Free reference

Call Recording Laws by State

Whether you need everyone’s permission to record a call depends on your state. Pick yours to see if it’s one-party or all-party consent, then read the full list below.

California · call recording
Generally all-party consent

Everyone on the call must agree before you record. Recording without the other party’s permission can be a crime here, so announce it and get consent up front.

General information, not legal advice. Recording law has exceptions (in-person vs. phone, business calls, federal rules for interstate calls) and changes over time. Confirm your state’s current rule and check with a lawyer before recording.

Every state at a glance

  • AlabamaOne-party
  • AlaskaOne-party
  • ArizonaOne-party
  • ArkansasOne-party
  • CaliforniaAll-party
  • ColoradoOne-party
  • Connecticut *All-party
  • DelawareAll-party
  • District of ColumbiaOne-party
  • Florida *All-party
  • GeorgiaOne-party
  • HawaiiOne-party
  • IdahoOne-party
  • IllinoisAll-party
  • IndianaOne-party
  • IowaOne-party
  • KansasOne-party
  • KentuckyOne-party
  • LouisianaOne-party
  • MaineOne-party
  • MarylandAll-party
  • MassachusettsAll-party
  • Michigan *One-party
  • MinnesotaOne-party
  • MississippiOne-party
  • MissouriOne-party
  • MontanaAll-party
  • NebraskaOne-party
  • Nevada *All-party
  • New HampshireAll-party
  • New JerseyOne-party
  • New MexicoOne-party
  • New YorkOne-party
  • North CarolinaOne-party
  • North DakotaOne-party
  • OhioOne-party
  • OklahomaOne-party
  • Oregon *All-party
  • PennsylvaniaAll-party
  • Rhode IslandOne-party
  • South CarolinaOne-party
  • South DakotaOne-party
  • TennesseeOne-party
  • TexasOne-party
  • UtahOne-party
  • Vermont *One-party
  • VirginiaOne-party
  • WashingtonAll-party
  • West VirginiaOne-party
  • WisconsinOne-party
  • WyomingOne-party

* This state has notable nuances or unsettled law; select it above for the detail. Compiled from public summaries of state recording-consent law; general information only, not legal advice.

Questions people ask

What is the difference between one-party and all-party consent?

In a one-party consent state, you can record a conversation you are part of as long as you consent. In an all-party (two-party) consent state, every person on the call must agree before you record. Recording without the required consent can be a crime.

Which states require all-party consent to record a call?

As of 2026, thirteen states are generally all-party consent for phone calls: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada (its statute reads one-party, but its supreme court applies all-party to phone calls), New Hampshire, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington. A few others are unsettled, so confirm your own state.

Do I need to tell customers I am recording the call?

In all-party states, yes, you must get their consent first. Even in one-party states, a quick "this call may be recorded" is good practice. And if you call across state lines, the stricter state’s rule may apply, so disclosing is the safe default.

Does an AI receptionist record calls?

First AI Employee records and transcribes calls, and it states at the start of every call that the call is being recorded and that the caller is speaking with an AI. You remain responsible for the consent and disclosure laws that apply to you, but disclosing on every call is exactly how you stay on the right side of them — consent laws treat live transcription like recording anyway, so the disclosure, not the format, is what does the legal work.

An AI receptionist that answers, records, and discloses on every call

First AI Employee records and writes down every call, and tells every caller up front that the call is recorded and they are speaking with an AI. It answers on the first ring and books the job, around the clock. Plans start at $99 a month, with a 7-day free trial.

See plans and pricing
Related reading: Will callers know it is an AI?

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