Austin, TX Privacy & Surveillance: Recording & Consent Laws (2026)

Austin follows Texas state recording laws. Texas Penal Code §16.02 makes it a felony to intercept oral, wire, or electronic communications without the consent of at least one party to the communication. As a one-party consent state, you can legally record a conversation you participate in without informing the other parties. Video recording without audio in public spaces is broadly legal. Recording in places with a reasonable expectation of privacy (bathrooms, locker rooms, bedrooms) without consent is a state jail felony under TX Penal Code §21.15. Wiretapping or recording phone calls without at least one party's consent is a second-degree felony (2-20 years imprisonment). Doorbell cameras are legal. Dashcams are legal in Texas. Employers may record in common areas but not private spaces. Austin has no additional local recording restrictions beyond state law.