Factual error: Many of the vehicles in the movie have Pennsylvania inspection stickers on the lower driver's side windshield. This is not surprising being that most of the movie was filmed in Pennsylvania. However, they should have been removed when the car is suppose to be from another state. For example, the Senator's daughter, just before her abduction in Tennessee, is seen driving a car with Pennsylvania inspection stickers. Also, the driver for Yourself Storage in Baltimore also has Pennsylvania stickers on his car.

Continuity: In the scene in the hangar at Memphis airport, Senator Martin's hair keeps changing in each return shot.

Continuity: When Clarice is searching the basement, the first door she approaches is hinged on the left and opens towards her. She opens it, and it turns into a door that has the hinges on the right and opens away from her.

Continuity: At the beginning when Clarice is jogging through the woods, the sweat on her sweatshirt varies from shot to shot.

Continuity: When Clarice tries to push up the blocked door of the self storage container she puts her gloves on her lap. In the next scene the gloves have disappeared.

Visible crew/equipment: At the end of the film, when Hannibal is telling Clarice about having "an old friend for dinner" a camera crew can is reflected in his sunglasses.

Factual error: In the scene with the ambulance in Memphis, the Tennessee license plate on the ambulance says Davidson County. Memphis is in Shelby County, while Davidson County is Nashville.

Continuity: When Clarice leaves the asylum after first talking to Dr. Lecter, her hair is a different color than when she went in; it is much darker and looks freshly dyed.

Continuity: In the scene where Jack Crawford and Clarice are examining the dead body in Elk River, the substance they apply under their nostrils changes in shape and amount applied.

Factual error: In the scene where the police are preparing to raid the house in Calumet City, IL, you can see hills in the background. Calumet City is about 25 miles south of Chicago - there are no hills like that for hundreds of miles in any direction.

Continuity: While travelling from the post mortem examination, Clarice is in the back seat speaking to her boss.  In going back and forth in conversation, her hair changes from being curled up to being curled under, all in one swift change.  This is a different style and not done as could be by running your fingers through your hair as the camera cut away.

Continuity: During the scene in the cage after Hannibal has handcuffed Sgt. Boyle, Hannibal kicks the cage door in the oncoming direction of Sgt. Petrie from a seated position. Exactly one second later, he is on his feet and attacking Sgt. Petrie from the same angle from which he kicked the door closed. It would then make sense that the door would still be closed since Petrie made no attempt to enter the cage. However, the cage door is now open to its original position when Hannibal starts attacking Sgt. Petrie.