Is it legal to record a call in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island 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, electronic, or oral communication, where that person is a party to the communication, or where one of the parties to the communication has given prior consent to the interception; or (3) A person not acting under color of law to intercept a wire, electronic, or oral communication, where the person is a party to the communication, or one of the parties to the communication has given prior consent to the interception unless the communication is intercepted for the purpose of committing any criminal or tortious act
R.I. Gen. Laws 11-35-21(c)(3). Last verified 2026-07-03.source
Penalties under the Rhode Island statute
The operative penalty language, quoted from the same archived official source:
shall be imprisoned for not more than five (5) years.
R.I. Gen. Laws 11-35-21(c)(3).source
Frequently asked questions
Can I record a phone call I am on in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island statute provide?
The archived statute text provides: "shall be imprisoned for not more than five (5) years." See the quoted provision above and the official source for full context. This is general information, not legal advice.
Sources
- R.I. Gen. Laws 11-35-21(c)(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.