State guide

District of Columbia Call Recording Laws& Disclosure Generator

One-Party Consent

Washington, D.C. is a one-party consent jurisdiction — one party to the communication may consent to the recording. Generate a District of Columbia-ready call recording consent script below — audio, short form, written notice and opt-in.

Generate District of Columbia Disclosure

Consent type

one-party consent

Statute

D.C. Code §23-542

Civil penalty

Civil damages may be available to an aggrieved party.

Criminal penalty

Unlawful interception is generally a felony.

The generator

Build your District of Columbia call recording disclosure

The generator is pre-locked to District of Columbia. Pick your use case, tone and formats — the disclosure updates live.

Tone

District of Columbia

One-Party Consent

Washington, D.C. is a one-party consent jurisdiction — one party to the communication may consent to the recording.

Last reviewed: 2026-05-14 · Unreviewed placeholder content

Audio script (IVR / call opening)

This call is being recorded for quality assurance and training purposes.

Short form (live agent intro)

Just so you know, this call is being recorded for quality assurance and training purposes.

Written notice (email / contract)

Notice of Call Recording: Calls to and from [Business Name] may be recorded for quality assurance and training purposes. Washington, D.C. is a one-party consent jurisdiction; we disclose recording as a best practice.

Long-form opt-in

I acknowledge that [Business Name] records phone calls for quality assurance and training purposes. I understand the District of Columbia is a one-party consent jurisdiction.

This is guidance, not legal advice.

This generator produces templates from a knowledge base of call recording rules. It is not a substitute for qualified legal counsel and does not guarantee compliance with every law that may apply to your business. Consult an attorney for advice specific to your situation.

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In depth

District of Columbia call recording law — a complete guide

What the rule is, the nuance behind it, the penalties, and how to record compliantly in District of Columbia.

The rule in District of Columbia

Washington, D.C. is a one-party consent jurisdiction — one party to the communication may consent to the recording.

In practice, that makes District of Columbia a one-party consent jurisdiction for the purpose of recording business calls. The safest approach is a clear disclosure at the very start of every call, before any substantive conversation begins.

Statute and penalties

The governing law is D.C. Code §23-542. Civil exposure: Civil damages may be available to an aggrieved party. Criminal exposure: Unlawful interception is generally a felony.

Disclose recording consistently and you keep yourself on the right side of D.C. Code §23-542.

Cross-border calls

If you record a call between someone in District of Columbia and someone in another jurisdiction, the safe rule is that the stricter law governs. The generator on this page applies that automatically — add the other party's location and it rebuilds the disclosure around whichever jurisdiction is stricter.

Best practices for recording in District of Columbia

Disclose early and clearly, state the purpose of the recording, identify your business by name, and keep recordings only as long as you need them. Apply the same disclosure on every call so consent is consistent and defensible. When anything is high-stakes or ambiguous, have a qualified attorney review your disclosure.

Sources & citations

Last reviewed: 2026-05-14 · Unreviewed placeholder content — not legal advice