Kings County, NY Privacy & Surveillance: Security Camera Rules (2026)

New York City does not have a specific local law requiring permits for residential security cameras in Brooklyn. New York State Penal Law §250.00 (Eavesdropping) and §250.45 (Unlawful Surveillance) govern camera use. Homeowners may install cameras on their property — exterior walls, stoops, fences, building facades — without a city permit. Cameras may record public areas (streets, sidewalks, stoops, front of buildings) without restriction. NY Penal Law §250.45 makes it a class E felony to use an imaging device to record a person in a place and time where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy (bedrooms, bathrooms, changing areas). This applies to cameras deliberately pointed into private spaces. For audio recording, New York is a one-party consent state under NY Penal Law §250.00 — one party to a conversation must consent to recording. NYPD actively encourages security cameras in Brooklyn neighborhoods and operates crime prevention camera programs. Multi-unit residential buildings in NYC may be subject to Local Law 70 (2023) requiring cameras in common areas of certain residential buildings. Commercial establishments have separate requirements under the NYC Administrative Code for security camera installation.