California is an all-party consent state. All parties to a confidential conversation must consent to audio recording under Penal Code §632. Video recording in public is legal. Violations are misdemeanors with civil damages of $5,000 per violation.
California Penal Code §632 prohibits recording confidential communications without all parties' consent. This applies to phone calls, in-person conversations, and electronic communications where parties expect privacy. Section 632.7 extends this to cellular calls. Video recording in public is legal under the First Amendment. Penal Code §647(j) prohibits video voyeurism. California Constitution Article I, §1 explicitly includes privacy as an inalienable right — broader than the federal Constitution. These laws apply uniformly across Santa Clara County. Notably, California's tech industry has made recording and surveillance a particularly active area of legal development in the county.
Illegal recording under §632: misdemeanor, up to $2,500 fine and/or 1 year jail (first offense), up to $10,000 for subsequent offenses. Civil damages up to $5,000 per violation. Invasion of privacy: misdemeanor.
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See how Santa Clara County's recording & consent laws rules stack up against other locations.
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