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
Missouri is a one-party consent state. Under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 542.402 you may record a wire, oral, or electronic communication if you're a party or one party consents — unless it's for a criminal or tortious purpose. Note: Missouri prosecutors have won felony convictions for recordings made in private settings (homes, medical offices, employer vehicles) where a reasonable expectation of privacy applied — even by a participant. A violation is a Class E felony (up to four years, $10,000).
Public conversations with no reasonable expectation of privacy are different. The federal overlay still applies.
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 542.402Recording law enforcement
Recording on-duty police in public is protected by the First Amendment — Missouri sits in the Eighth Circuit — as long as you don't physically interfere. One-party consent means openly recording a public encounter you're part of raises no wiretap problem.
GPS & vehicle tracking
Missouri has no statute written only for GPS trackers, but secretly tracking someone can be charged under the stalking/harassment law (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 565.227). Tracking a vehicle you own is generally fine; secretly tracking someone else can be criminal. Treat non-consensual tracking as a lawyer question.
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 565.227Private-investigator licensing
Missouri requires a state license to work as a private investigator, under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 324.1100 and following, through the Board of Private Investigator and Private Fire Investigator Examiners. Applicants must meet experience, exam, and background requirements.
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 324.1100 et seq. · Regulator: MO Board of PI ExaminersOut-of-state investigator reciprocity
Missouri law authorizes the board to negotiate reciprocal agreements (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 324.1144), but it doesn't publish a current partner list. An out-of-state investigator generally needs Missouri licensure unless a specific agreement applies — confirm with the board before working a Missouri case.
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 324.1144Hidden cameras in private areas
Secretly photographing or filming a person in a state of full or partial nudity, where they reasonably expect privacy, without consent is invasion of privacy in Missouri (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 565.252), a felony. Hidden cameras in bedrooms, bathrooms, and changing areas are off-limits.
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 565.252Cameras 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 the invasion-of-privacy statute — and remember audio follows the one-party recording law. Recording others' private conversations you're not part of can be unlawful.
Mo. Rev. Stat. §§ 565.252, 542.402Doorbell & 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 private conversations you're not part of. Aim at your property, not through someone else's walls.
Workplace & employee recording
Missouri's one-party consent rule applies at work, but be careful: courts have treated some private-setting recordings as felonies even when the recorder was present. 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.
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 542.402Drone surveillance
Missouri has no dedicated drone-privacy statute for private conduct. A drone used to record someone nude in a private place can be reached by the invasion-of-privacy statute (§ 565.252), and stalking or trespass law can apply, but general drone surveillance isn't specifically criminalized. General flight and filming from public vantage points remain legal; because coverage is partial, treat drone surveillance of people as a lawyer question. FAA rules govern the airspace.
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 565.252 · FAA airspace rulesNeed this handled the right way in Missouri?
A licensed Missouri investigator knows these lines and how to gather evidence that holds up. A directory to match you with one is on the way.
What to expect →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 Missouri Codes and consult a licensed Missouri attorney before recording, tracking, installing cameras, or gathering evidence.