Security Camera Laws, Rights, and Rules 2025

There’s no specific federal law governing when, where, and how to use security cameras. But that doesn’t mean it’s a free-for-all. There are some national laws around privacy and consent that you need to consider. Plus, many cities, counties, and states have their own regulations.

In this guide, we’ll break down your rights and the laws to know to stay out of trouble when it comes to installing and using a security camera. To help us with the legalities, we consulted with two legal experts:

• Roy L. Kaufmann, president, attorney and civil litigator for Servicemembers Civil Relief Act Centralized Verification Service. Part of his aim is to ensure the civil rights of the Servicemembers in terms of their property rights.
• Seann Malloy, founder and managing partner at Malloy Law Offices. Having handled a range of security-related legal matters for more than 20 years now, he is well-versed in these types of situations.

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You also can’t record people anywhere that is typically considered a private place (e.g. the bathroom). Likewise, you have the right not to be filmed in those same areas. Here are the most common places where a security camera could get you into trouble:

• Bathrooms
• Bedrooms
• Changing rooms
• Locker rooms
• Hotel rooms

"For legal compliance and to avoid unnecessary conflict, homeowners should position cameras facing their own entrances, yards, or shared public spaces. Blocking parts of the view with privacy settings may also be a good idea if neighboring properties are close," Malloy explained. "In the event that a neighbor's behavior seems intrusive— document interactions, and post signs saying "surveillance in use" — it never hurts to scare the incomprehensible. In multiple cases I’ve worked on, good communication and proper camera placement will be the difference between a situation de-escalating quietly or ending up in court."

Kaufmann agrees. "When it comes to neighbors, the rule of thumb is do not point your cameras where they can see inside someone else's home or onto areas where they expect privacy. Courts have backed this up. In State v. McLellan 744 A2d 111 (Vt. 1999) the court found that surveillance aimed directly at a neighbor’s windows could violate privacy rights. The legal concept here is the intrusion upon seclusion tort, which holds that it is unlawful to intentionally intrude physically or otherwise into someone's private affairs in a way that is highly offensive to a reasonable person."

Consent laws dive into whether or not it’s legal to record someone on video or audio without their permission. On the national level, it’s legal to record a conversation—either in person or over the phone—if you have at least one person’s consent. This is called the “one-party consent” law. It means that as long as you are part of the conversation that you’re recording, it’s legal for you to record it.

The one-party consent law doesn’t cover video surveillance, but if there’s a conversation involved, the rule applies. Because most security cameras record audio as well as video, you should operate your camera with the one-party consent law in mind.

"Under federal and most state laws, you are generally allowed to record video on your own property without getting consent as long as you are not recording audio," says Kaufmann. "Audio is where things get trickier. The Federal Wiretap Act 18 USC § 2511 makes it illegal to intercept audio communications unless at least one party consents, though some states require all-party consent. If your camera picks up conversations, you could run into legal issues in those states."

For example, in Washington, D.C., the law follows a one-party consent rule under DC Code § 23–542, says Kaufmann. This means audio recording is legal if one party involved in the conversation consents. You can't legally record private conversations between other people if you are not part of the discussion and neither gave permission.

Where video surveillance laws get tricky is on the local and state levels. Some states have stricter security camera laws than what’s permitted by the federal government. Currently, 15 states have specific security camera laws. In states without specific laws, you should check with your local city and county government to make sure it’s okay for you to install that outdoor camera.

Whether you’re a homeowner or a renter, adding a simple doorbell camera or a full-on surveillance system is a smart security move. Burglars have even said that a home with a camera outside isn’t worth the trouble.

But what about all the activity your camera picks up that isn’t a possible burglar? Is it okay to install a security camera that’s aimed at your neighbor’s house? Can law enforcement demand your video footage?

Those are just a few of the privacy issues that get people tied up in knots over surveillance cameras. Unfortunately, privacy is rarely a simple issue. To help unravel some of those knots, we’ve got answers to the most commonly asked questions about security cameras and privacy.

No. The simple act of installing an outdoor camera to keep an eye on your home (or kids, or pet) isn’t a privacy violation. Where it gets murky is how you use your security camera and its video footage. Here are a few times when a security camera may be an invasion of privacy:

• Your camera can see into a neighbor’s home, especially if you can see private places like a bedroom or bathroom.
• You have a camera in a private place in your home.
• You use a hidden camera without consent in states where consent is required.

Yes—as long as your neighbor is only recording activity that happens in public places, like the yard or driveway. Because outside areas that are in public view have no reasonable expectation of privacy, a recorded image from a public place isn’t a violation of privacy.

The exception is if your neighbor’s video camera picks up audio conversations without your consent. In all 50 states, the one-party consent rule applies, so this could be both a privacy and a legal violation.

Technically, it probably is. Baby monitors have become the norm for parents of newborns, but a camera in a bedroom is a violation of the expectation of privacy rule. And let’s be real, your baby isn’t going to complain about an invasion of privacy, but it gets tricky if you have a nanny or visiting relatives who also get caught on camera when they’re putting the baby down.

If you live in one of the states that allows cameras in private places, this is a non-issue. For everyone else, one solution is to turn off the camera unless the baby is sleeping alone in their room. When it comes to bigger kids, think about why you want a camera in their room and look for other (totally legal) ways to keep them safe.

Learn more in our guide to nanny cam laws.

No. Recorded images from your home security camera are your private property. If law enforcement asks to see your footage to help with an investigation, you have the right to say no. Typically, law enforcment need a warrant to look at your videos or photographs, even if you're being arrested, according to the ACLU.

But if you’ve already posted security footage online or in an app like Ring Neighbors, the shared footage is no longer private. However, you don’t have to supply additional footage if investigators ask.

No. Posting signs for security camera recording isn’t legally required, especially if the camera is in plain sight in a public place. It’s more common to see video surveillance signs posted for businesses, not private residences. If you want to avoid potential consent issues (particularly if your state requires it) posting a sign could save you future headaches.

Residential security camera laws are convoluted enough, but the different regulations for video and audio recording make it even harder. Here is our cheat sheet to help keep it all straight:

1. Video recording in public places is allowed in all 50 states.
2. Audio recording—even as part of a video—falls under the one-party consent rule, which means at least one person has to give consent to the recording to make it legal.
3. Some states require all parties to give consent for audio recording. You can check your state's laws here.

When in doubt, err on the side of caution. If you’re not confident that your audio or video surveillance ensures others a reasonable expectation of privacy, don’t do it.