Arkansas Laws on Recording in Public: Your Complete Guide (2026)

Recording in public places in Arkansas is broadly legal. Arkansas has no statute prohibiting video recording in public spaces where people have no reasonable expectation of privacy, and the First Amendment protects that activity. Audio recording of conversations you are part of is permitted under Ark. Code Ann. 5-60-120, but recording other people's conversations without a participant's consent can violate that same law, even in public.

Recording in public places in Arkansas is broadly legal. No statute bars filming what is visible in public, and the First Amendment protects gathering information in public. Audio is different: Ark. Code 5-60-120 bars recording a conversation you are not part of without a participant's consent, even in public. Whether you are filming on a sidewalk, recording a protest, capturing a government meeting, or photographing a building, Arkansas law is generally permissive.

This guide covers every major aspect of recording in public in Arkansas, including the legal basis, the limits, private property considerations, and how to handle situations where someone objects to being recorded.

The Legal Basis for Recording in Public

No Reasonable Expectation of Privacy

The foundation of public recording rights is the principle that people have no reasonable expectation of privacy in public spaces. When you are on a public street, in a park, at a public event, or in any other area open to the general public, anything visible to passersby can generally be photographed or filmed. Audio of other people's conversations is a separate question, covered below.

This principle is well established in American law and applies in Arkansas through both state common law and federal constitutional protections.

First Amendment Protections

The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects the right to gather information in public. Federal courts have recognized that recording in public, including photography, videography, and audio recording, is a form of expression and information gathering protected by the First Amendment.

Multiple federal circuits have recognized First Amendment protection for recording in public. Arkansas is in the Eighth Circuit. The Eighth Circuit has addressed the right to record police more cautiously than other circuits. A divided 2-1 panel in Molina v. Book, 59 F.4th 334 (8th Cir. 2023), held the right was not clearly established for qualified-immunity purposes as of a 2015 incident, though the dissenting judge argued that earlier Eighth Circuit cases had already clearly established a First Amendment right to observe police. The court did allow one of the three plaintiffs, Peter Groce, to proceed against the individual officers in the armored vehicle on a First Amendment retaliation claim based on his verbal criticism of the officers, not on recording. However, the broader principle that recording the police is constitutionally protected activity is well supported nationally, including in Turner v. Driver, 848 F.3d 678 (5th Cir. 2017) (a persuasive authority from a neighboring circuit), which held that the First Amendment protects the right to record the police, subject to reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions, and in DOJ guidance.

Arkansas State Law

No Arkansas statute specifically grants a right to record in public; the limits come from:

• Ark. Code 5-60-120 (wiretapping): One-party consent for audio recording
• Ark. Code 5-16-101 (voyeurism): Prohibits secret recording in private areas
• Ark. Code 25-19-106 (FOIA): Requires government meetings to be open; the right to video record them comes from Attorney General guidance (Op. Att'y Gen. 2012-022)
• Ark. Code 5-60-103(e) (drones): Bars using a drone to capture images of a person or private property in order to surveil them
• General privacy principles: People in public have reduced privacy expectations

Where You Can Record in Arkansas

Public Streets, Sidewalks, and Parks

You can freely record on any public street, sidewalk, park, plaza, or other public right-of-way in Arkansas. No consent is needed. No notification is required. You can photograph or film anything visible from these locations, and audio record conversations you take part in.

Government Buildings and Public Property

You can generally record inside government buildings that are open to the public, including:

• County courthouses (in public areas, not courtrooms without permission)
• City halls
• State Capitol building
• Public libraries
• DMV offices
• Post offices (subject to federal regulations)

Individual buildings may have specific rules about recording in certain areas. Courtrooms, for example, typically require the judge's permission before recording. The Arkansas Judiciary sets rules for electronic devices in courtrooms.

Public Transportation

You can record on public transportation systems in Arkansas, including buses and transit stations. These are public spaces where passengers have no reasonable expectation of privacy regarding their visible activity.

Public Events and Gatherings

Public events such as festivals, parades, rallies, demonstrations, concerts in public parks, and sporting events in public venues can all be recorded. If the event is in a public space and open to the general public, recording is permitted.

Government Meetings

The Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (Ark. Code 25-19-106) requires that meetings of public bodies be open to the public. Act 310 of 2021 amended the FOIA's public-records section, Ark. Code 25-19-105, so that copying a public record includes "copying through image capture, including still and moving photography and video and digital recording." It did not change the open-meetings section. The right to record a meeting comes instead from the Attorney General, who has said citizens may videotape a public meeting "as long as the videotaping does not disrupt the meeting," subject to reasonable limitations (Op. Att'y Gen. 2012-022).

Public meetings you can record include:

• City council meetings
• County quorum court meetings
• School board meetings
• State agency board meetings
• Public hearings and planning commission meetings
• Meetings of any organization supported by public funds

Enforcement: Any citizen denied the rights the FOIA grants, such as access to an open meeting, may appeal immediately to circuit court under Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-107, and the court must set a hearing within seven days of the application. Those who refuse to comply with the court's orders are guilty of contempt of court under § 25-19-107(c). Because the right to video record rests on an Attorney General opinion rather than the statute's text, it is less certain how a court would treat a denial of recording alone. Public bodies must also record each public meeting themselves and keep the recording for at least one year under § 25-19-106(d)(3), as amended by Act 505 of 2025. The Arkansas Attorney General provides FOIA guidance, and the 2025 FOIA Handbook details public recording rights.

Where Recording May Be Restricted

Private Property Open to the Public

Businesses and other private properties that are open to the public can restrict recording on their premises. Even though you are invited in as a customer, the property owner retains the right to set rules about photography and filming.

Common examples of private properties that may restrict recording:

• Retail stores and shopping malls
• Restaurants and bars
• Movie theaters
• Private museums and galleries
• Hospitals and medical facilities
• Houses of worship
• Private schools and universities

If a business asks you to stop recording and you refuse, you can be asked to leave. Remaining after being told to leave can result in trespassing charges under Ark. Code 5-39-203.

Courtrooms

Recording in Arkansas courtrooms is subject to the discretion of the presiding judge. The Arkansas Supreme Court has established guidelines for electronic devices in courtrooms. Judges may permit recording of proceedings, but you must obtain permission before bringing cameras or recording equipment into a courtroom.

Polling Places

Arkansas law may restrict recording inside polling places during elections. Voters should check current election guidelines from the Arkansas Secretary of State before attempting to record inside a polling location.

Military Installations

Recording on federal military installations within Arkansas (such as Little Rock Air Force Base or Fort Chaffee) is subject to federal regulations. Photography and filming may be restricted or prohibited in certain areas for national security reasons.

Audio Recording in Public

One-Party Consent in Public Spaces

Audio recording in public follows the same one-party consent rule that applies everywhere in Arkansas under Ark. Code 5-60-120. If you are part of a conversation in public, you can record it.

Recording Conversations You Are Not Part Of

Arkansas's wiretap law, Ark. Code 5-60-120, makes it a crime to intercept and record an oral communication unless you are a party to it or a party has given prior consent. Unlike the federal Wiretap Act, it does not say that only conversations held with an expectation of privacy are protected, and Arkansas does not define "oral communication" by statute.

Arkansas courts have not settled whether a conversation held openly in public is covered. Deliberately recording other people's conversations, even outdoors, therefore carries legal risk.

As a practical matter, ambient audio captured by a camera filming a public scene is rarely a legal concern. The issue arises when someone deliberately targets a specific private conversation for interception.

Street Performers, Speeches, and Public Announcements

You can record anyone who is performing, speaking, or making announcements in a public space. Street musicians, public speakers, protesters with megaphones, and anyone else who is intentionally projecting their voice to a public audience can be recorded. Recording a public speech, performance or announcement made to an audience is very low risk.

Recording Protests and Demonstrations

Your Right to Record

Recording protests and demonstrations in public is a core First Amendment activity. You can record:

• Protesters and their signs, chants, and speeches
• Counter-protesters
• Police officers and their actions
• The general scene and crowd activity

Interactions with Law Enforcement at Protests

If police are present at a protest, you can generally record their activity from a lawful position. Recording police is widely protected, but the Eighth Circuit, which covers Arkansas, has not decided whether the First Amendment protects it, so an order to stop can be hard to challenge in court. Officers may hold a phone they believe contains evidence while they seek a warrant, but under Riley v. California (2014) they generally need a warrant to search it. No law gives police authority to make you delete a recording. For detailed information, see our page on recording police in Arkansas.

If an Unlawful Assembly Is Declared

If police declare an unlawful assembly and order the crowd to disperse, you must comply with the dispersal order. However, you can continue recording while leaving the area. Journalists and legal observers are generally permitted to remain in the vicinity, though this is subject to law enforcement discretion.

Protecting Your Footage

When recording at protests:

• Livestream to a cloud platform for real-time backup
• Use a passcode lock on your phone (not just biometric)
• Consider using a dedicated camera separate from your phone
• Enable automatic cloud backup for photos and videos

Recording in Stores and Restaurants

General Rule

You can generally take photos or record video inside stores and restaurants unless the business has a policy prohibiting it. Many businesses allow casual photography (such as taking a photo of a product) but may restrict filming with professional equipment or for commercial purposes.

When the Business Says No

If a business asks you to stop recording:

1. You should comply with the request
2. If you refuse, the business can ask you to leave
3. If you refuse to leave, you may be trespassing
4. You can continue recording once you are back on public property (the sidewalk outside the store)

Recording Disputes and Confrontations

If you are involved in a dispute with a business (a customer service issue, a return disagreement, etc.), you can record your own conversation under one-party consent. This is your interaction, and you are a party to it.

Photography and Filming for Commercial Use

Public Spaces

Commercial photography and filming in public spaces is generally permitted in Arkansas. However, some municipalities may require permits for large-scale commercial productions that use public resources (blocking streets, using public utilities, etc.).

Likeness and Consent

While you can photograph or film people in public, using someone's likeness for commercial purposes (advertising, product promotion, etc.) may require their consent. This falls under publicity rights, which are separate from recording law. If you plan to use images of identifiable individuals for commercial purposes, obtain a signed release.

Drone Filming

Commercial drone filming in Arkansas is subject to FAA regulations. Commercial operators must hold a Remote Pilot Certificate under 14 CFR Part 107. Separately, Ark. Code 5-60-103 makes it unlawful to use a drone to surveil critical infrastructure, such as power plants, refineries, chemical facilities, communication towers, and correctional facilities, without the owner's written consent. This is a Class B misdemeanor for a first offense and a Class A misdemeanor for a second or subsequent offense, and it does not apply to a person surveilling their own or leased property, insurance investigations, law enforcement officers on duty, or highway and public-works agencies and their contractors. Since Act 597 of 2025, the same section also makes it a Class C misdemeanor to purposely use a drone to capture an image of a person or private property in order to conduct surveillance on them (5-60-103(e)). These offenses do not apply to a drone operated for a commercial purpose in compliance with FAA regulations, authorizations, or exemptions, which the statute excludes from its definition of an unmanned aircraft system (5-60-103(a)(3)(B)(iv)), and an image captured lawfully under Ark. Code 27-118-101 is a defense to the image offense. Possessing, sharing, or distributing such an image is a separate offense under 5-60-126, and the owner or tenant of the property can sue under the civil action Act 597 of 2025 enacted as Ark. Code 16-118-119 (Act 827 of 2025 also enacted a section numbered 16-118-119, so the codified number may differ) for $5,000 for the images captured in a single episode or $10,000 for disclosing or distributing them, within two years; the court awards costs and attorney's fees to the prevailing party. Using a drone to secretly photograph or record someone in a place where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy can also fall under the state's voyeurism statute, Ark. Code 5-16-101.

Can Someone Demand You Delete a Recording?

No Legal Obligation to Delete

In Arkansas, a private citizen generally cannot compel you to delete a recording made in a public place. You have no legal obligation to delete photos or videos of events or people in public simply because someone asks you to.

Exceptions

There are limited exceptions:

• A court order may require deletion or surrender of recordings
• If the recording captures content that is illegal to possess (such as child sexual exploitation material), possession itself is a crime
• If you obtained the recording through trespassing or other illegal means, the recording may need to be surrendered as part of legal proceedings

Practical Considerations

Even though you are not legally required to delete a recording, consider the situation. If someone is genuinely distressed about being recorded and the recording serves no important purpose, voluntary courtesy may be appropriate. However, this is a personal choice, not a legal obligation.

Using Public Recordings as Evidence

Admissibility

Recordings made legally in public spaces are generally admissible as evidence in Arkansas courts. The proponent must authenticate the recording and establish its relevance.

Common Evidentiary Uses

Public recordings are commonly used as evidence in:

• Car accident cases
• Slip and fall incidents on public property
• Assault and battery cases
• Police misconduct claims
• Property disputes
• Insurance claims

Explore More Arkansas Recording Law Topics

Audio Recording | Video Recording | Voyeurism Laws | Workplace Recording | Recording Police | Phone Call Recording | Security Cameras | Recording in Public | Landlord-Tenant | Dashcam Laws | School Recording | Medical Recording

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need permission to record video in public in Arkansas?

No. Arkansas has no law requiring permission to record video in public spaces. You can freely film on public streets, sidewalks, parks, and other public areas. People in public have no reasonable expectation of privacy regarding their visible activity.

Can a store owner tell me to stop recording in their business?

Yes. Private businesses open to the public can restrict recording on their premises. If a store owner or employee asks you to stop recording, you should comply. Refusing to leave after being asked can result in trespassing charges. You can resume recording once you are on public property outside the business.

Can I record a government meeting in Arkansas?

Generally, yes. Arkansas's FOIA requires meetings of public bodies, such as city councils, school boards, and county quorum courts, to be open (Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-106), and the Arkansas Attorney General has said private citizens may videotape an open meeting as long as the videotaping does not disrupt it, subject to reasonable limitations (Op. Att'y Gen. 2012-022). No statute expressly grants the right; Act 310 of 2021 covers copying public records by photo or video, not meetings. A citizen denied rights under the FOIA may appeal to circuit court under § 25-19-107. Public bodies must also keep their own recording of each public meeting for at least one year.

Can someone make me delete a recording taken in public in Arkansas?

No. You have no legal obligation to delete a recording made in a public place simply because someone asks you to. A court order can require you to surrender recordings. No law gives police authority to order you to delete a recording, although officers may hold a phone they believe contains evidence while they seek a warrant to search it.

Can I livestream in public in Arkansas?

Yes. Livestreaming in public spaces is legal in Arkansas and is protected under the same First Amendment principles that protect recording. You can livestream on social media platforms from any public location where you have a right to be.