Does a search warrant need to be obtained to search a vehicle after an arrest?

In addition, law enforcement officers taking a vehicle into custody after an arrest may search it and inventory its contents "without need for a search warrant and without regard to whether there is probable cause to suspect that the vehicle contains contraband or evidence of criminal conduct." United States v. Lopez , 547 F.3d 364, 369 (2d Cir. 2008). Thus, after a lawful arrest (for example, after a traffic violation) where a search incident to arrest is not justified, evidence recovered from an immediately ensuing search may be admissible nevertheless "if the contents would inevitably have been discovered in a permissible inventory search."

[854 F.3d 179]

United States v. Perea , 986 F.2d 633, 644 (2d Cir. 1993).