Can I Record A Conversation In Michigan?

As easy as it is to record a conversation today, doing so is not always legal. Michigan laws are less restrictive than laws in states like Florida, but it is crucial to understand how to comply with both state and federal recording law to reduce your exposure to criminal and civil liability and to ensure the admissibility of any recordings as evidence in court.

Michigan State Law

Michigan is a one-party consent state, meaning only one person involved in a phone call or in-person conversation needs to consent to a recording of that conversation. In other words, you can record a conversation you are a part of without the permission of the other individual. However, you may not record a conversation that you are not part of unless you obtain advance consent from all of the conversation's participants. Importantly, recording a conversation in a public place where individuals do not reasonably expect privacy does not require any party's express consent.