---
title: "What is Call recording consent? | Chargezen"
description: "The legal rules on who must agree before a phone call can be recorded. Some US states need one person's consent, others need everyone's."
url: "https://chargezen.com/glossary/call-recording-consent"
lang: "en"
---

Canonical URL: https://chargezen.com/glossary/call-recording-consent

# Call recording consent

Call recording consent (one-party and two-party)

Phone

The legal rules on who must agree before a phone call can be recorded. Some US states need one person's consent, others need everyone's.

## What is Call recording consent?

Recording a call without the right consent can break wiretapping laws. In the US, the rules come from federal law and each state's law. **One-party consent.** Federal law (18 U.S.C. § 2511(2)(d)) and most states allow a call to be recorded when at least one person on the call agrees. That person can be your business. **All-party (two-party) consent.** A group of states requires everyone on the call to agree. They include California, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Washington. A few others have mixed or unclear rules. **Calls across state lines.** When the caller and the business are in different states, the stricter law may apply. A store with customers everywhere usually plans for all-party consent. **How businesses handle it:** - Play a clear notice at the start, such as "This call is recorded for quality and training." Staying on the line after a clear notice is widely treated as consent. - Record only what you need, and say why. - Keep recordings only as long as you need them, and limit who can listen. - Follow other laws on recordings that include card numbers or health information. **AI on the line doesn't change the rules.** If an AI agent records or transcribes a call, the same consent rules apply. **How Chargezen handles it:** you set a recording policy for your workspace and each number. Recorded calls always start with your notice, the consent setting (one-party, two-party or by jurisdiction) is saved with each recording, and recordings are deleted after the days you choose unless you place a legal hold. This is general information, not legal advice. Check the laws that apply to you and your callers (checked October 17, 2026).

## Example

A store in Texas, a one-party state, gets calls from customers in California, an all-party state. It plays "This call may be recorded" before anything else on every recorded call, so it covers the stricter rule.

## Why Call recording consent Matters

Recordings help settle disputes and train your team, but recording without the right consent can lead to lawsuits and fines.

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