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
Hawaii is a hybrid. For phone and electronic communications it is one-party consent (HRS § 803-42) — a participant may record. But Hawaii also protects private places: even a participant can violate the privacy statute (HRS § 711-1111) by recording inside a bedroom, bathroom, hotel room, locker room, or similar spot where those present reasonably expect privacy.
So recording a call or a conversation you're part of is generally fine, but recording inside a private place can be a Class C felony even if you're a participant. Public conversations with no reasonable expectation of privacy are different. The federal overlay still applies.
HRS §§ 803-42, 711-1111Recording law enforcement
Recording on-duty police in public is protected by the First Amendment — Hawaii sits in the Ninth Circuit, which recognizes the right — as long as you don't physically interfere. Hawaii's one-party rule for communications means openly recording a public encounter you're part of raises no wiretap problem.
GPS & vehicle tracking
Hawaii has no statute written only for GPS trackers. Tracking a vehicle you own or co-own is generally lawful; secretly tracking someone else can implicate Hawaii's harassment-by-stalking law (HRS § 711-1106.5) and the privacy statutes. Hawaii also has an unusually strong constitutional right to privacy. Treat non-consensual tracking as a lawyer question.
HRS § 711-1106.5Private-investigator licensing
Hawaii requires a state license to work as a private investigator (private detective), under HRS Chapter 463, through the Board of Private Detectives and Guards (DCCA). Applicants need about four years of qualifying investigative experience, must pass the board exam, and must post a surety bond.
HRS § 463 · Regulator: Board of Private Detectives & Guards (DCCA)Out-of-state investigator reciprocity
Hawaii's PI statute doesn't publish a general reciprocity license we could confirm — an investigator licensed elsewhere normally needs Hawaii licensure (experience, exam, and bond) to work here. Confirm current terms with the DCCA's Board of Private Detectives and Guards before working a Hawaii case.
Hidden cameras in private areas
Installing or using a device in a private place to record someone in a stage of undress or sexual activity, without consent, is violation of privacy in the first degree in Hawaii (HRS § 711-1110.9) — a Class C felony. The broader privacy statute (§ 711-1111) also reaches recording people in private places. Hidden cameras in bedrooms, bathrooms, and changing areas are off-limits.
HRS §§ 711-1110.9, 711-1111Cameras in your own home / nanny cams
You can put cameras in your own home, including nanny cams in common areas. The limits are stricter than most states: don't place a camera anywhere a guest, tenant, or worker reasonably expects privacy — and Hawaii's private-place rule (§ 711-1111) can reach recordings even a participant makes in such spots. Remember audio follows the recording law; a hidden mic capturing others' private conversations can be unlawful.
HRS §§ 711-1110.9, 711-1111Doorbell & 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 fenced yard, or capture their private conversations. Aim at your property, not through someone else's walls.
Workplace & employee recording
Hawaii's one-party rule for communications applies at work: someone who is part of a conversation may record it. But the private-place statute (§ 711-1111) still limits secret recording in spaces like restrooms or changing areas, and secretly recording conversations you're not part of runs into the wiretap and privacy statutes. Employers should give clear notice; federal workplace rules can apply.
HRS §§ 803-42, 711-1111Drone surveillance
Hawaii treats drone spying seriously: recording a person in a private setting with a drone can be violation of privacy (HRS § 711-1110.9), a Class C felony — Hawaii is one of the few states where a drone-privacy violation is a felony. General flight and filming from public vantage points remain legal; FAA rules govern the airspace. Hawaii's constitutional privacy right adds further protection.
HRS § 711-1110.9 · FAA airspace rulesNeed this handled the right way in Hawaii?
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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 Hawaii Codes and consult a licensed Hawaii attorney before recording, tracking, installing cameras, or gathering evidence.