// call recording laws

Is it legal to record a call where you are?

Consent rules differ by country and US state. Pick a place for a plain-language answer — then record with confidence in Klear.

// choose a jurisdiction

Generally allowed One-party

If you are part of the conversation, you may record it without informing the other person. Recording calls you are NOT part of, or sharing recordings publicly to harm someone, can still be unlawful. Federal wiretap law permits recording by a party or with one party's consent.

Record calls you take part in, for your own records.
Don't secretly record conversations between other people.
Don't publish or share a recording to harm someone.

Last reviewed · 2026-06Source · 18 U.S.C. Sec. 2511(2)(d) ↗high

⚖ Informational only — not legal advice. This data may be out of date and laws change often — always verify your country's current legislation (tap the source link above) before recording, and consult a qualified lawyer for your specific case.

// the three rules

Consent types, explained

Almost every recording law comes down to who has to agree before a call can be recorded.

One-party

One person is enough

As long as one participant (you) consents, recording is allowed. The most common rule worldwide.

e.g. most US states · Canada · UK · India

All-party

Everyone must agree

Every person on the call must consent before you record. Also called "two-party consent".

e.g. California · Florida · Germany · France · Switzerland

Notify

Tell them first

Recording is fine if participants are clearly notified (a beep or a spoken notice) at the start.

e.g. business calls in several EU states

// reference

Recording laws by country & state

A quick reference across major jurisdictions. Tap any row for the full guide, sources and last-reviewed date.

Jurisdiction	Consent rule	Notes
ARArgentina	One-party	Participant recordings may be lawful; privacy and evidence issues remain.
AMArmenia	Not confirmed	No confirmed primary source yet. NOTE: Armenia is the page's default jurisdiction — either pick a confirmed default or show the 'not confirmed' state until verified.
AUAustralia	Varies	Federal interception and state laws differ; organizations generally must notify.
ATAustria	All-party	Secret recording of non-public speech generally requires speaker consent.
AZAzerbaijan	Not confirmed	Not yet confirmed from a reliable source.
BDBangladesh	Not confirmed	Not yet confirmed from a reliable source.
BYBelarus	Not confirmed	Not yet confirmed from a reliable source.
BEBelgium	One-party	A participant may generally record; disclosure can trigger privacy and data rules.
BRBrazil	One-party	A participant may generally record; disclosure can face privacy limits.
BGBulgaria	Not confirmed	Not yet confirmed from a reliable source.
CACanada	One-party	Individuals may record if they are a party; organizations should notify purpose.
CLChile	One-party	A participant may generally record; third-party interception is restricted.
CNChina	Varies	Participant evidence rules and personal-info/privacy duties can point different ways.
COColombia	One-party	Participant recordings may be lawful; privacy and data rules can limit use.
HRCroatia	One-party	Participant recording is generally distinct from illegal interception; use may be limited.
CYCyprus	Not confirmed	Not yet confirmed from a reliable source.
CZCzech Republic	One-party	Active participants may record, but use is restricted to lawful purposes.
DKDenmark	Varies	Individuals may record; company customer-call recording usually needs consent.
EGEgypt	All-party	Secret recording of private communications is generally restricted.
EEEstonia	One-party	Participant recording is generally allowed; privacy and disclosure rules still apply.
FIFinland	One-party	Private participants may record; employers and companies usually must inform.
FRFrance	All-party	Recording private words without consent is generally a privacy offense.
GEGeorgia	Not confirmed	Not yet confirmed from a reliable source.
DEGermany	All-party	Telephone recording without all-party consent is generally criminal.
GRGreece	All-party	Secret recording of private communications is generally prohibited.
HKHong Kong	Varies	Individual recording and organization PDPO notification duties differ.
HUHungary	All-party	Voice recordings generally require consent, with narrow legal exceptions.
ISIceland	Not confirmed	Not yet confirmed from a reliable source.
INIndia	One-party	A call participant may record; privacy and admissibility issues can remain.
IDIndonesia	Not confirmed	Not yet confirmed from a reliable source.
IRIran	Not confirmed	Not yet confirmed from a reliable source.
IEIreland	One-party	A participant, or one consenting participant, may record a call.
ILIsrael	One-party	A participant may record; third-party wiretapping is prohibited.
ITItaly	One-party	Participants may record conversations even if others are unaware.
JPJapan	One-party	Participant secret recording is generally not a standalone crime; use may be limited.
JOJordan	Not confirmed	Not yet confirmed from a reliable source.
KZKazakhstan	Not confirmed	Not yet confirmed from a reliable source.
KEKenya	Not confirmed	Not yet confirmed from a reliable source.
LVLatvia	One-party	Private participants may record; later use may trigger privacy limits.
LBLebanon	Not confirmed	Not yet confirmed from a reliable source.
LTLithuania	Not confirmed	Not yet confirmed from a reliable source.
LULuxembourg	All-party	Recording private words without consent is generally prohibited.
MYMalaysia	Not confirmed	Not yet confirmed from a reliable source.
MTMalta	Not confirmed	Not yet confirmed from a reliable source.
MXMexico	One-party	Participant recordings are generally lawful; privacy and disclosure limits remain.
MDMoldova	Not confirmed	Not yet confirmed from a reliable source.
MAMorocco	Not confirmed	Not yet confirmed from a reliable source.
NLNetherlands	One-party	Participants may record; nonparticipants need participant instruction or consent.
NZNew Zealand	One-party	A call participant may record; Privacy Act fairness duties can apply.
NGNigeria	Not confirmed	Not yet confirmed from a reliable source.
NONorway	One-party	A participant may generally record; sharing can breach privacy or secrecy rules.
PKPakistan	Not confirmed	Not yet confirmed from a reliable source.
PHPhilippines	All-party	Private communication recording generally requires consent of all parties.
PLPoland	One-party	Recording is lawful when the recorder is a participant.
PTPortugal	All-party	Recording private words generally requires consent from the speaker.
QAQatar	All-party	Recording private conversations without consent is generally restricted.
RORomania	One-party	A participant may record their own conversation; use can face separate limits.
RURussia	One-party	Participant recording may be lawful; privacy, secrecy and publication limits remain.
SASaudi Arabia	All-party	Recording or sharing private communications without consent is high-risk.
RSSerbia	All-party	Unauthorized recording of private conversations is generally prohibited.
SGSingapore	One-party	Participant recording is generally lawful; organizations face PDPA duties.
SKSlovakia	Not confirmed	Not yet confirmed from a reliable source.
SISlovenia	All-party	Unauthorized sound recording of private communications is generally prohibited.
ZASouth Africa	One-party	A party to a communication may intercept or record it.
KRSouth Korea	One-party	A party to the communication may record without prior consent or notice.
ESSpain	One-party	Participants may record their own calls; disclosure can violate privacy laws.
SESweden	One-party	A participant may record a telephone call without notifying others.
CHSwitzerland	All-party	Non-public conversations generally require consent of all participants to record.
TWTaiwan	One-party	A party to the communication, or one consenting party, may record for lawful purposes.
THThailand	One-party	Participant recordings are often treated as lawful; publication can violate privacy.
TRTurkey	All-party	Secret recording of private communications is generally criminal absent necessity.
UAUkraine	Not confirmed	Not yet confirmed from a reliable source.
AEUnited Arab Emirates	All-party	Recording or publishing private calls without consent can breach privacy law.
GBUnited Kingdom	One-party	Participant recording for own use is generally allowed; disclosure and business rules differ.
USUnited States · federal	One-party	Federal wiretap law permits recording by a party or with one party's consent.
US-ALAlabama	One-party	One-party consent applies to private calls and conversations.
US-AKAlaska	One-party	One-party consent applies to private calls and conversations.
US-AZArizona	One-party	One-party consent applies to private calls and conversations.
US-ARArkansas	One-party	One-party consent applies to private calls and conversations.
US-CACalifornia	All-party	Confidential and cellular or cordless calls generally require all-party consent.
US-COColorado	One-party	One-party consent applies to private calls and conversations.
US-CTConnecticut	All-party	Telephone and electronic recordings generally require all-party consent.
US-DEDelaware	All-party	RCFP treats Delaware as all-party consent despite statutory complexity.
US-DCDistrict of Columbia	One-party	One-party consent applies to private calls and conversations.
US-FLFlorida	All-party	All parties generally must consent to record private communications.
US-GAGeorgia	One-party	One-party consent applies to private calls and conversations.
US-HIHawaii	Varies	Generally one-party, but all-party consent applies for devices in private places.
US-IDIdaho	One-party	One-party consent applies to private calls and conversations.
US-ILIllinois	All-party	Private conversations generally require consent of all parties.
US-INIndiana	One-party	One-party consent applies to private calls and conversations.
US-IAIowa	One-party	One-party consent applies to private calls and conversations.
US-KSKansas	One-party	One-party consent applies to private calls and conversations.
US-KYKentucky	One-party	One-party consent applies to private calls and conversations.
US-LALouisiana	One-party	One-party consent applies to private calls and conversations.
US-MEMaine	Varies	Generally one-party, but all-party consent applies in some private places.
US-MDMaryland	All-party	All parties generally must consent to record private communications.
US-MAMassachusetts	All-party	Secret recording is generally prohibited and treated as all-party consent.
US-MIMichigan	Varies	Participant recording has been treated as allowed; third-party recording is restricted.
US-MNMinnesota	One-party	One-party consent applies to private calls and conversations.
US-MSMississippi	One-party	One-party consent applies to private calls and conversations.
US-MOMissouri	Varies	Phone calls are one-party; in-person private conversations generally need all parties.
US-MTMontana	All-party	Private conversations generally require all-party consent or clear notice.
US-NENebraska	One-party	One-party consent applies to private calls and conversations.
US-NVNevada	All-party	Telephone calls require all-party consent; in-person conversations differ.
US-NHNew Hampshire	All-party	All parties generally must consent to record private communications.
US-NJNew Jersey	One-party	One-party consent applies to private calls and conversations.
US-NMNew Mexico	One-party	One-party consent applies to private calls and conversations.
US-NYNew York	One-party	One-party consent applies to private calls and conversations.
US-NCNorth Carolina	One-party	One-party consent applies to private calls and conversations.
US-NDNorth Dakota	One-party	One-party consent applies to private calls and conversations.
US-OHOhio	One-party	One-party consent applies to private calls and conversations.
US-OKOklahoma	One-party	One-party consent applies to private calls and conversations.
US-OROregon	Varies	Phone and electronic calls are one-party; in-person private talks usually need all parties.
US-PAPennsylvania	All-party	All parties generally must consent to record private communications.
US-RIRhode Island	One-party	One-party consent applies to private calls and conversations.
US-SCSouth Carolina	One-party	One-party consent applies to private calls and conversations.
US-SDSouth Dakota	One-party	One-party consent applies to private calls and conversations.
US-TNTennessee	One-party	One-party consent applies to private calls and conversations.
US-TXTexas	One-party	One-party consent applies to private calls and conversations.
US-UTUtah	One-party	One-party consent applies to private calls and conversations.
US-VTVermont	One-party	No specific state recording law; federal one-party rule generally controls.
US-VAVirginia	One-party	One-party consent applies to private calls and conversations.
US-WAWashington	All-party	Private communications generally require all-party consent or a recorded announcement.
US-WVWest Virginia	One-party	One-party consent applies to private calls and conversations.
US-WIWisconsin	One-party	One-party consent applies, with separate admissibility limits in some contexts.
US-WYWyoming	One-party	One-party consent applies to private calls and conversations.
UZUzbekistan	Not confirmed	Not yet confirmed from a reliable source.
VNVietnam	Not confirmed	Not yet confirmed from a reliable source.

128 jurisdictions · may be out of date — verify your local legislation · not legal advice

// people also ask

Frequently asked

What's the difference between one-party and all-party consent?+

One-party consent means only one person on the call (you) needs to agree to record. All-party (two-party) consent means everyone on the call must agree first. The rule depends on where you — and sometimes the other person — are located.

Can I record a call for my own records?+

In one-party jurisdictions, yes — you can record a call you take part in. In all-party places you generally need everyone's consent, even for personal records.

Is it legal to record without telling the other person?+

Often yes under one-party rules, but not in all-party jurisdictions, and rarely if you're not part of the conversation. When in doubt, notify the other party.

Does Klear warn me about my country's law?+

Yes — Klear surfaces your local consent rule before you start recording, so you know where you stand.

Record on the right side of the law.

Klear shows your local recording rule before every call and records in high quality — free on Android.

Download for Android