Wyoming

Wyoming Voyeurism Laws: Hidden Cameras and Privacy Violations

By Recording Law Editorial TeamPublished March 23, 2026Reviewed May 15, 20269 min read

Wyoming prohibits voyeurism and hidden-camera recording under Wyo. Stat. Ann. Section 6-4-304. Viewing someone without consent in a private area is a misdemeanor carrying up to 6 months in jail, while capturing images is a felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison.

Wyoming has specific criminal statutes addressing voyeurism, hidden cameras, and visual privacy violations. The primary statute is Wyo. Stat. Ann. Section 6-4-304, which criminalizes viewing or recording individuals in locations where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy. This law exists alongside the state's wiretapping statute to provide comprehensive protection against both audio and visual privacy violations.

This guide covers every aspect of voyeurism and hidden camera law in Wyoming, including what conduct is criminalized, penalties, hidden camera detection, nonconsensual intimate images, victim remedies, and related federal protections.

Voyeurism Under Wyoming Law (Wyo. Stat. Ann. Section 6-4-304)

What the Statute Prohibits

Wyo. Stat. Ann. Section 6-4-304 addresses two related but distinct offenses:

Voyeurism (peeping). Looking or viewing in a clandestine, surreptitious, prying, or secretive manner into an area where a person has a reasonable expectation of privacy.
Voyeurism with image capture. Photographing, recording, filming, or otherwise capturing images during voyeuristic activity without the knowledge or consent of the person being viewed.

The distinction between viewing and capturing images carries different penalty levels, reflecting the greater harm caused by creating a permanent record.

Key Elements

To convict under the statute, the prosecution must prove:

The defendant acted in a clandestine, surreptitious, prying, or secretive manner
The viewing or recording occurred in an area where the victim had a reasonable expectation of privacy
The conduct was without the knowledge and consent of the person being viewed or recorded

Protected Locations

Location	Protected?	Notes
Bathrooms and restrooms	Yes	Always protected, including public restrooms
Locker rooms	Yes	Gym, pool, school, workplace
Changing rooms and fitting rooms	Yes	Retail, gym, spa
Bedrooms	Yes	Homes, hotels, dormitories
Hotel rooms	Yes	Full privacy expectation
Medical examination rooms	Yes	During care
Tanning beds and booths	Yes	Enclosed private spaces
Private showers	Yes	Any setting
Dormitory rooms	Yes	Student living quarters

Penalties

Wyoming vintage brass desk bell on a dark green leather desk mat

Wyoming's Three-Tier Voyeurism Penalty Structure

Wyo. Stat. Ann. Section 6-4-304 creates three distinct penalty tiers:

Offense	Classification	Penalty
Looking only (eye-only peeping, no device)	Misdemeanor	Up to 6 months in jail, up to $750 fine, or both
Using a camera, recording device, or livestreaming under Section 6-4-304(b)(i)	Felony	Up to 5 years in prison, up to $5,000 fine, or both
Adult offender, minor victim (any means)	Felony	Up to 10 years in prison, up to $5,000 fine, or both

The escalated tiers reflect the legislature's recognition that photographs, recordings, and live transmissions create permanent or broadcast records that cause greater harm than viewing alone, and that offenses against minors warrant the most serious response.

The Kobielusz Decision: A Camera Counts as "Looking"

In Kobielusz v. State, 2024 WY 10 (No. S-23-0020, Jan. 24, 2024), the Wyoming Supreme Court held that using a recording device to capture images of someone in a place with a reasonable expectation of privacy satisfies the statute's "looking" element. A defendant cannot escape the felony image-capture tier by arguing the device, not their eye, did the viewing. Kobielusz closed an interpretive gap that could otherwise have shielded modern hidden-camera offenders.

Additional Consequences

A conviction can result in sex offender registration requirements (depending on circumstances and victim's age), loss of employment, immigration consequences, loss of professional licenses, difficulty finding housing, and social stigma.

Types of Hidden Camera Violations

Wyoming a hand reaching toward a wall-mounted intercom speaker panel, a blurred apartment lobby behind

Bathroom and Restroom Cameras

Installing hidden cameras in bathrooms is one of the most common violations. Devices used include cameras concealed in household items (clocks, smoke detectors, outlets), pinhole cameras in walls or vents, modified electronics (chargers, speakers) with embedded cameras, and cameras in rental property bathrooms.

Locker Room and Changing Area Cameras

Hidden cameras in gyms, pools, schools, and retail fitting rooms are prohibited. Facility operators have a duty to ensure these spaces are free from recording devices.

Bedroom Cameras

Hidden cameras in bedrooms violate the statute when placed without consent. This includes cameras by partners or spouses, cameras in guest bedrooms, cameras in rental properties and vacation homes, and cameras installed by landlords.

Upskirting and Downblousing

Using a device to view or capture images under or through someone's clothing is prohibited regardless of setting. The person has a reasonable expectation that areas covered by clothing are private.

Nonconsensual Intimate Images

Wyoming digital voice recorder with open legal notepad on wooden desk

Current Wyoming Protections

Wyoming addresses nonconsensual distribution of intimate images through its general criminal statutes. Distribution can potentially be prosecuted under voyeurism statutes (if images obtained through voyeurism), harassment statutes (if part of a pattern), stalking statutes (if part of ongoing threatening behavior), and child pornography statutes (if images involve minors).

Civil Remedies for Victims

Victims of nonconsensual image distribution may pursue:

Invasion of privacy tort claims
Intentional infliction of emotional distress
Injunctive relief to remove images
Actual damages including therapy costs and lost wages
Punitive damages for malicious conduct

Hidden Camera Detection

Signs of Hidden Cameras

Be alert in rental properties (Airbnb, vacation homes, hotels), new living situations, workplaces, gyms and spas, and unfamiliar restrooms. Watch for small holes in walls or objects, unusual items in private areas, indicator lights (small LEDs), objects that look different from others, and unexplained wires or cables.

Detection Methods

Visual inspection. Examine rooms carefully for unusual objects.
Darkness test. Turn off lights; camera LEDs may be visible.
Phone camera test. Some infrared cameras appear as bright spots through phone cameras.
RF detector. Detects wireless cameras transmitting signals.
Professional sweep. Security professionals can do comprehensive electronic sweeps.

What to Do If You Find a Hidden Camera

Do not touch the camera. It is evidence.
Document its location with photographs.
Leave the area if you feel unsafe.
Call law enforcement immediately.
Contact a lawyer for civil remedies.
Notify property management if in a rental or commercial space.

Victim Remedies and Protections

Criminal Reporting

Report to local police or county sheriff immediately. Preserve all evidence including screenshots, URLs, and messages. Leave hidden cameras in place for police. Document the discovery with photos and notes.

Protective Orders

Wyoming courts can issue orders requiring offenders to stay away from the victim, remove images from platforms, refrain from further contact, and surrender devices used to create or distribute images.

Federal Remedies

18 U.S.C. 1801 (Video Voyeurism Prevention Act) applies on federal property
Child pornography statutes apply when victims are minors
The Cyber Civil Rights Initiative provides resources for victims

Digital and Technology Issues

Deepfakes and AI-Generated Images: Wyoming's New Synthetic NCII Statute

Wyoming's 2026 Budget Session enacted House Bill 0102 / Enrolled Act 32, signed by Governor Mark Gordon, with an effective date of July 1, 2026. The act creates a new criminal regime for AI-generated content:

Wyo. Stat. Ann. Section 6-4-307 (synthetic NCII). Creating or distributing AI-generated intimate images depicting an identifiable person without consent is a felony, with first-offense penalties of up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine, escalating to 12 years and a $10,000 fine for repeat offenses.
Wyo. Stat. Ann. Section 6-4-308 (AI child sexual abuse material). Creates a parallel felony for AI-generated CSAM.
Wyo. Stat. Ann. Section 6-1-206. Establishes that the use of artificial intelligence is never a defense to criminal liability.
Wyo. Stat. Ann. Section 1-1-143. Provides limited civil immunity for AI developers whose tools are misused by third parties.

Federal law also reaches synthetic NCII through the TAKE IT DOWN Act (Pub. L. 119-12), signed May 19, 2025, with platform takedown obligations effective May 19, 2026. Wyoming's new statute provides a state-level criminal hook in addition to the federal civil remedy framework.

For images obtained or distributed before July 1, 2026, victims rely on existing voyeurism, harassment, stalking, and invasion-of-privacy theories.

Cloud Storage and Jurisdiction

Images stored in cloud services may be on servers in other states or countries, but Wyoming courts can exercise jurisdiction when the victim, recording location, defendant, or distribution target is in Wyoming.

Platform Responsibilities

Major social media platforms prohibit nonconsensual intimate images. Victims can report content through platform-specific reporting tools.

Wyoming-Specific Considerations

Tourism and Vacation Rentals

Wyoming's thriving tourism industry (Yellowstone, Grand Teton, ski resorts) means significant vacation rental activity. Guests should be particularly vigilant about hidden cameras in vacation properties. Property owners and managers who install hidden cameras in guest areas face felony prosecution under the voyeurism statute.

Remote and Rural Settings

Wyoming's rural character means some voyeurism incidents occur in isolated settings where detection is more difficult. The legal framework applies equally regardless of location, and law enforcement agencies across Wyoming investigate these offenses.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is voyeurism under Wyoming law?

Under Wyo. Stat. Ann. Section 6-4-304, voyeurism is looking in a clandestine or secretive manner into an area where someone has a reasonable expectation of privacy. Viewing only is a misdemeanor (up to 6 months jail, $750 fine). Capturing images is a felony (up to 5 years prison, $5,000 fine).

What are the penalties for hidden cameras in Wyoming?

Installing hidden cameras to view or record someone in a private area is a felony under the voyeurism statute. Penalties include up to 5 years in prison and a $5,000 fine. Additional consequences can include sex offender registration and civil liability for damages.

Is revenge porn illegal in Wyoming?

Wyoming does not have a standalone revenge porn statute, but nonconsensual distribution of intimate images can be prosecuted under voyeurism, harassment, and stalking laws. Victims also have civil remedies including invasion of privacy claims, emotional distress damages, and injunctive relief.

What should I do if I find a hidden camera in Wyoming?

Do not touch the camera. Document its location with photos. Leave if you feel unsafe. Call law enforcement immediately. The camera is evidence. You may also have civil remedies against the person who placed it, including damages for invasion of privacy.

Can I sue someone for [recording me without consent](/us-laws/is-it-illegal-to-record-someone) in a private area in Wyoming?

Yes. In addition to criminal penalties, victims can file civil lawsuits for invasion of privacy, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and related claims. Remedies include actual damages, punitive damages, attorney fees, and court orders to remove and prevent further distribution of images.

Sources and References

Wyo. Stat. Ann. Section 6-4-304 - Voyeurism(wyoleg.gov).gov
Kobielusz v. State, 2024 WY 10 (Wyo. Jan. 24, 2024)(wyomingcaselaw.com)
HB 0102 / Enrolled Act 32 (2026 Budget Session) - synthetic NCII, AI CSAM, Sections 6-4-307, 6-4-308, 6-1-206, 1-1-143(wyoleg.gov).gov
TAKE IT DOWN Act, Pub. L. 119-12 (May 19, 2025)(congress.gov).gov
Wyo. Stat. Ann. Section 7-3-702 - Interception of Communications(law.justia.com)
18 U.S.C. 1801 - Video Voyeurism Prevention Act(law.cornell.edu)
DOJ - Citizens Guide to Federal Law on Child Exploitation(justice.gov).gov

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Wyoming Voyeurism Laws: Hidden Cameras and Privacy Violations

By Recording Law Editorial TeamPublished March 23, 2026Reviewed May 15, 20269 min read