One-Party Consent Policy

Scope

This policy applies where state law generally allows recording with consent from at least one party to the communication.

Last reviewed: April 19, 2026.

Federal baseline

Federal law generally follows a one-party consent model for wire, oral, and electronic communications, while allowing states to impose stricter rules.

Aquil baseline controls

• Record only for defined safety and incident-response purposes.
• Provide clear notice signage in monitored areas.
• Apply least-privilege access controls and audit logs.
• Retain recordings/derived data only for the minimum contractual and legal period.
• Prohibit recording in areas with heightened privacy expectations without specific legal clearance.
• Require documented lawful basis before enabling any expanded collection mode.

States excluded from this baseline

Do not rely on this baseline alone for:

• States with primarily all-party consent requirements
• States with mixed/hybrid rules based on communication type
• Any interstate communication where another state may impose stricter rules

Use the corresponding policy pages for those cases.

Legal notice

This policy is an operational baseline, not legal advice.

Source notes

• 18 U.S.C. § 2511 (federal one-party baseline concept)
• Reporters Committee Recording Guide (Introduction) (state-level stricter-rule overview; accessed April 19, 2026)