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Is it legal to record a call in Maryland?

Maryland is an all-party consent state for recording conversations. In an all-party consent state, all parties to the conversation must consent before it is recorded.

The statute

One of the parties to the communication has given prior consent to the interception.

Md. Cts. & Jud. Proc. 10-402(c)(3). Last verified 2026-07-03.source

Penalties under the Maryland statute

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

(b) Any person who violates subsection (a) of this section is guilty of a felony and is subject to imprisonment for not more than 5 years or a fine of not more than $10,000, or both.

Md. Cts. & Jud. Proc. 10-402(c)(3).source

Civil liability in Maryland

On civil exposure, the archived statute text provides:

Any such disclosure shall render the person liable for compensatory damages.

Md. Cts. & Jud. Proc. 10-402(c)(3).source

Frequently asked questions

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

Maryland is an all-party consent state for recording conversations. In an all-party consent state, all parties to the conversation must consent before it is recorded. See the statute quoted above and confirm at the official source linked below. This is general information, not legal advice.

What penalties does the Maryland statute provide?

The archived statute text provides: "(b) Any person who violates subsection (a) of this section is guilty of a felony and is subject to imprisonment for not more than 5 years or a fine of not more than $10,000, or both." See the quoted provision above and the official source for full context. This is general information, not legal advice.

Can someone sue over an unlawful recording in Maryland?

The archived statute text provides: "Any such disclosure shall render the person liable for compensatory damages." 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.