Hidden camera laws in Montana

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

The statute

Mont. Code Ann. § 45-5-223 (Surreptitious Visual Observation or Recordation)

What it prohibits

Montana bans hiding, waiting, or loitering near a private dwelling to watch or record an occupant without their knowledge; as a business owner, manager, employee, or landlord, surreptitiously recording a person in a restroom, shower, bedroom, or fitting room; and observing or recording a person’s intimate parts in a public place without consent where privacy was reasonably expected.

Penalty

The statute lays out escalating fine and jail/prison tiers (up to $500/6 months on a first conviction, up to $1,000/1 year on a second, up to $10,000/5 years state prison on a third or later) but the text itself never labels these "misdemeanor" or "felony" — read the current statute rather than relying on a class name here.

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://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0450/chapter_0050/part_0020/section_0230/0450-0050-0020-0230.html. 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.

Cover: The Traveler's Counter-Surveillance Field Manual

The Field Manual — PDF edition

Want the full room-by-room method, not just the legal side? The complete system — every check on this site plus the ten-minute walkthrough, audio devices, your legal rights, and what to do if you find something. 47 printable pages, instant download, keep it on any device.

Skip and go straight to checkout

Prefer Kindle? $7.99 on Amazon.

Other states

NebraskaNeb. Rev. Stat. § 28-311.08 (Unlawful Intrusion; Photograph, Film, or Record Intimate Area; Distribute) New HampshireRSA 644:9 (Violation of Privacy) New MexicoNMSA 1978 § 30-9-20 (Voyeurism Prohibited; Penalties) North DakotaN.D.C.C. § 12.1-20-12.2 (Surreptitious Intrusion) OregonORS § 163.700 (Invasion of Personal Privacy in the Second Degree) Rhode IslandR.I. Gen. Laws § 11-64-2 (Video Voyeurism) South DakotaSDCL § 22-21-4 (Use or Dissemination of Visual Recording or Photographic Device Without Consent) UtahUtah Code § 76-12-307 (Recorded or Photographed Voyeurism)