Can you record a phone call in Slovakia?
Ask everyone on the call before you record it. Slovakia's Civil Code allows sound recordings of a person only with their consent, and sharing a secret recording that causes serious harm is a crime.
- Phone calls
- The Civil Code (section 12) says sound recordings of a person or of their personal expressions may be made or used only with that person's consent. The Criminal Code (section 377) punishes recording privately spoken words without authorization when the recording is then shared or used and causes serious harm to someone's rights. Recording alone is not a crime, but it breaches personality rights.
- Business calls
- GDPR and Slovakia's Personal Data Protection Act (No. 18/2018) apply. Tell callers at the start of the call that it is recorded, why, and where to find full details. Choose a legal basis: the data protection office says most firms use consent, but recording without consent is possible if every duty is met, above all transparency. Set a retention period and delete recordings when it ends.
- What counts as consent
- Announce at the start of the call, before recording begins, that the call is recorded and why. If you rely on consent, get an active yes: in call-centre inspections the data protection office found that a notice given while recording was already running is not consent.
- Penalties
- Criminal Code section 377: up to 2 years in prison, or up to 5 years in aggravated cases. The recorded person can sue to stop the use and get compensation (Civil Code section 13). GDPR fines apply to businesses.
Say this at the start
Telling everyone and asking is the safe habit everywhere.
- English
Before we start: I record my calls so I can keep accurate notes. Is that OK with you?
- Slovak
Skôr než začneme: svoje hovory nahrávam, aby boli moje poznámky presné. Súhlasíte s tým?
Worth knowing
- Criminal law alone would let a participant record for personal use, because section 377 needs sharing or use plus serious harm. The stricter Civil Code consent rule is shown here.
- Sources disagree. One regional court treated taking part in a phone call as implied consent to its recording, while a Police Academy author doubts consent can be read that broadly.
- Section 377 was checked in the Criminal Code in force from 18 August 2026, and section 12 in the Civil Code in force from 31 July 2026. Neither rule has changed recently.
Sources
Checked on 14 October 2026. A plain summary of the law, not legal advice.
- Trestný zákon 300/2005 Z. z., version in force from 18 August 2026 (Slov-Lex)statute
- Občiansky zákonník 40/1964 Zb., version in force from 31 July 2026 (Slov-Lex)statute
- Úrad na ochranu osobných údajov SR: interview with the chairwoman, including call recording and consentregulator
- Úrad na ochranu osobných údajov SR: report for 2015 and 2016 (call-centre recording inspections)regulator
- Hrdličková: use of private recordings in criminal proceedings (Akadémia Policajného zboru)guide
Other countries
More free tools
Questions
Is Slovakia a one-party consent country?
No. Ask everyone on the call before you record it. Slovakia's Civil Code allows sound recordings of a person only with their consent, and sharing a secret recording that causes serious harm is a crime.
Can a business record calls in Slovakia?
GDPR and Slovakia's Personal Data Protection Act (No. 18/2018) apply. Tell callers at the start of the call that it is recorded, why, and where to find full details. Choose a legal basis: the data protection office says most firms use consent, but recording without consent is possible if every duty is met, above all transparency. Set a retention period and delete recordings when it ends.
What counts as consent in Slovakia?
Announce at the start of the call, before recording begins, that the call is recorded and why. If you rely on consent, get an active yes: in call-centre inspections the data protection office found that a notice given while recording was already running is not consent.
What happens if you record a call illegally in Slovakia?
Criminal Code section 377: up to 2 years in prison, or up to 5 years in aggravated cases. The recorded person can sue to stop the use and get compensation (Civil Code section 13). GDPR fines apply to businesses.
Hang up. The notes are done.
Superscribe records your business calls on the number you already have and writes the note when you hang up. You say one line at the start, and it does the rest.
