Hidden camera laws in Pennsylvania

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

The statute

18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 7507.1 (Invasion of Privacy)

What it prohibits

For sexual arousal or gratification, knowingly viewing, photographing, or recording another person without knowledge and consent while nude or partially nude in a place they’d expect privacy. A separate branch, without a sexual-purpose requirement, covers recording a person’s intimate parts without consent where those parts aren’t meant to be publicly visible.

Penalty

Third-degree misdemeanor for a single violation, second-degree misdemeanor for more than one. Triggers mandatory sex-offender registration even on a first offense.

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/pennsylvania/2025/title-18/chapter-75/section-7507-1/. 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.

Get the Field Manual — $27

Prefer Kindle? $7.99 on Amazon.

Other states

OhioOhio Revised Code § 2907.08 (Voyeurism) GeorgiaO.C.G.A. § 16-11-62 (Eavesdropping, Surveillance, or Intercepting Communication Which Invades Privacy) North CarolinaG.S. § 14-202 (Secretly Peeping Into Room Occupied by Another Person) MichiganMCL § 750.539j 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)