This is a general overview, not legal advice. If you have a specific situation, talk to an Arizona attorney.
The short version
- Video of your own home and property is generally fine in Arizona.
- Audio is different. Arizona’s eavesdropping law, A.R.S. 13-3005, makes it a crime to record a conversation unless you are part of it, present for it, or one of the people talking agrees.
- That is called one-party consent. You can record a conversation you are in. Recording conversations you are not part of, where people expect privacy, is where you can get into trouble.
What that means for cameras and doorbells
Your doorbell recording someone talking to you at the door: you are part of that conversation, so one-party consent covers it.
A camera that records audio of people talking on your porch while you are not home: less clear. Courts look at whether those people had a reasonable expectation of privacy. Delivery drivers on your porch generally do not. Two neighbors having a private talk might.
Indoor cameras with audio: be careful with nannies, housekeepers, caregivers and guests. Recording their private conversations without anyone’s consent is the riskiest case. Many people simply turn audio off on indoor cameras, or tell everyone working in the home that cameras record sound.
Businesses: post a clear notice that video and audio recording are in use, and think hard before recording audio in break rooms or anywhere employees expect privacy.
Where you should not point a camera
- Into a neighbor’s windows, backyard or any place they expect privacy.
- Bathrooms or bedrooms of anyone other than yourself.
Arizona also has separate laws against secretly recording people in private settings, and those carry serious penalties.
Practical tips
- Most camera apps let you turn audio recording off per camera. If you do not need it, turn it off.
- Point outdoor cameras at your own doors, driveway and yard, not across the street.
- Tell people who work in your home that cameras are in use.
Need help changing audio or privacy zone settings on your cameras? Call or text us.
General information only, not legal or professional advice. Rules, fees and products change, so check with your city or the manufacturer. See our terms.