Spell casters using wands of higher level?

[Nebrok]

I have looked through the source material and can see nothing that would prevent a spell caster from using a wand/staff that holds a higher level that he could normally cast.
For example, a wizard who can cast up to 3rd level spells should be able to use a wand/staff that casts 4th level spells or higher.

Please confirm if I am correct, or show me if I missed something.

 

[JasonZZ]

That is correct. There is no level-based limit on the use of a wand or staff, so long as the character has spellcasting ability (IIRC, Rangers and Paladins have to wait until they get their first spells before they can use wands or staves).

 

[Greenfield]

Almost correct.

Wands can be used by any character whose class includes the spell on its "Class list". Even if the character doesn't yet have any casting ability.

Spell Trigger: Spell trigger activation is similar to spell completion, but it’s even simpler. No gestures or spell finishing is needed, just a special knowledge of spellcasting that an appropriate character would know, and a single word that must be spoken. Anyone with a spell on his or her spell list knows how to use a spell trigger item that stores that spell. (This is the case even for a character who can’t actually cast spells, such as a 3rd-level paladin.) The user must still determine what spell is stored in the item before she can activate it. Activating a spell trigger item is a standard action and does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

A Wizard can't use a wand of Cure Light Wounds because that spell isn't on the Wizard list. A Cleric can't use a wand of Lightning Bolt because that spell isn't on the Cleric list.

Yes, I know, the spellis available in one of the Domain lists, but unless the Cleric in question has that Domain, they can't use the wand.

Staves are the same way, with a slight twist: The spells in a staff are put in at a certain caster level, just as they are in Wands. The Staff fires the spell at that caster level, *OR* at the caster level of the person using it, whichever is higher.