Hidden camera laws in Michigan

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

The statute

MCL § 750.539j

What it prohibits

Surveilling, photographing, or recording another person who is clad only in undergarments, or whose unclad genitals, buttocks, or breasts (for a female) are visible, under circumstances where that person has a reasonable expectation of privacy. Distributing images known or reasonably known to have been obtained this way is a separate offense.

Penalty

Felony. First offense (surveillance/capture): up to 2 years and/or up to $2,000 fine. Repeat offense or distribution: up to 5 years and/or up to $5,000 fine.

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.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-750-539j. 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

New JerseyN.J.S.A. § 2C:14-9 (Invasion of Privacy) VirginiaCode of Virginia § 18.2-386.1 (Unlawful Filming, Videotaping or Photographing of Another) WashingtonRCW § 9A.44.115 (Voyeurism) ArizonaA.R.S. § 13-1424 (Voyeurism) MassachusettsM.G.L. c. 272, § 105 (Photographing, Videotaping or Electronically Surveilling Partially Nude or Nude Person) TennesseeTenn. Code § 39-13-605 (Unlawful Photographing in Violation of Privacy) ColoradoC.R.S. § 18-3-405.6 (Invasion of Privacy for Sexual Gratification) NevadaNRS § 200.604 (Capturing Image of Private Area of Another Person)