Rhode Island call recording law
Is Rhode Island a one-party consent state?
One-party consent
Yes. Rhode Island is a one-party consent state. A person who is a party to a call, or who has one party’s prior consent, may record it, unless the call is recorded to commit a criminal or tortious act (R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-35-21).
Last checked October 13, 2026 · 8 quoted facts from official pages
Rhode Island at a glance
- Phone calls
- One-party consent
- Criminal penalty
- Willful unlawful interception is punishable by imprisonment of not more than five years.
- Lawsuits
- Chapter 12-5.1 gives a civil claim for actual damages, but not less than liquidated damages of $100 per day of violation or $1,000 (whichever is higher), plus punitive damages and reasonable attorneys' fees and litigation disbursements, for communications intercepted, disclosed or used in violation of that chapter.
- Last checked
- October 13, 2026
Penalties
- Criminal
- Willful unlawful interception is punishable by imprisonment of not more than five years.
- Civil (lawsuits)
- Chapter 12-5.1 gives a civil claim for actual damages, but not less than liquidated damages of $100 per day of violation or $1,000 (whichever is higher), plus punitive damages and reasonable attorneys' fees and litigation disbursements, for communications intercepted, disclosed or used in violation of that chapter.
What this means for a business that records calls
Communication common carriers may not use service observing or random monitoring except for mechanical or service quality control checks (§ 11-35-21).
Callers can be in any state. The state-by-state table compares every state's rule, and the disclosure generator writes a plain notice sentence such as “This call may be recorded.” Whether a notice is enough under Rhode Island's law is a question for a lawyer licensed in Rhode Island.
Recording notices on CallFlux numbers
CallFlux plays a recording notice to callers on every tracking number that records, before the call connects.
What the official sources say
Willfully intercepting a wire, electronic or oral communication is a crime unless an exception applies.
“who willfully intercepts, attempts to intercept, or procures any other person to intercept or attempt to intercept, any wire, electronic, or oral communication;”
Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov (official source, opens in a new tab) · read October 13, 2026
The penalty is imprisonment of not more than five years.
“shall be imprisoned for not more than five (5) years.”
Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov (official source, opens in a new tab) · read October 13, 2026
A private person who is a party, or has one party's prior consent, may intercept.
“where the person is a party to the communication, or one of the parties to the communication has given prior consent to the interception”
Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov (official source, opens in a new tab) · read October 13, 2026
The exception does not apply to interception for a criminal, tortious or other injurious purpose.
“unless the communication is intercepted for the purpose of committing any criminal or tortious act”
Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov (official source, opens in a new tab) · read October 13, 2026
Common carriers may not use service observing or random monitoring except for quality control checks.
“No communication common carrier shall utilize service observing or random monitoring except for mechanical or service quality control checks;”
Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov (official source, opens in a new tab) · read October 13, 2026
Civil damages: actual damages with a floor of $100 per day or $1,000, whichever is higher.
“liquidated damages ... at the rate of one hundred dollars ($100) per day for each day of violation, or one thousand dollars ($1,000), whichever is higher”
Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov (official source, opens in a new tab) · read October 13, 2026
Civil plaintiffs may also recover punitive damages and attorneys' fees.
“Punitive damages; and (3) Reasonable attorneys' fees and other litigation disbursements reasonably incurred.”
Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov (official source, opens in a new tab) · read October 13, 2026
The civil remedy covers interception in violation of chapter 12-5.1.
“Any person whose wire, electronic, or oral communication is intercepted, disclosed, or used in violation of this chapter shall have a civil cause of action”
Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov (official source, opens in a new tab) · read October 13, 2026
Rhode Island call recording questions
Is Rhode Island a one-party consent state?
Yes. Rhode Island is a one-party consent state. A person who is a party to a call, or who has one party’s prior consent, may record it, unless the call is recorded to commit a criminal or tortious act (R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-35-21).
What is the penalty for recording a call illegally in Rhode Island?
Willful unlawful interception is punishable by imprisonment of not more than five years.
What does Rhode Island's law say about lawsuits over recorded calls?
Chapter 12-5.1 gives a civil claim for actual damages, but not less than liquidated damages of $100 per day of violation or $1,000 (whichever is higher), plus punitive damages and reasonable attorneys' fees and litigation disbursements, for communications intercepted, disclosed or used in violation of that chapter.
What do Rhode Island's sources say about businesses that record calls?
Communication common carriers may not use service observing or random monitoring except for mechanical or service quality control checks (§ 11-35-21).