Iowa Phone Recording Laws: One-Party Consent
Doug Breaker · November 2, 2026
Is Iowa a one-party or two-party consent state?
Two different Iowa laws reach the same place. Iowa is one-party under both, and it isn't a two-party consent state.
The first law is the felony chapter. Iowa Code § 808B.2(2)(c) says interception isn't unlawful "if the person is a party to the communication or if one of the parties to the communication has given prior consent to the interception."
A party is a person on the call or in the talk. The exception is gone if the purpose is to commit a crime, to wrong someone in a way they could sue over, or to commit "any other injurious act."
"Any other injurious act" reaches further than the federal version, which stops at crimes and wrongs a person could sue over. So a recording made to hurt someone can lose this exception.
The second law is the eavesdropping misdemeanor. This law protects "recording by a sender or recipient of a message or one who is openly present and participating in or listening to a communication."
- Phone calls. The sender or recipient can record. So can anyone with one party's prior consent.
- In-person talks. The same rule applies. Iowa's definition limits "oral communication" to speech by someone "exhibiting an expectation that the communication is not subject to interception, under circumstances justifying that expectation."
Your own call vs. a recorder left running at work
- Fine: You record your own call with a contractor in Des Moines. You're on the call, and you only want a record of what was said.
- Not fine: You leave a recorder running at work to catch talks you aren't part of.
Penalties for illegal recording in Iowa
| Interception (§ 808B.2) | Eavesdropping (§ 727.8) | |
|---|---|---|
| The crime | A felony | A serious misdemeanor |
| Prison | Up to 5 years | Up to 1 year |
| Fine | $1,025 to $10,245, plus surcharges, under § 902.9 | $430 to $2,560, under § 903.1 |
You can sue too, if your communication was illegally intercepted, disclosed or used:
| Civil suit under § 808B.8 | |
|---|---|
| Damages | At least $1,000. More if $100 a day, or your actual losses, comes to more |
| Punitive damages | On a finding of a willful, malicious or reckless violation |
| Fees | A reasonable attorney fee and other litigation costs |
| Other relief | An injunction, which is a court order to stop |
Iowa court cases
If you aren't part of a conversation, recording it at work can be a crime in Iowa, even with no phone involved.
In State v. Philpott (2005), an employee in a county clerk of court's office left a tape recorder running at work, and it caught conversations between coworkers and others. The Iowa Supreme Court affirmed the conviction for mechanical eavesdropping.
Can a business record your call in Iowa?
Iowa sets no notice rule for a business on the call. The other person's state may require consent, so announce it anyway.
The business is a party, so it can record unless its purpose is a crime or a wrong.
If you run a business: skip "this call may be recorded." Say "we record" instead, because it's a clearer warning.
If you're the customer: staying on the line after that notice can mean you agreed under federal law. A federal appeals court found consent when a person kept talking after clear, repeated warnings (Griggs-Ryan v. Smith). That isn't an Iowa ruling.
What if the other person is in another state?
A call from Des Moines to a stricter state can raise that state's law. California's law needs all parties' consent, and that state's top court applied it to a business recording calls with people in California.
Courts disagree on which state's law applies. The safe course is to follow the stricter state's rule.
Running a call center or sales team in Iowa?
Our advice: announce the recording at the very start of every call, inbound and outbound. Iowa's own rule may not require it, but the law where the other person is may require consent, and this covers them without working out where each one is.
- Ask first. "We record our calls for quality and coaching. Is that okay with you?"
- Using AI or other software? Say that too. "We record our calls and use software to review them. Is that okay with you?"
- Start recording after they say yes. Then say "This call is being recorded, and you said that's okay" so it's on the recording. Some states want consent first, and others look for the notice on the recording, so this is a sensible default for both.
- If someone says no, don't record. Deleting the recording when someone says no limits the harm, but it may not undo the problem.
- Check your phone system. If it records from the moment a call connects, change that setting first.
Using a vendor or AI coaching tool? Whether a separate company counts as someone on the call isn't settled, so mention the software in the script. Our checklist for phone teams has the details.
How to protect yourself from phone fraud in Iowa
People in Iowa filed 13,975 fraud reports with the FTC in 2024 and reported about $52.0 million lost, with a median loss of $400. These are reports people filed, and the FTC doesn't verify them. They cover all fraud, not only phone calls.
Can I record a scammer in Iowa?
A person on the call can generally record it in Iowa, unless the recording is meant to commit a crime or wrong someone. If the caller is in a stricter state, that state's rule may apply too.
What can a crook do with a recording of my voice?
The FCC warned in 2017 about callers who record your "yes" as a "voice signature", so hang up if someone asks "Can you hear me?" If you already answered, check your statements for unauthorized charges.
The FTC warned in 2023 that scammers can clone a relative's voice to ask for money, so call that person back on a number you know.
A voice alone doesn't tell a scammer your account details, so don't give those out on a call you didn't start.
Where to report it
Report fraud at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to the Office of the Attorney General of Iowa, Consumer Protection Division, 515-281-5926. Our phone safety guide covers how to spot a scam and what to do if you paid.
If you think someone recorded you illegally, talk to a lawyer in your state. The federal deadline to sue is two years after you first had a reasonable chance to discover it.
Your credit card number on a recorded call in Iowa
CallTutor's analysis of 903 calls from Iowa area codes, August through October 2026, found a credit card number read out loud on 18.2% of them, compared with 21.1% across all states in our data. These are calls to companies that take payments by phone, so that isn't every call in Iowa. Here's how we counted.
Before you read your credit card number out loud, ask if the call is recorded and if the number stays in the recording. If the agent doesn't know, ask to pay another way, like a secure link or a website.
If you think your number got out, check your statements and call your bank. For unauthorized charges, federal law caps what you owe at $50.
If your team takes payments by phone, CallTutor takes credit card numbers out of Zendesk Talk and Aircall recordings and transcripts minutes after hangup. See it on a real call.
Iowa recording law FAQ
Is Iowa a one-party consent state?
Yes. In Iowa, you can record a call or talk you're part of, or one person in it can give prior consent, unless the purpose is a crime or another wrong.
Is Iowa a two-party consent state?
No. Iowa doesn't require everyone's consent for calls or in-person talks.
In Iowa, can someone record me without telling me?
Yes, if that person is part of the conversation or one person in it agreed first. A recording made to commit a crime or harm you loses that protection.
Can I leave a recorder running at work in Iowa?
That's risky if you aren't part of the talk. The Iowa Supreme Court upheld an eavesdropping conviction for a clerk's office employee who did that.
Can I sue over an illegal recording in Iowa?
Yes. Iowa law allows at least $1,000, plus fees. It's more if $100 a day, or your actual losses, comes to more. Punitive damages need a willful, malicious or reckless violation.
Recording laws in nearby states
- Illinois phone recording laws (two-party)
- Minnesota phone recording laws (one-party)
- Missouri phone recording laws (one-party)
- Nebraska phone recording laws (one-party)
See all one-party consent states, or every state in our call recording laws by state guide.
This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change. We last checked these sources on November 2, 2026. If you have a legal question about a recording, talk to a lawyer in your state.
About the author. Doug Breaker ran a support team that took 5,000 calls a week and now runs CallTutor, which cleans call recordings for companies that take payments by phone. He isn't a lawyer.
