Wyoming Video Recording Laws: Privacy Rules and Consent

Wyoming permits silent video recording in public spaces because the wiretapping statute (Wyo. Stat. Ann. Section 7-3-702) targets audio interception, not video. When video captures audio of a private conversation, one-party consent applies. Secretly recording people without their consent in private areas violates the voyeurism statute, Wyo. Stat. Ann. Section 6-4-304, and recording under someone's clothing is a felony even in public.

Wyoming's video recording laws involve a combination of the state's wiretapping statute, criminal privacy laws, and constitutional principles. Pure video recording without audio does not fall under the wiretapping statute at all, since Wyo. Stat. Ann. Section 7-3-702 specifically addresses the interception of communications. However, video recording with audio triggers the one-party consent requirement, and recording in private settings can violate Wyoming's voyeurism statute.

This guide covers every aspect of video recording law in Wyoming, including public vs. private recording, the role of audio in video, criminal privacy protections, recording on private property, drone and surveillance footage, and how video evidence is treated in court.

Video Recording in Public Spaces

The General Rule

Wyoming does not have a statute that broadly prohibits video recording in public spaces. You can generally record video in any location where you have a legal right to be and where there is no reasonable expectation of privacy:

• Public streets, sidewalks, and roadways
• Parks, plazas, and outdoor public areas
• Outside government buildings (inside, agencies may set reasonable recording rules)
• Retail stores and shopping areas (from public vantage points)
• Public transportation
• Public events, rallies, and demonstrations
• National parks and public lands (Wyoming has extensive federal public lands)

One exception applies even in public. Under W.S. 6-4-304(b)(ii), using a camera to view, photograph, record, or livestream another person's intimate areas under their clothing without consent is a felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

Video Recording vs. Audio Recording in Public

When your video camera captures audio of a private conversation, the audio portion is governed by Wyo. Stat. Ann. Section 7-3-702. If you are a participant in that conversation, you have one-party consent.

Recording Public Meetings and Government Proceedings

Wyoming's Public Meetings Act (Wyo. Stat. Ann. Section 16-4-401 et seq.) requires meetings of state and local agencies to be open to the public, such as:

• County commission meetings
• City and town council meetings
• School board meetings
• Public hearings and comment periods

The Act does not cover the state Legislature or the courts (W.S. 16-4-402(a)(ii)), and it does not say whether members of the public may record. Many bodies allow recording, but the Act does not guarantee it, so check the body's rules or ask before you record. The Legislature and the courts set their own recording rules.

Video Recording on Private Property

Property Owner Rights

Private property owners in Wyoming have broad authority to control video recording on their premises. A property owner can prohibit all video recording, allow recording in some areas but not others, require consent or permits before recording, and ask people who violate recording policies to leave.

Tenant Rights

Tenants generally can install video cameras inside their own rental unit, record video in areas they exclusively control, and use a doorbell camera at the entrance to their unit. However, tenants should review lease agreements for restrictions on security cameras or exterior modifications.

Recording in Business Establishments

Businesses open to the public can record video of their customers and visitors in common areas. Security cameras are widespread in retail, banking, and commercial settings. However, a business that secretly views or records customers without their consent in areas where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy, such as restrooms, fitting rooms, or private consultation areas, risks a felony voyeurism charge under Section 6-4-304.

Voyeurism Laws (Wyo. Stat. Ann. Section 6-4-304)

What the Statute Prohibits

Wyoming's voyeurism statute, Wyo. Stat. Ann. Section 6-4-304, addresses visual privacy violations. The statute makes it illegal to:

• Look or view in a clandestine manner, without consent, into an area where someone has a reasonable expectation of privacy (peeping)
• Capture images with a camera while secretly viewing someone, without their consent, in such an area
• Use a camera under someone's clothing to view, photograph, record, or livestream their intimate areas without consent, whether or not they are in a private place

Penalties

In Kobielusz v. State, 2024 WY 10 (No. S-23-0020, Jan. 24, 2024), the Wyoming Supreme Court confirmed that using a camera to capture images satisfies the statute's "looking" element. Hidden-camera offenders cannot avoid the felony tier by arguing the device, not their eye, did the viewing.

Reasonable Expectation of Privacy

The voyeurism statute protects individuals in locations where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy:

• Bathrooms and restrooms
• Locker rooms and changing areas
• Bedrooms and private living areas
• Hotel rooms
• Medical examination rooms
• Tanning beds and enclosed private spaces
• Any area where a person would reasonably expect not to be observed

Nonconsensual Intimate Images

Current Protections

Wyoming's main law against sharing intimate images without consent is Wyo. Stat. Ann. Section 6-4-306. An adult who shares an intimate image of another person commits a misdemeanor, punishable by up to 1 year in jail and a $5,000 fine, when they knew or should have known the person expected the image to stay private, the person did not expressly consent, and the sharer intended to humiliate, harm, harass, threaten, or coerce, or acted for sexual gratification. The law covers computer-generated images that purport to show an identifiable person.

Other laws can also apply:

• The voyeurism statute (Wyo. Stat. Ann. Section 6-4-304) if the images were captured by secretly viewing the person, which is itself a crime
• Harassment statutes if part of a pattern of harassment
• Stalking statutes if part of ongoing threatening conduct
• Child pornography statutes if victims are minors
• New Wyo. Stat. Ann. Section 6-4-307 (synthetic NCII), created by House Bill 0102 / Enrolled Act 32 (2026 Budget Session), signed by Governor Gordon and effective July 1, 2026. It makes it a felony to knowingly distribute AI-generated or digitally altered sexual material that realistically depicts an identifiable person without their consent, when the distributor knows it was made without consent and under circumstances in which the person had a reasonable expectation of privacy, and the distribution causes or is meant to cause harm. It also covers knowingly promoting such material online and threatening to distribute it to obtain a benefit. A first offense carries up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine, a repeat offense up to 12 years. Creating such material without sharing it is not covered by 6-4-307.
• AI-generated child sexual abuse material. The same act amended Wyo. Stat. Ann. Section 6-4-303 so that using an AI system to create child pornography is a felony punishable by 5 to 12 years, and knowingly possessing AI-generated child pornography is a felony punishable by up to 10 years. A new Section 6-4-308 separately makes it a felony, punishable by up to 10 years, to develop or distribute an AI system specifically designed to create such material.
• The federal TAKE IT DOWN Act (Pub. L. 119-12), signed May 19, 2025, with platform takedown obligations effective May 19, 2026.

Civil Remedies

A victim whose intimate images were taken by secretly intruding on their privacy can sue for intrusion upon seclusion, which the Wyoming Supreme Court recognized in Howard v. Aspen Way Enterprises (2017), and may also bring claims such as intentional infliction of emotional distress. Wyoming courts have not recognized a separate privacy claim based only on sharing an image, and Wyoming's criminal image statutes do not create a right to sue.

Federal law (15 U.S.C. 6851) lets a person sue over the nonconsensual disclosure of intimate images.

Drone Video Recording in Wyoming

FAA Regulations

Wyoming has no comprehensive drone statute, but drone operators must comply with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rules:

• Registration for drones weighing more than 0.55 pounds
• Remote pilot certification for commercial operations
• Compliance with airspace restrictions and altitude limits
• Visual line-of-sight operation requirements
• Additional restrictions near airports and military installations

Privacy Implications

Wyoming has no drone-specific privacy law, but existing statutes apply:

• Under W.S. 10-4-303, flying a drone so low over someone else's land that it interferes with their use of it, or in a way that is imminently dangerous, is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 6 months in jail and a $750 fine, and landing on another's land without consent is unlawful

• W.S. 19-13-503 bars flying a drone over or near critical infrastructure to intentionally photograph it or loiter

• Using a drone to capture video of someone in a private location could violate the voyeurism statute

• Drone-captured audio of private conversations could violate the wiretapping statute

• Persistent drone surveillance could support stalking or harassment charges

Wyoming-Specific Drone Considerations

Wyoming's vast open spaces and public lands create unique drone opportunities. Drone video recording over public land, including Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and U.S. Forest Service lands, is generally permitted subject to FAA regulations and any area-specific restrictions. National Park Service properties (Yellowstone and Grand Teton) have specific drone policies that typically prohibit drone use.

Video Surveillance Systems

Home Security Cameras

Wyoming residents can install home security cameras on their own property. Best practices include pointing cameras at your own property, avoiding cameras that extensively capture a neighbor's private areas, and ensuring audio features comply with consent rules.

Doorbell Cameras

Doorbell cameras are legal in Wyoming. Because they record a public-facing area of your property, recordings are generally lawful. Audio recording features should be considered in light of the wiretapping statute.

Workplace Video Surveillance

Employers in Wyoming can use video surveillance in common work areas. Appropriate locations include sales floors, warehouses, lobbies, parking lots, and building exteriors. Secretly capturing images of employees in bathrooms, locker rooms, or changing areas without consent can be felony voyeurism under Section 6-4-304.

Video Evidence in Wyoming Courts

Admissibility Standards

Video recordings are generally admissible as evidence in Wyoming courts if they meet standard evidentiary requirements:

• Authentication: The proponent must demonstrate the video is what it claims to be
• Accuracy: The video must fairly and accurately depict the scene or events
• Relevance: The video must relate to a disputed issue
• Integrity: The video must not have been altered or tampered with

Common Uses of Video Evidence

Video evidence is commonly used in Wyoming courts for criminal prosecutions, personal injury cases, workers' compensation claims, domestic relations cases, insurance fraud investigations, and property disputes.

Authenticity Challenges

Opposing parties may challenge video evidence on grounds that the video has been edited, the quality is too poor for identification, the timestamp or metadata has been altered, the chain of custody is incomplete, or the prejudicial impact outweighs probative value.

Consent Forms for Video Recording

If you are recording someone's likeness for commercial, educational, or publication purposes, obtain written consent through a photo or video consent form. Consent forms should address the scope and purpose of the recording, how footage will be used, the duration of consent, revocation rights, compensation, and rights to the material.

More Wyoming Recording Laws

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is it legal to video record someone in public in Wyoming?

Yes. Wyoming has no general prohibition on video recording in public spaces. You can record video on public streets, in parks, at public events, and in other public areas. If your video captures audio of private conversations, the one-party consent rule under Wyo. Stat. Ann. Section 7-3-702 applies to the audio. One exception applies even in public: recording under someone's clothing without consent is a felony under Wyo. Stat. Ann. Section 6-4-304(b)(ii).

What is voyeurism under Wyoming law?

Under Wyo. Stat. Ann. Section 6-4-304, voyeurism is looking, without consent and in a clandestine or secretive way, into an area where someone has a reasonable expectation of privacy. Simple peeping is a misdemeanor (up to 6 months jail and a $750 fine). Capturing an image while doing so, or using a camera under someone's clothing without consent even in public, is a felony (up to 5 years prison, $5,000 fine). A repeat adult offender commits a felony even for viewing alone, and an adult whose victim is under 18 faces up to 10 years.

Can I install security cameras on my property in Wyoming?

Yes. You can install security cameras on your own property. Point cameras at your own property and entrances. If cameras record audio, turn the audio off unless you are part of the conversations it captures or a participant consents; a posted notice is not consent. Avoid capturing excessive footage of neighbors' private areas.

Can I fly a drone and record video in Wyoming?

Yes, subject to FAA regulations. Register your drone, follow airspace rules, and comply with altitude restrictions. You cannot use a drone to record someone in a private setting, as this could violate the voyeurism statute. National parks have separate drone restrictions.

Can video recordings be used as evidence in Wyoming court?

Yes. Video recordings are admissible in Wyoming courts if authenticated, accurate, relevant, and unaltered. Both security camera footage and personal video recordings are commonly admitted in criminal and civil cases.