Can you record a phone call in South Carolina?
You can record a call you take part in without asking the others. South Carolina law allows recording when you are on the call or when one participant agreed beforehand.
- Phone calls
- South Carolina's wiretap law (Code of Laws sections 17-30-20 and 17-30-30) makes intercepting a call or other electronic communication a felony. Section 17-30-30(C) exempts a person who is a party to the communication, or who has one party's prior consent. Federal law (18 U.S.C. 2511) adds one limit: the recording must not be made to commit a crime or a civil wrong.
- Business calls
- South Carolina sets no notice rule for a participant who records, and it has no general consumer privacy law. If the other person may be in an all-party state such as California or Washington, announce the recording and get consent. Take care with recordings made by others: disclosing or using a call you know was illegally intercepted is also a felony.
- What counts as consent
- As a participant, your own consent is enough. South Carolina requires no beep or announcement. To record a call you are not part of, get one participant's consent before the recording starts.
- Penalties
- A felony: up to 5 years in prison, a fine up to $5,000, or both. Victims can sue for actual damages of at least $500 a day or $25,000, whichever is higher, plus punitive damages and legal fees.
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?
Worth knowing
- In-person conversations follow the same one-party rule where the speaker expects privacy. Talk in open public places can be recorded without consent.
- A separate misdemeanor (Code section 16-17-470) covers eavesdropping, peeping and using audio or video devices to spy on others.
- The consent exception dates from 2002 and, according to the official history notes, has not been amended since.
Sources
Checked on 14 October 2026. A plain summary of the law, not legal advice.
- South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 17, Chapter 30: Interception of Wire, Electronic and Oral Communications (South Carolina Legislature)statute
- 18 U.S.C. 2511, federal Wiretap Act (govinfo)statute
- Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press: South Carolina recording guideguide
- State data privacy laws overview (RecordingLaw, 2026)guide
Other states
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Questions
Is South Carolina a one-party consent state?
Yes. You can record a call you take part in without asking the others. South Carolina law allows recording when you are on the call or when one participant agreed beforehand.
Can a business record calls in South Carolina?
South Carolina sets no notice rule for a participant who records, and it has no general consumer privacy law. If the other person may be in an all-party state such as California or Washington, announce the recording and get consent. Take care with recordings made by others: disclosing or using a call you know was illegally intercepted is also a felony.
What counts as consent in South Carolina?
As a participant, your own consent is enough. South Carolina requires no beep or announcement. To record a call you are not part of, get one participant's consent before the recording starts.
What happens if you record a call illegally in South Carolina?
A felony: up to 5 years in prison, a fine up to $5,000, or both. Victims can sue for actual damages of at least $500 a day or $25,000, whichever is higher, plus punitive damages and legal fees.
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.
