Privacy · Recording Consent
Is It Legal to Record a Call in Connecticut?
Whether you can record a conversation in Connecticut, whether everyone must consent, the exceptions, the criminal penalty, and the trap that catches interstate calls. Cited to the statute.
The rules and exceptions in Connecticut
Whose consent you need, when the rule does not apply, and the penalty for getting it wrong.
| The rule in this state | What it means |
|---|---|
| Civil rule for phone calls is all-party | Section 52-570d(a) bars recording an oral private telephonic communication unless the recorder has all-party consent, gives recorded verbal notification at the start, or uses an automatic tone warning repeated about every fifteen seconds. |
| Criminal rule is one-party | The criminal eavesdropping definitions in § 53a-187(a) turn on non-party or non-presence status. Recording a call you are on, or a conversation you are present at, is not criminal eavesdropping. |
| The civil rule is telephone only | Section 52-570d reaches only "an oral private telephonic communication." It does not reach in-person conversations, which remain governed by the one-party criminal rule alone. |
| Three ways to comply on a call | Under § 52-570d(a) you may satisfy the law with all-party consent obtained in writing or at the start of the recording, recorded verbal notification at the beginning, or a tone warning device repeating about every fifteen seconds. |
| When it is different | What it means |
|---|---|
| Emergencies and threats | Section 52-570d(b) exempts safety-agency personnel recording emergency communications, and a call recipient recording threats of extortion, bodily harm, or other unlawful demands. |
| Harassing or ill-timed callers | A recipient may record a call that occurs repeatedly or at an extremely inconvenient hour under § 52-570d(b)(4), without the caller's consent. |
| Law enforcement and broadcasters | The civil statute exempts law enforcement officials and their agents, common carrier personnel, and FCC-licensed broadcast station personnel recording solely for broadcast. |
What you can do right now
Concrete, neutral steps before you record a conversation in Connecticut. This is legal information, not legal advice.
- Announce or get consent on phone calls
For a private Connecticut phone call, use all-party consent, a recorded notice at the start, or a repeating tone. Any one of the three satisfies § 52-570d and avoids civil liability.
- Treat in-person conversations differently
The all-party civil statute is telephone only. An in-person conversation in Connecticut is governed by the one-party criminal rule, so a participant may record it.
- Know the emergency and threat exemptions
If a caller is threatening, harassing, or calling at an extremely inconvenient hour, § 52-570d(b) lets you record without consent. Confirm your situation fits one of the listed exemptions.
- Talk to a Connecticut attorney if you are sued or charged
You can face a civil claim even when no crime occurred. A licensed Connecticut attorney can sort out the criminal and civil sides. The Connecticut Attorney General's office can point you to resources.
Illegal recording can be a felony. If you have been recorded without consent, or are accused of it, this resource can connect you with a licensed attorney.
→ Connecticut Office of the Attorney GeneralThis is general legal information, not legal advice. The expectation of privacy, the purpose of a recording, and interstate calls can change the answer, so confirm your situation with a licensed attorney.
What people get wrong about recording in Connecticut
Connecticut is the country's cleanest example of a state where the criminal answer and the civil answer differ. The criminal eavesdropping law in Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 53a-187 and 53a-189 is one-party consent, defining the offense around a recorder who is a non-party to the call or not present at the conversation. But a separate civil statute in Title 52, Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-570d, requires all-party consent to record a private telephone call and creates a damages action with attorney's fees. Both are real and both are current, and Connecticut's own statute book cross-references the conflict in an annotation following § 53a-189. So you can record a Connecticut phone call without committing a felony and still be sued for it. The civil statute even tells you three different ways to comply, including all-party consent, a recorded verbal notice at the start of the call, or the old-fashioned beep tone every fifteen seconds that used to be standard on business lines. The split is also medium-specific: the all-party rule applies to telephone calls only, so an in-person conversation in Connecticut is governed by the one-party criminal rule alone. The civil statute carries a set of exemptions, including recording threatening or harassing callers, that let a recipient record without consent in defined situations.
Common questions
Is Connecticut a one-party or two-party consent state, and why do sources disagree?
Both labels appear because two statutes point in opposite directions. The criminal eavesdropping law is one-party, but the civil statute § 52-570d requires all-party consent to record a private phone call. For phone calls, treat Connecticut as all-party.
Can I be sued for recording a Connecticut phone call even if it is not a crime?
Yes. Recording a private telephone call without all-party consent can be lawful under the criminal statute yet still expose you to a civil suit under § 52-570d for damages, costs, and a reasonable attorney's fee.
Does Connecticut's all-party rule apply to recording an in-person conversation?
No. Section 52-570d reaches only oral private telephonic communications. An in-person conversation is governed by the one-party criminal rule, so a participant may record it.
What counts as legal notice under § 52-570d on a phone call?
You can comply three ways: all-party consent, a recorded verbal notification at the start of the call, or an automatic tone warning that repeats about every fifteen seconds during the call. Any one of the three is enough.
Not legal advicePlainStatute provides plain-language summaries of public law for general information only. This is not legal advice. Statutes change; always confirm current requirements with the official source linked above before acting.