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
The District of Columbia is a one-party consent jurisdiction. Under D.C. Code § 23-542 you may record a wire or oral communication if you're a party or one party consents — unless it's done to commit a criminal or tortious act. Recording others' communications without consent can be punished by up to five years and a $10,000 fine.
Public conversations with no reasonable expectation of privacy are different. The federal overlay still applies.
D.C. Code § 23-542Recording law enforcement
Recording on-duty police in public is protected by the First Amendment, and MPD policy expressly recognizes the public's right to record officers performing their duties. Don't physically interfere with what officers are doing.
GPS & vehicle tracking
The District has no statute written only for GPS trackers, but secretly tracking someone can be charged under the stalking law (D.C. Code § 22-3133). Tracking a vehicle you own is generally fine; secretly tracking someone else can be criminal. Treat non-consensual tracking as a lawyer question.
D.C. Code § 22-3133Private-investigator licensing
The District requires a license to work as a private detective, administered by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Security Officers Management Branch. DC is its own jurisdiction — a Maryland or Virginia license doesn't carry over. Applicants meet experience and background requirements and post a bond.
Out-of-state investigator reciprocity
The District is its own jurisdiction and doesn't publish PI reciprocity with neighboring states — don't assume a Maryland or Virginia license is valid in DC. Confirm requirements with MPD's Security Officers Management Branch before working a DC case.
Hidden cameras in private areas
Secretly recording or photographing another person's private areas, or someone in a place where they reasonably expect privacy, without consent is voyeurism in the District (D.C. Code § 22-3531). Hidden cameras in bedrooms, bathrooms, and changing areas are off-limits.
D.C. Code § 22-3531Cameras in your own home / nanny cams
You can put cameras in your own home, including nanny cams in common areas. The limits: don't aim a camera at a space a guest, tenant, or worker would reasonably treat as private (a bathroom, or a live-in caregiver's bedroom) — that risks § 22-3531 — and remember audio follows the one-party recording law. Recording others' private conversations you're not part of can be unlawful.
D.C. Code §§ 22-3531, 23-542Doorbell & outdoor cameras
A doorbell or outdoor camera covering your own porch, yard, or the street is fine — no reasonable expectation of privacy in public view. Trouble starts if you point a camera into a neighbor's window, or capture private conversations you're not part of. Aim at your property, not through someone else's walls.
Workplace & employee recording
The District'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 runs into the wiretap statute. Employers who monitor email or work systems should give clear notice, and federal workplace rules can apply.
D.C. Code § 23-542Drone surveillance
Two things make drone spying a bad idea in the District: the voyeurism statute (D.C. Code § 22-3531) reaches recording someone in a private place, and — critically — nearly all of DC sits inside the Flight Restricted Zone, where flying a drone is generally prohibited by federal rule regardless of privacy. Treat drone use in the District as prohibited unless you have specific authorization. FAA / SFRA rules govern the airspace.
D.C. Code § 22-3531 · DC Flight Restricted Zone (FAA)Need this handled the right way in District of Columbia?
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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 District of Columbia Codes and consult a licensed District of Columbia attorney before recording, tracking, installing cameras, or gathering evidence.