Which of the following is a requirement for a lawful vehicle search without a warrant?

A lawful vehicle search without a warrant fundamentally requires probable cause to believe that evidence of a crime is present. This principle is grounded in the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures. When law enforcement officers have probable cause, they are justified in conducting a search of a vehicle, since vehicles are considered mobile and evidence could easily be removed or destroyed.

Probable cause is established when officers can point to specific facts or circumstances that lead them to reasonably believe that illegal activity is taking place or that evidence of a crime is located within the vehicle. This requirement ensures that searches are carried out based on reasonable suspicion rather than mere whim or unparticular hunches.

While consent to search or exigent circumstances (such as imminent danger) can also justify a vehicle search without a warrant, the fundamental and most common requirement across various scenarios remains the existence of probable cause. A passenger's consent or the presence of an immediate danger may influence the legality of a search but do not replace the foundational requirement of probable cause. Additionally, the prior criminal record of the driver does not provide enough justification for a search; law enforcement must still establish probable cause based on specific, articulable facts related to the current situation.