Los Angeles County, CA Privacy & Surveillance: Security Camera Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Video Only
- Legal on own property
- Audio
- All-party consent required
- Key Law
- CA Penal Code §632
- Privacy
- No pointing into private areas
Summary
Security cameras on private residential property are legal in unincorporated LA County. California is a two-party consent state for audio recording (Penal Code §632), so cameras recording audio require all-party consent. Cameras must not point into areas where neighbors have a reasonable expectation of privacy.
(a) A person who, intentionally and without the consent of all parties to a confidential communication, uses an electronic amplifying or recording device to eavesdrop upon or record the confidential communication, whether the communication is carried on among the parties in the presence of one another or by means of a telegraph, telephone, or other device, except a radio, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) per violation, or imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or in the state prison, or by both that fine and imprisonment. (c) For the purposes of this section, "confidential communication" means any communication carried on in circumstances as may reasonably indicate that any party to the communication desires it to be confined to the parties thereto, but excludes a communication made in a public gathering or in any legislative, judicial, executive, or administrative proceeding open to the public, or in any other circumstance in which the parties to the communication may reasonably expect that the communication may be overheard or recorded.
Full Breakdown
In unincorporated LA County, homeowners may install security cameras on their own property, including doorbell cameras, under California law. Video-only surveillance of your own property and public areas is generally lawful. However, California Penal Code §632 requires all-party consent for recording confidential conversations, meaning security cameras with audio recording capability may violate state law if they capture neighbors' private conversations without consent. Penal Code §647(j) prohibits using cameras to invade another person's privacy, including pointing cameras into bedrooms, bathrooms, or other private spaces. Signage indicating video surveillance is strongly recommended, as it can remove the expectation of privacy. The California Location Privacy Act (AB 1355) requires consent for sharing location data from residential cameras and mandates deletion of footage containing license plates or facial recognition data within 30 days.
Violations & Fines
Illegal audio recording: up to $2,500 fine per violation and/or one year in jail under Penal Code §632. Invasion of privacy (§647(j)): misdemeanor, up to 6 months jail and/or $1,000 fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I install security cameras on my property in LA County?
Can my security camera record my neighbor's property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Los Angeles County
California rules heatmap·Compare Los Angeles County to another location·View the California privacy & surveillance overview
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