Is Recording a Conversation Legal? State Laws (2026)

Quick Answer

Recording Conversations is legal in 31 states as of 2026. It's restricted with conditions in 19. Laws vary significantly — what's perfectly fine in one state can carry criminal penalties next door.

31 Legal

19 Restricted

0 Illegal

Last verified: April 2026 · About our research

Recording Conversations Legality Map

Legal

Restrictions

Illegal

Unverified

All 50 States

State	Status	Summary
Alabama	LEGAL	Alabama is a one-party consent state under Ala. Code § 13A-11-30. It is legal to record conversations if at least one pa...	Details →
Alaska	LEGAL	Alaska is a one-party consent state under Alaska Stat. § 42.20.310. Recording is legal if one party consents to the reco...	Details →
Arizona	LEGAL	Arizona is a one-party consent state under Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 13-3005. Recording conversations is legal if one party con...	Details →
Arkansas	LEGAL	Arkansas is a one-party consent state under Ark. Code Ann. § 5-60-120. Recording is legal if one party consents to the r...	Details →
California	RESTRICTED	California is a two-party (all-party) consent state under Cal. Penal Code § 632. It is illegal to record confidential co...	Details →
Colorado	LEGAL	Colorado is a one-party consent state under Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-9-303. Recording is legal if one party consents to the...	Details →
Connecticut	RESTRICTED	Connecticut is a two-party (all-party) consent state under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-570d. Recording confidential communicat...	Details →
Delaware	LEGAL	Delaware is a one-party consent state under Del. Code Ann. tit. 11, § 2402. Recording is legal if one party consents to ...	Details →
Florida	RESTRICTED	Florida is a two-party (all-party) consent state under Fla. Stat. § 934.03. Recording any wire, oral, or electronic comm...	Details →
Georgia	LEGAL	Georgia is a one-party consent state under O.C.G.A. § 16-11-62. Recording is legal if one party consents to the recordin...	Details →
Hawaii	RESTRICTED	Hawaii is a two-party consent state under Hawaii Revised Statutes § 803-42. It is illegal to record a private conversati...	Details →
Idaho	LEGAL	Idaho is a one-party consent state under Idaho Code § 18-6702. It is legal to record a conversation if at least one part...	Details →
Illinois	RESTRICTED	Illinois is an all-party consent state under the Illinois Eavesdropping Act (720 ILCS 5/14-2). Recording any private con...	Details →
Indiana	LEGAL	Indiana is a one-party consent state under Indiana Code § 35-33.5-1-1. Recording a conversation is legal if one party co...	Details →
Iowa	LEGAL	Iowa is a one-party consent state under Iowa Code § 808B.2. Recording a conversation is legal if one party consents. Rec...	Details →
Kansas	LEGAL	Kansas is a one-party consent state for recording conversations. Under Kansas Statutes Annotated Section 21-6101, it is ...	Details →
Kentucky	LEGAL	Kentucky is a one-party consent state under Kentucky Revised Statutes § 526.020. Recording a conversation is legal if on...	Details →
Louisiana	RESTRICTED	Louisiana is a two-party consent state under Louisiana Revised Statutes § 15:1303. It is illegal to record a conversatio...	Details →
Maine	RESTRICTED	Maine is a two-party consent state under Maine Revised Statutes Title 15, § 710. It is illegal to record a private conve...	Details →
Maryland	RESTRICTED	Maryland is a two-party consent state under Maryland Code, Courts and Judicial Proceedings § 10-402. It is illegal to re...	Details →
Massachusetts	RESTRICTED	Massachusetts is an all-party consent state under M.G.L. c. 272, § 99. This means you must have the consent of all parti...	Details →
Michigan	LEGAL	Michigan is a one-party consent state under MCL 750.539c. Only one party to the conversation needs to consent to the rec...	Details →
Minnesota	RESTRICTED	Minnesota requires all-party consent to record private conversations under Minn. Stat. § 626A.02. Recording without cons...	Details →
Mississippi	LEGAL	Mississippi is a one-party consent state under Miss. Code Ann. § 41-29-501. Only one party to the conversation needs to ...	Details →
Missouri	LEGAL	Missouri is a one-party consent state under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 542.402. Recording a conversation is legal if at least one ...	Details →
Montana	RESTRICTED	Montana requires all-party consent to record private conversations under Mont. Code Ann. § 45-8-213. Recording without c...	Details →
Nebraska	LEGAL	Nebraska is a one-party consent state under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 86-290. Only one party to the conversation needs to consen...	Details →
Nevada	RESTRICTED	Nevada is an all-party consent state under Nev. Rev. Stat. § 200.620. All parties must consent to the recording of a con...	Details →
New Hampshire	RESTRICTED	New Hampshire requires all-party consent under N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 570-A:2. Recording a conversation without the cons...	Details →
New Jersey	RESTRICTED	New Jersey is an all-party consent state under N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2A:156A-3. All parties must consent to the recording of...	Details →
New Mexico	LEGAL	New Mexico is a one-party consent state under NMSA § 30-12-1. It is legal to record conversations if at least one party ...	Details →
New York	LEGAL	New York is a one-party consent state under CPLR § 4504. Recording a conversation is legal if one party consents. Secret...	Details →
North Carolina	LEGAL	North Carolina is a one-party consent state under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-287. Recording is legal if one party consents to...	Details →
North Dakota	LEGAL	North Dakota is a one-party consent state under N.D. Cent. Code § 12.1-15-02. Recording conversations is legal if one pa...	Details →
Ohio	LEGAL	Ohio is a one-party consent state under Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2933.52. Recording is legal if one party consents. Secret ...	Details →
Oklahoma	LEGAL	Oklahoma is a one-party consent state under 13 Okla. Stat. § 176. Recording conversations is legal if one party consents...	Details →
Oregon	RESTRICTED	Oregon is an all-party consent state under ORS § 165.540. It is illegal to record a conversation unless all parties cons...	Details →
Pennsylvania	RESTRICTED	Pennsylvania is an all-party consent state under 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5703. Recording is legal only if all parties conse...	Details →
Rhode Island	RESTRICTED	Rhode Island is an all-party consent state under R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-35-22. Recording conversations requires the consent...	Details →
South Carolina	LEGAL	South Carolina is a one-party consent state under S.C. Code Ann. § 17-30-30. Recording is legal if one party consents. S...	Details →
South Dakota	LEGAL	South Dakota is a one-party consent state under SDCL § 23A-35-15. Recording a conversation is legal if at least one part...	Details →
Tennessee	RESTRICTED	Tennessee is a two-party (all-party) consent state under Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-601. It is illegal to record any conver...	Details →
Texas	LEGAL	Texas is a one-party consent state under Texas Penal Code § 16.02. Recording a conversation is legal if one party consen...	Details →
Utah	LEGAL	Utah is a one-party consent state under Utah Code Ann. § 77-23a-4. Recording a conversation is legal if one party consen...	Details →
Vermont	LEGAL	Vermont is a one-party consent state under 13 V.S.A. § 5704. Recording a conversation is legal if one party consents. Se...	Details →
Virginia	LEGAL	Virginia is a one-party consent state under Va. Code Ann. § 19.2-62. Recording a conversation is legal if one party cons...	Details →
Washington	RESTRICTED	Washington is an all-party consent state under RCW 9.73.030. Recording a private conversation requires the consent of al...	Details →
West Virginia	LEGAL	West Virginia is a one-party consent state under W. Va. Code § 62-1C-3. Recording a conversation is legal if one party c...	Details →
Wisconsin	LEGAL	Wisconsin is a one-party consent state under Wis. Stat. § 968.31. Recording a conversation is legal if one party consent...	Details →
Wyoming	LEGAL	Wyoming is a one-party consent state under Wyo. Stat. § 7-3-502. Recording a conversation is legal if one party consents...	Details →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is recording conversations legal in the United States?

Recording Conversations is legal in 31 states as of 2026. It's restricted with conditions in 19. Laws vary significantly — what's perfectly fine in one state can carry criminal penalties next door.

How many states allow recording conversations?

As of 2026, recording conversations is legal in 31 states, restricted with conditions in 19 states. Use the map and table on this page to check your specific state.

Can you travel across state lines with recording conversations?

Crossing state lines changes which laws apply. If recording conversations is legal in your home state but illegal in the state you're entering, you can face criminal charges the moment you cross the border. Always check the laws of every state on your route.