Arizona Recording, Tracking & Surveillance Laws

At a glance

Adult subject — e.g., a spouse

Your own minor child

As a parent you generally have broad authority to monitor your own minor child — especially on a phone, computer, or vehicle you own or provide. The gray area is recording the child's conversations with other people, where wiretap law and the “vicarious consent” doctrine come in and outcomes vary — and if you're co-parenting, custody orders and the other parent's rights matter. Those are marked “seek legal advice.”

General (any subject)

Recording & consent

Arizona is a one-party consent state. Under A.R.S. § 13-3005 and § 13-3012, you may record a conversation or phone call as long as one party consents — which includes you when you're part of it. Intercepting a communication you're not a party to, without consent, is a Class 5 felony.

Because a violation is a felony (not a mere misdemeanor), Arizona's recording line is one to respect. Conversations in public with no reasonable expectation of privacy can be recorded without consent. The federal overlay still applies.

Recording law enforcement

Recording on-duty police in public is protected by the First Amendment — Arizona is in the Ninth Circuit, which recognizes the right — as long as you don't physically interfere. (Arizona's 2022 law that tried to bar filming police within eight feet was blocked by a federal court and is not enforced.) One-party consent means openly recording a public encounter you're part of raises no wiretap issue.

GPS & vehicle tracking

Arizona has no statute written only for GPS trackers. Tracking a vehicle you own or co-own is generally lawful; secretly tracking someone else's movements can be charged under Arizona's stalking law (A.R.S. § 13-2923), which covers surveilling or following a person in a way that would cause fear. Because it turns on ownership and intent, treat non-consensual tracking as a lawyer question.

Private-investigator licensing

Arizona requires a state license to work as a private investigator, regulated by the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) Licensing Unit under A.R.S. § 32-2401 and following. Working as a PI for hire without a license is a Class 1 misdemeanor. Applicants must meet experience, background-check, and examination requirements, and an agency license (with a qualifying party) is needed to run an agency.

Out-of-state investigator reciprocity

Arizona law authorizes DPS to enter reciprocity agreements with states that have substantially similar licensing (A.R.S. § 32-2413) — but in practice Arizona has no active reciprocity agreements. An out-of-state investigator generally needs an Arizona license (or a licensed Arizona partner) to work a case in the state. Confirm current status with DPS before relying on any exception.

Hidden cameras in private areas

Secretly recording someone in a place where they reasonably expect privacy — a restroom, locker room, bathroom, or bedroom, or anyone undressed or engaged in sexual activity — is a Class 5 felony in Arizona under A.R.S. § 13-3019, and can also be voyeurism under § 13-1424. This is one of the brightest lines in Arizona surveillance law.

Cameras in your own home / nanny cams

You can put cameras in your own home, including nanny cams in common areas. The limits: don't place a camera where a guest, tenant, or worker reasonably expects privacy (a bathroom, or a live-in caregiver's bedroom) — that risks the § 13-3019 felony — and remember audio follows the recording law. Arizona's one-party rule means a hidden mic capturing conversations you're not part of can be unlawful even at home.

Doorbell & outdoor cameras

A doorbell or outdoor security camera covering your own porch, yard, or the street is fine — no one has a reasonable expectation of privacy in what's visible from a public vantage point. Problems start if you aim a camera into a neighbor's window or fenced yard, or record their private conversations, which can run into § 13-3019 and the one-party audio rule. Point cameras at your property, not through someone else's walls.

Workplace & employee recording

Arizona's one-party consent rule applies at work: someone who is part of a conversation may record it. Secretly recording conversations you're not part of, or planting a device, is a felony-level interception. Employers who monitor email or work systems should give clear notice, and federal workplace rules can apply.

Drone surveillance

Arizona does have a drone-privacy statute. Under A.R.S. § 13-3729 it's a crime to operate a drone to intentionally photograph or observe a person in a private place where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy. General drone flight and filming from public vantage points remain legal, and FAA rules govern the airspace — but using a drone to spy into private spaces is specifically prohibited.

See an error or an out-of-date citation? Please let us know.

General legal information only, not legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created by reading it. Statutes and their interpretation change; entries may be incomplete or outdated. We disclaim all warranties and any liability for reliance on this page. Confirm the current law at the official Arizona Codes and consult a licensed Arizona attorney before recording, tracking, installing cameras, or gathering evidence.