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Is it legal to record a call in Iowa?

Iowa 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

It is not unlawful under this chapter for a person acting under color of law to intercept a wire, oral, or electronic communication, if the person is a party to the communication or one of the parties to the communication has given prior consent to the interception.

Iowa Code 808B.2(2)(c). Last verified 2026-07-03.source

Penalties under the Iowa statute

The operative penalty language, quoted from the same archived official source:

Except as otherwise specifically provided in this chapter, a person who does any of the following commits a class "D" felony:

Iowa Code 808B.2(2)(c).source

Frequently asked questions

Can I record a phone call I am on in Iowa?

Iowa 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 Iowa statute provide?

The archived statute text provides: "Except as otherwise specifically provided in this chapter, a person who does any of the following commits a class "D" felony:" See the quoted provision above and the official source for full context. This is general information, not legal advice.

Sources

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.