Riverside, CA Privacy & Surveillance: Security Camera Rules (2026)

Riverside does not specifically license or permit residential security cameras such as Ring, Nest, or wired CCTV. Installation on the homeowner's own exterior is generally allowed, and cameras covering the street-facing yard, driveway, and front door are standard. However, California Penal Code Section 647(j) makes it a misdemeanor to secretly photograph or record another person in a place where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy — a neighbor's fenced backyard, bedroom window, pool, or bathroom. Aiming a camera directly into those areas can support both criminal charges and a civil invasion-of-privacy claim under California Civil Code Section 1708.8. Best practice is to angle cameras to capture only the homeowner's own property, public sidewalks, and shared approaches. Cameras along a shared fence line should be tilted downward. Any audio recording is separately regulated under Penal Code 632 (two-party consent). Commercial or multi-family installations should post visible notice under California Civil Code Section 1708.8 and OSHA workplace rules if employees are monitored.