warrants
(1) For the purposes of this Act a “bulk interception warrant” is a warrant issued under this Chapter which meets conditions A and B. (2) Condition A is…
Section 137Obtaining secondary data
(1) This section has effect for the purposes of this Chapter. (2) References to obtaining secondary data from a communication transmitted by means of a telecommunication system are…
Section 138Power to issue bulk interception warrants
(1) The Secretary of State may, on an application made by or on behalf of the head of an intelligence service, issue a bulk interception warrant if— (a)…
Section 139Additional requirements in respect of warrants affecting overseas operators
(1) This section applies where— (a) an application for a bulk interception warrant has been made, and (b) the Secretary of State considers that a telecommunications operator outside…
Section 140Approval of warrants by Judicial Commissioners
(1) In deciding whether to approve a decision to issue a warrant under section 138 , a Judicial Commissioner must review the Secretary of State's conclusions as to…
Section 141Decisions to issue warrants to be taken personally by Secretary of State
(1) The decision to issue a bulk interception warrant must be taken personally by the Secretary of State. (2) Before a bulk interception warrant is issued, it must…
Section 142Requirements that must be met by warrants
(1) A bulk interception warrant must contain a provision stating that it is a bulk interception warrant. (2) A bulk interception warrant must be addressed to the head…
Section 143Duration of warrants
(1) A bulk interception warrant (unless already cancelled) ceases to have effect at the end of the period of 6 months beginning with— (a) the day on which…
Section 144Renewal of warrants
(1) If the renewal conditions are met, a bulk interception warrant may be renewed, at any time during the renewal period, by an instrument issued by the Secretary…
Section 145Modification of warrants
(1) The provisions of a bulk interception warrant may be modified at any time by an instrument issued by the person making the modification. (2) The only modifications…
Section 146Approval of major modifications by Judicial Commissioners
(1) In deciding whether to approve a decision to make a major modification of a bulk interception warrant, a Judicial Commissioner must review the Secretary of State's conclusions…
Section 147Approval of major modifications made in urgent cases
(1) This section applies where— (a) the Secretary of State makes a major modification of a bulk interception warrant without the approval of a Judicial Commissioner, and (b)…
Section 148Cancellation of warrants
(1) The Secretary of State, or a senior official acting on behalf of the Secretary of State, may cancel a bulk interception warrant at any time. (2) If…
Section 149Implementation of warrants
(1) In giving effect to a bulk interception warrant, the person to whom it is addressed (“the implementing authority”) may (in addition to acting alone) act through, or…
Section 150Safeguards relating to retention and disclosure of material
(1) The Secretary of State must ensure, in relation to every bulk interception warrant, that arrangements are in force for securing— (a) that the requirements of subsections (2)…
Section 151Safeguards relating to disclosure of material overseas
(1) The Secretary of State must ensure, in relation to every bulk interception warrant, that arrangements are in force for securing that— (a) any material obtained under the…
Section 152Safeguards relating to examination of material
(1) For the purposes of section 150 the requirements of this section are met in relation to the intercepted content and secondary data obtained under a warrant if—…
Section 153Additional safeguards for items subject to legal privilege
(1) Subsection (2) applies if, in a case where intercepted content obtained under a bulk interception warrant is to be selected for examination— (a) the selection of the…
Section 154Additional safeguards for confidential journalistic material etc
(1) Subsection (2) applies if, in a case where intercepted content or secondary data obtained under a bulk interception warrant is to be selected for examination— (a) the…
Section 154ASection 154: procedure where use of criteria approved by senior official
(1) This section applies where intercepted content or secondary data is selected for examination using criteria the use of which was approved by a senior official under section…
Section 155Offence of breaching safeguards relating to examination of material
(1) A person commits an offence if— (a) the person selects for examination any intercepted content or secondary data obtained under a bulk interception warrant, (b) the person…
Section 156Application of other restrictions in relation to warrants
(1) Section 56 and Schedule 3 (exclusion of matters from legal proceedings etc.) apply in relation to bulk interception warrants as they apply in relation to targeted interception…
Section 157Chapter 1: interpretation
(1) In this Chapter— “intercepted content”, in relation to a bulk interception warrant, means any content of communications intercepted by an interception authorised or required by the warrant;…

Chapter 2 – Bulk acquisition warrants

Section 158Power to issue bulk acquisition warrants
(1) The Secretary of State may, on an application made by or on behalf of the head of an intelligence service, issue a bulk acquisition warrant if— (a)…
Section 159Approval of warrants by Judicial Commissioners
(1) In deciding whether to approve a decision to issue a warrant under section 158 , a Judicial Commissioner must review the Secretary of State's conclusions as to…
Section 160Decisions to issue warrants to be taken personally by Secretary of State
(1) The decision to issue a bulk acquisition warrant must be taken personally by the Secretary of State. (2) Before a bulk acquisition warrant is issued, it must…
Section 161Requirements that must be met by warrants
(1) A bulk acquisition warrant must contain a provision stating that it is a bulk acquisition warrant. (2) A bulk acquisition warrant must be addressed to the head…
Section 162Duration of warrants
(1) A bulk acquisition warrant (unless already cancelled) ceases to have effect at the end of the period of 6 months beginning with— (a) the day on which…
Section 163Renewal of warrants
(1) If the renewal conditions are met, a bulk acquisition warrant may be renewed, at any time during the renewal period, by an instrument issued by the Secretary…
Section 164Modification of warrants
(1) The provisions of a bulk acquisition warrant may be modified at any time by an instrument issued by the person making the modification. (2) The only modifications…
Section 165Approval of major modifications by Judicial Commissioners
(1) In deciding whether to approve a decision to make a major modification of a bulk acquisition warrant, a Judicial Commissioner must review the Secretary of State's conclusions…
Section 166Approval of major modifications made in urgent cases
(1) This section applies where— (a) the Secretary of State makes a major modification of a bulk acquisition warrant without the approval of a Judicial Commissioner, and (b)…
Section 167Cancellation of warrants
(1) The Secretary of State, or a senior official acting on behalf of the Secretary of State, may cancel a bulk acquisition warrant at any time. (2) If…
Section 168Implementation of warrants
(1) In giving effect to a bulk acquisition warrant, the person to whom it is addressed (“the implementing authority”) may (in addition to acting alone) act through, or…
Section 169Service of warrants
(1) This section applies to the service of bulk acquisition warrants under section 168(2) . (2) A copy of the warrant must be served in such a way…
Section 170Duty of operators to assist with implementation
(1) A telecommunications operator that has been served with a copy of a bulk acquisition warrant by (or on behalf of) the implementing authority must take all steps…
Section 171Safeguards relating to the retention and disclosure of data
(1) The Secretary of State must ensure, in relation to every bulk acquisition warrant, that arrangements are in force for securing— (a) that the requirements of subsections (2)…
Section 172Safeguards relating to examination of data
(1) For the purposes of section 171 the requirements of this section are met in relation to the communications data obtained under a warrant if— (a) any selection…
Section 173Offence of breaching safeguards relating to examination of data
(1) A person commits an offence if— (a) the person selects for examination any communications data obtained under a bulk acquisition warrant, (b) the person knows or believes…
Section 174Offence of making unauthorised disclosure
(1) It is an offence for— (a) a telecommunications operator who is under a duty by virtue of section 170 to assist in giving effect to a bulk…
Section 175Chapter 2: interpretation
(1) In this Chapter— “communications data” does not include communications data within the meaning given by section 262(3) , “senior official” means— (a) a member of the Senior…

Chapter 3 – Bulk equipment interference warrants

Section 176Bulk equipment interference warrants: general
(1) For the purposes of this Act, a warrant is a “bulk equipment interference warrant” if— (a) it is issued under this Chapter; (b) it authorises or requires…
Section 177Meaning of “equipment data”
(1) In this Chapter, “equipment data” means— (a) systems data; (b) data which falls within subsection (2) . (2) The data falling within this subsection is identifying data…
Section 178Power to issue bulk equipment interference warrants
(1) The Secretary of State may, on an application made by or on behalf of the head of an intelligence service, issue a bulk equipment interference warrant if—…
Section 179Approval of warrants by Judicial Commissioners
(1) In deciding whether to approve a decision to issue a warrant under section 178 , a Judicial Commissioner must review the Secretary of State's conclusions as to…
Section 180Approval of warrants issued in urgent cases
(1) This section applies where— (a) a warrant under section 178 is issued without the approval of a Judicial Commissioner, and (b) the Secretary of State considered that…
Section 181Failure to approve warrant issued in urgent case
(1) This section applies where under section 180(3) a Judicial Commissioner refuses to approve a decision to issue a warrant. (2) The person to whom the warrant was…
Section 182Decisions to issue warrants to be taken personally by Secretary of State
(1) The decision to issue a bulk equipment interference warrant must be taken personally by the Secretary of State. (2) Before a bulk equipment interference warrant is issued,…
Section 183Requirements that must be met by warrants
(1) A bulk equipment interference warrant must contain a provision stating that it is a bulk equipment interference warrant. (2) A bulk equipment interference warrant must be addressed…
Section 184Duration of warrants
(1) A bulk equipment interference warrant ceases to have effect at the end of the relevant period (see subsection (2) ), unless— (a) it is renewed before the…
Section 185Renewal of warrants
(1) If the renewal conditions are met, a bulk equipment interference warrant may be renewed, at any time during the renewal period, by an instrument issued by the…
Section 186Modification of warrants
(1) The provisions of a bulk equipment interference warrant may be modified at any time by an instrument issued by the person making the modification. (2) The modifications…
Section 187Approval of major modifications by Judicial Commissioners
(1) In deciding whether to approve a decision to make a major modification of a bulk equipment interference warrant, a Judicial Commissioner must review the Secretary of State's…
Section 188Approval of major modifications made in urgent cases
(1) This section applies where— (a) the Secretary of State makes a major modification of a bulk equipment interference warrant without the approval of a Judicial Commissioner, and…
Section 189Cancellation of warrants
(1) The Secretary of State, or a senior official acting on behalf of the Secretary of State, may cancel a bulk equipment interference warrant at any time. (2)…
Section 190Implementation of warrants
(1) In giving effect to a bulk equipment interference warrant, the person to whom it is addressed (“the implementing authority”) may (in addition to acting alone) act through,…
Section 191Safeguards relating to retention and disclosure of material
(1) The Secretary of State must ensure, in relation to every bulk equipment interference warrant, that arrangements are in force for securing— (a) that the requirements of subsections…
Section 192Safeguards relating to disclosure of material overseas
(1) The Secretary of State must ensure, in relation to every bulk equipment interference warrant, that arrangements are in force for securing that— (a) any material obtained under…
Section 193Safeguards relating to examination of material etc.
(1) For the purposes of section 191 , the requirements of this section are met in relation to the material obtained under a warrant if— (a) the selection…
Section 194Additional safeguards for items subject to legal privilege
(1) Subsection (2) applies if, in a case where protected material obtained under a bulk equipment interference warrant is to be selected for examination— (a) the selection of…
Section 195Additional safeguards for confidential journalistic material etc
(1) Subsection (2) applies if, in a case where material obtained under a bulk equipment interference warrant (“BEI material”) is to be selected for examination— (a) the purpose,…
Section 195ASection 195: procedure where use of criteria approved by senior official
(1) This section applies where material obtained under a bulk equipment interference warrant is selected for examination using criteria the use of which was approved by a senior…
Section 196Offence of breaching safeguards relating to examination of material
(1) A person commits an offence if— (a) the person selects for examination any material obtained under a bulk equipment interference warrant, (b) the person knows or believes…
Section 197Application of other restrictions in relation to warrants
Sections 132 to 134 (duty not to make unauthorised disclosures) apply in relation to bulk equipment interference warrants as they apply in relation to targeted equipment interference warrants,…
Section 198Chapter 3: interpretation
(1) In this Chapter— “communication” includes— (a) anything comprising speech, music, sounds, visual images or data of any description, and (b) signals serving either for the impartation of…

https://ipa.digiphile.law/part/part-6.html

Text as at 7 October 2026.

This is an unofficial convenience version of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016. It is presented “as is” without guarantee of accuracy, completeness or reliability. See the source text for the official version. This site was last updated in October 2026.