Is it legal to record a call in District of Columbia?
District of Columbia is a one-party consent state for recording conversations. In a one-party consent state, a party to the conversation may record it.
The statute
a person acting under color of law to intercept a wire or oral communication, where such person is a party to the communication, or where one of the parties to the communication has given prior consent to such interception; or (3) a person not acting under color of law to intercept a wire or oral communication, where such person is a party to the communication, or where one of the parties to the communication has given prior consent to such interception, unless such communication is intercepted for the purpose of committing any criminal or tortious act in
D.C. Code 23-542(b)(3). Last verified 2026-07-03.source
Penalties under the District of Columbia statute
The operative penalty language, quoted from the same archived official source:
shall be fined not more than the amount set forth in [§ 22-3571.01] or imprisoned not more than five years, or both
D.C. Code 23-542(b)(3).source
Frequently asked questions
Can I record a phone call I am on in District of Columbia?
District of Columbia is a one-party consent state for recording conversations. In a one-party consent state, a party to the conversation may record it. See the statute quoted above and confirm at the official source linked below. This is general information, not legal advice.
What penalties does the District of Columbia statute provide?
The archived statute text provides: "shall be fined not more than the amount set forth in [§ 22-3571.01] or imprisoned not more than five years, or both" See the quoted provision above and the official source for full context. This is general information, not legal advice.
Sources
- D.C. Code 23-542(b)(3) Tier D last verified 2026-07-03
Important
This page is general information, not legal advice. Recording laws have edge cases that this summary does not cover, including in-person versus phone recording, calls that cross state lines, and law-enforcement exceptions. Laws change. Confirm the current statute at the official source linked below, and consult your own counsel before relying on it.