Hidden camera laws in Louisiana

The actual statute, in plain English — not a paraphrase of a paraphrase.

The statute

La. R.S. § 14:283 (Video voyeurism)

What it prohibits

Louisiana prohibits using a camera, video recorder, drone-mounted camera, or similar device to observe, photograph, or film a person without their consent, either for a lewd purpose or in a place where that person had a reasonable expectation of privacy. It also separately criminalizes distributing such images by phone, email, the internet, or other electronic means. A bona-fide news-gathering exception applies. Penalties increase sharply when the recording captures genitals, breasts, or sexual acts, or when the victim is a minor.

Penalty

First offense: fine up to $2,000 and/or imprisonment up to 2 years. Subsequent offense: $2,000 fine plus 6 months to 3 years at hard labor without benefit of parole or probation. Aggravated offense (recording sexual anatomy/acts): fine up to $10,000 and 1 to 5 years at hard labor. Convicted persons must register as sex offenders.

This is general public information, not legal advice, verified against the statute text linked below as of this writing — legislatures amend these laws periodically (Florida renamed its own statute in 2024). If this matters for a real situation, read the current text yourself or talk to a lawyer: https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/law.aspx?d=78391. Separately, recording audio of a conversation is governed by a different law (wiretap/eavesdropping statutes, which vary by state on whether one party or all parties must consent) — this page covers image/video capture only.

If you've actually found something, the statute matters less than what you do next: read the six steps here.

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Other states

MarylandMd. Code, Criminal Law § 3-902 (Visual Surveillance With Prurient Intent) MinnesotaMinn. Stat. § 609.746 (Interference with Privacy) MissouriMo. Rev. Stat. § 565.252 (Invasion of Privacy) Oklahoma21 Okla. Stat. § 1171(B) (Peeping Tom — Use of Photographic, Electronic or Video Equipment) WisconsinWis. Stat. § 942.09 (Representations Depicting Nudity) CaliforniaPenal Code § 647(j) TexasPenal Code § 21.15 (Invasive Visual Recording) New YorkPenal Law § 250.45 (Unlawful Surveillance, Second Degree)