TCPA · Recording calls
Is it legal to record phone calls?
Usually yes, if you are on the call. But some states say everyone on the call must agree. Federal law lets you record a call you are part of. This is a summary, not legal advice.
Federal law: one person can agree
Under federal law, you can record a call if you are on it, or if one person on the call agrees, as long as it is not to commit a crime or another wrong (18 U.S.C. 2511(2)(d)). This is called one-party consent.
State laws can be stricter. Where a state asks everyone on the call to agree, it is called all-party or two-party consent.
States whose laws ask for everyone’s consent
Each law below, in its own words, asks for the consent or knowledge of all parties. We read each one on the state’s own website on October 17, 2026.
| State | Law | What it says |
|---|---|---|
| California | Penal Code 632 | Recording a confidential call without the consent of all parties is a crime. |
| Connecticut | Gen. Stat. 52-570d | To record a private phone call, you need everyone’s consent, a recorded notice at the start, or a warning beep about every 15 seconds. |
| Florida | Stat. 934.03 | Recording is allowed when all parties agreed ahead of time. |
| Illinois | 720 ILCS 5/14-2 | Secretly recording a private conversation needs the consent of all parties. |
| Maryland | Cts. & Jud. Proc. 10-402 | Recording is allowed when all parties agreed ahead of time. |
| Massachusetts | Ch. 272, § 99 | Secretly recording is not allowed unless all parties gave permission. |
| Montana | Code 45-8-213 | Recording with a hidden device without the knowledge of all parties is a crime. If one person gives a warning, either may record. |
| New Hampshire | RSA 570-A:2 | Recording without the consent of all parties is a crime. |
| Pennsylvania | 18 Pa.C.S. 5704(4) | Recording is allowed when all parties agreed ahead of time. |
| Washington | RCW 9.73.030 | Recording a private phone call needs the consent of all participants. |
Each law has its own exceptions, and courts in other states have read their own laws in different ways. Laws change. Check the law in each state your callers are in. This is a summary, not legal advice.
When callers are in different states
When the people on a call are in different states, more than one state’s law may matter. That is why many businesses tell everyone at the start that the call is recorded. For example:
- “This call is recorded.”
- “This call may be recorded for quality and training.”
Connecticut’s law, for one, accepts a recorded notice at the start of the call (Gen. Stat. 52-570d).
Recording calls with KX21
Komms answers calls with an AI agent, and you write what it says, so the recording notice can be the opening line. Komms is $0.08 a minute all in (phone call, AI and standard voice), billed every 6 seconds, plus $15 a month per number. New accounts get 50,000 free tokens, about 625 minutes, with no card needed.
Kurrent can record the calls that come in on your numbers and keep them in your own storage. Kurrent is 50% off your current call tracking bill, with a minimum of $1,795 a month. Ask how much you’d save.
Questions
- Is it legal to record a phone call without telling the other person?
- Under federal law, yes if you are on the call (18 U.S.C. 2511(2)(d)). Some states, such as California, Florida and Washington, ask for everyone’s consent. This is a summary, not legal advice.
- What is a two-party consent state?
- A state where everyone on the call must agree to the recording. It is also called all-party consent.
- Is a “this call is recorded” message enough?
- Some laws say so in their words: Connecticut’s accepts a recorded notice at the start of the call (Gen. Stat. 52-570d). Other states differ, so check each state’s law.
- Can Kurrent record my calls?
- Yes. Kurrent can record the calls that come in on your numbers. Kurrent is 50% off your current call tracking bill, with a minimum of $1,795 a month.