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Hidden camera laws by state

Hidden camera laws in North Dakota

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

The statute

N.D.C.C. § 12.1-20-12.2 (Surreptitious Intrusion)

What it prohibits

With intent to arouse or gratify sexual desire, entering another’s property and surreptitiously gazing or peeping into a dwelling, or surreptitiously installing or using a device to observe, photograph, record, amplify, or broadcast from a dwelling; or gazing or peeping into a tanning booth or a hotel sleeping room with intent to interfere with the occupant’s privacy. A separate, similarly-named statute (§ 12.1-31-14) covers overlapping conduct without requiring sexual intent — don’t confuse the two; this is the sex-offense one.

Penalty

Class A misdemeanor for the base offense; Class C felony on a second or later conviction, a prior indecent-exposure conviction, sex-offender registration status, or a minor victim.

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://law.justia.com/codes/north-dakota/title-12-1/chapter-12-1-20/section-12-1-20-12-2/. 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

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) Vermont13 V.S.A. § 2605 (Voyeurism) West VirginiaW. Va. Code § 61-8-28 (Criminal Invasion of Privacy) WyomingWyo. Stat. § 6-4-304 (Voyeurism; Penalties) CaliforniaPenal Code § 647(j)