Can I Record My Doctor Appointment? A Complete State-by-State Guide
We believe your health information should be your right. In most states, recording your visit is completely legal.
In 37 states and Washington D.C. you can record your appointment without asking. In 13 states you need to get your doctor’s permission first. The fastest way to know where you stand is to find your state below.
Find your state
Tap your state to jump straight to the rule that applies to you.
Recording your doctor inAlabama
Record without askingOne-party consent: you can record your appointment without asking.
Ala. Code § 13A-11-30 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inAlaska
Record without askingOne-party consent: you can record your appointment without asking.
Alaska Stat. § 42.20.310 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inArizona
Record without askingOne-party consent: you can record your appointment without asking.
Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 13-3012 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inArkansas
Record without askingOne-party consent: you can record your appointment without asking.
Ark. Code § 5-60-120 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inCalifornia
Ask firstAll-party consent: get your doctor’s okay before you record a private conversation.
Cal. Penal Code § 632 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inColorado
Record without askingOne-party consent: you can record your appointment without asking.
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-9-303 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inConnecticut
Record without askingOne-party for in-person visits, so you can record your appointment without asking. The stricter all-party rule applies only to phone calls.
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-187 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inDelaware
Ask to be safeDelaware’s statutes conflict, so treat it as all-party and get your doctor’s consent to be safe.
Del. Code tit. 11 §§ 1335, 2402 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inDistrict of Columbia
Record without askingOne-party consent: you can record your appointment without asking.
D.C. Code § 23-542 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inFlorida
Ask firstAll-party consent: ask your doctor first before recording a private conversation.
Fla. Stat. § 934.03 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inGeorgia
Record without askingOne-party consent: you can record your appointment without asking.
Ga. Code § 16-11-66 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inHawaii
Record without askingOne-party consent: you can record your appointment without asking.
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 803-42 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inIdaho
Record without askingOne-party consent: you can record your appointment without asking.
Idaho Code § 18-6702 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inIllinois
Ask firstAll-party consent: ask your doctor first before recording a private conversation.
720 ILCS 5/14-2 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inIndiana
Record without askingOne-party consent: you can record your appointment without asking.
Ind. Code § 35-33.5 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inIowa
Record without askingOne-party consent: you can record your appointment without asking.
Iowa Code § 727.8 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inKansas
Record without askingOne-party consent: you can record your appointment without asking.
Kan. Stat. § 21-6101 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inKentucky
Record without askingOne-party consent: you can record your appointment without asking.
Ky. Rev. Stat. § 526.010 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inLouisiana
Record without askingOne-party consent: you can record your appointment without asking.
La. Rev. Stat. § 15:1303 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inMaine
Record without askingOne-party consent: you can record your appointment without asking.
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 15 § 710 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inMaryland
Ask firstAll-party consent: ask your doctor first before recording a private conversation.
Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 10-402 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inMassachusetts
Ask firstYou can’t record secretly here: your doctor must know you’re recording. Just ask first.
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 272 § 99 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inMichigan
Ask to be safeCourts allow a participant to record their own conversation, but the statute is stricter and unsettled. Ask first to be safe.
MCL § 750.539c · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inMinnesota
Record without askingOne-party consent: you can record your appointment without asking.
Minn. Stat. § 626A.02 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inMississippi
Record without askingOne-party consent: you can record your appointment without asking.
Miss. Code § 41-29-531 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inMissouri
Record without askingOne-party consent: you can record your appointment without asking.
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 542.402 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inMontana
Ask firstAll-party consent: Montana requires everyone to know about the recording, so ask first.
Mont. Code Ann. § 45-8-213 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inNebraska
Record without askingOne-party consent: you can record your appointment without asking.
Neb. Rev. Stat. § 86-290 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inNevada
Ask to be safeMany sources treat Nevada as all-party for in-person recording. Ask your doctor first to be safe.
Nev. Rev. Stat. § 200.650 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inNew Hampshire
Ask firstAll-party consent: ask your doctor first before recording a private conversation.
N.H. Rev. Stat. § 570-A:2 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inNew Jersey
Record without askingOne-party consent: you can record your appointment without asking.
N.J. Stat. § 2A:156A-4 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inNew Mexico
Record without askingOne-party consent: you can record your appointment without asking.
N.M. Stat. § 30-12-1 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inNew York
Record without askingOne-party consent: you can record your appointment without asking.
N.Y. Penal Law § 250.05 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inNorth Carolina
Record without askingOne-party consent: you can record your appointment without asking.
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-287 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inNorth Dakota
Record without askingOne-party consent: you can record your appointment without asking.
N.D. Cent. Code § 12.1-15-02 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inOhio
Record without askingOne-party consent: you can record your appointment without asking.
Ohio Rev. Code § 2933.52 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inOklahoma
Record without askingOne-party consent: you can record your appointment without asking.
Okla. Stat. tit. 13 § 176.4 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inOregon
Ask firstAll-party for in-person visits: you must let your doctor know. A January 2025 federal appeals ruling put this requirement back in force.
Or. Rev. Stat. § 165.540 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inPennsylvania
Ask firstAll-party consent: ask your doctor first before recording a private conversation.
18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5704 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inRhode Island
Record without askingOne-party consent: you can record your appointment without asking.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-35-21 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inSouth Carolina
Record without askingOne-party consent: you can record your appointment without asking.
S.C. Code § 17-30-30 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inSouth Dakota
Record without askingOne-party consent: you can record your appointment without asking.
S.D. Codified Laws § 23A-35A-20 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inTennessee
Record without askingOne-party consent: you can record your appointment without asking.
Tenn. Code § 39-13-601 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inTexas
Record without askingOne-party consent: you can record your appointment without asking.
Tex. Penal Code § 16.02 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inUtah
Record without askingOne-party consent: you can record your appointment without asking.
Utah Code § 77-23a-4 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inVermont
Record without askingNo state recording statute, so the federal one-party rule applies: you can record, though asking is good practice.
18 U.S.C. § 2511 (no state statute) · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inVirginia
Record without askingOne-party consent: you can record your appointment without asking.
Va. Code § 19.2-62 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inWashington
Ask firstAll-party consent: ask your doctor first before recording a private conversation.
Wash. Rev. Code § 9.73.030 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inWest Virginia
Record without askingOne-party consent: you can record your appointment without asking.
W. Va. Code § 62-1D-3 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inWisconsin
Record without askingOne-party consent: legal to record, though some recordings may be inadmissible in civil cases.
Wis. Stat. § 968.31 · Back to all states ↑
Recording your doctor inWyoming
Record without askingOne-party consent: you can record your appointment without asking.
Wyo. Stat. § 7-3-702 · Back to all states ↑
Should recording your doctor be your right?
Here’s what surprised us while writing this guide: no state has a law that explicitly gives patients the right to record their own doctor. Recording is legal in most places because it isn’t banned, not because the law protects it.
We think that should change. Your health information already belongs to you. Being able to capture it accurately, so you actually remember what your doctor said, should belong to you too. We think it should be your right. What about you?
The federal law baseline
Is it legal to record doctor visits?
Yes, recording doctor visits is legal in most situations, as long as you follow your state’s consent laws. There is no special federal law that singles out medical appointments; instead, general recording and wiretapping laws apply.
Under federal law (18 U.S.C. § 2511), only one party in a conversation needs to consent to a recording. If you are part of the conversation, your consent alone is enough. But states can create stricter rules.
What matters for medical appointments:
- In a one-party-consent state, you may legally record your doctor without asking.
- In a two-party (all-party) consent state, you must tell your doctor and obtain agreement before recording.
- HIPAA does not prevent you from recording your own appointment.
- Medical visits are considered private settings, so state consent rules apply.
A common misconception
Some patients fear that recording a doctor is “illegal under HIPAA.” This is false. HIPAA regulates what health providers do with your information, not what you do with your own health information.
The only caution: Recording other patients or staff conversations not about your care may violate privacy laws.
How to ask your doctor for permission
Many patients search for guidance on how to ask a doctor to record an appointment, and the evidence shows that asking openly is almost always the best approach. In a study of 360 oncologists published in Cancer, 93% reported that patients have asked to record their visits, and 75% were comfortable with being recorded when the request was made directly.
So what should you actually say?
“I’d like to record our conversation today so I can remember everything you tell me. Is that okay with you?”
“I want to make sure I understand your guidance and can share accurate information with my family. Would it be okay if I recorded our appointment?”
“I know we’re going to discuss a lot today, and I want to make sure I don’t miss anything important. I’d like to record so I can review it later and follow your instructions correctly. Is that all right?”
When to ask: at the beginning of the appointment, before discussion starts; before any sensitive or technical information is shared; and casually, not apologetically.
What if your doctor says no?
Even when recording is legal, many physicians still feel uneasy about being recorded. Among 360 oncologists surveyed, 25% reported discomfort with patients recording visits. Nearly half of clinicians who felt uneasy worried the conversation would become “less natural,” and 44% believed a recording could disrupt the flow of the appointment. Others worried that sensitive discussions might be misunderstood when replayed later, or that a clip could be shared out of context.
If your doctor seems hesitant, a calm, respectful response goes a long way:
If they still decline, you still have good options: ask for a written after-visit summary, bring someone with you to take notes, take detailed notes yourself (and ask them to slow down), or, if a doctor consistently refuses without a reasonable explanation, consider finding a provider more aligned with patient-centered care.
Why doctors should want you to record
Recording isn’t about catching mistakes or creating mistrust; it’s about building a clearer, more accurate, and more efficient healthcare experience for everyone. Doctors have limited time. Patients have limited memory. The stakes are high for everyone.
Studies show that patients remember only 40–80% of what their doctor tells them, and much of that is recalled incorrectly. A recording flips that script: patients can replay complex explanations, double-check medication instructions, and revisit a diagnosis on their own time. And when patients understand, they comply:
- Fewer misunderstandings
- Fewer skipped steps
- More accurate medication use
- More timely follow-up appointments
- And ultimately, better health outcomes
Recordings can also protect doctors. A legally obtained recording preserves the doctor’s exact wording, the patient’s questions, and confirmation that risks, benefits, and instructions were discussed, giving clarity rather than controversy.
Best practices for recording appointments
Before the appointment: charge your device, test the recording quality, clear storage space, and bring a backup (a notebook or second device).
During the appointment: place your phone visibly on the table so there’s no perception of secret recording; stay engaged and keep asking questions; and don’t hesitate to say, “Can you repeat that? I want to make sure I get this right.”
After the appointment: label the file immediately, listen within 24 hours, write a short summary of key points, store recordings securely, and delete them when no longer needed.
Tools that make recording easy and secure
Any smartphone voice-memo app or dedicated recorder will work. But Neatly was built specifically for medical appointments. It records clearly even in small exam rooms, automatically generates easy-to-understand summaries of your doctor’s instructions, organizes recordings by date, doctor, and condition, and lets you securely share with family or caregivers who help manage your care.
Ready to capture all the details from your doctor appointments? Neatly makes recording legal, easy, and automatic. Just press record and we handle the rest.
Download Neatly for freeFrequently asked questions
Is it legal to record my doctor appointment without telling them?
In 37 states and D.C. (one-party-consent states), yes, it’s legal to record without informing your doctor as long as you’re part of the conversation. In the 13 states that require all-party consent (or where the law is contested), you must tell your doctor and get their consent first. Even in one-party states, it’s courteous and builds trust to tell your doctor you’re recording.
Can my doctor refuse to let me record?
Yes, doctors can decline to be recorded, though most will agree when you explain it helps you remember their guidance. In an all-party-consent state, if your doctor refuses you cannot legally record. In a one-party state you can legally record even if they object, but it’s better to find a doctor who supports your desire to be an informed patient.
Does HIPAA prevent me from recording my doctor?
No. HIPAA regulates what healthcare providers can do with your information, not what you can do with your own health information. As a patient, you have the right to your medical information, and recordings are part of that.
What should I say when asking my doctor if I can record?
Keep it simple: “I’d like to record our conversation today so I can remember everything you tell me. Is that okay with you?” Most doctors will say yes when you frame it as wanting to be a better patient.
The best way to learn more is to download the app and start chatting. Neatly is free.
Download now