Maine Surveillance Camera Laws (2026 Guide)

Overview of Maine Surveillance Camera Laws

Maine does not have a single statute that governs all surveillance camera use. Instead, the state addresses surveillance through several overlapping laws that cover voyeurism, wiretapping, property rights, workplace monitoring, and facial recognition technology.

The primary statutes that affect surveillance camera use in Maine include 17-A MRSA Section 511 (violation of privacy), 15 MRSA Sections 709 through 710 (interception of wire and oral communications), Title 33 Section 2001 (placement of cameras on private property), and Title 25 Section 6001 (facial surveillance).

Together, these laws create a framework that permits most residential and commercial security camera use while protecting individuals from being recorded in spaces where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy.

Home Security Camera Laws in Maine

Maine law generally allows homeowners to install and operate security cameras on their own property. There is no state statute that prohibits you from placing cameras on the exterior of your home, including doorbell cameras, driveway cameras, and backyard-facing cameras.

What You Can Record

You may legally record video of areas visible from your own property, including your front porch, driveway, yard, and other exterior spaces. Maine law does not treat the outside of your home or your backyard as places where others have a reasonable expectation of privacy.

Doorbell cameras such as Ring and Nest devices are legal in Maine when they are pointed at your own entryway or public-facing areas. These devices are treated the same as any other exterior security camera under Maine law.

What You Cannot Record

Under 17-A MRSA Section 511, it is illegal to install or use any device for observing, photographing, recording, amplifying, or broadcasting events or sounds in a "private place" without the consent of the people being recorded.

Maine defines a "private place" as a location "where one may reasonably expect to be safe from surveillance, including, but not limited to, changing or dressing rooms, bathrooms and similar places." This means you cannot point a security camera into a bedroom, bathroom, or other area where someone has a reasonable expectation of privacy, even within your own home if guests or household members use that space.

Audio Recording on Home Cameras

If your home security camera records audio, you must comply with Maine's wiretapping laws under 15 MRSA Chapter 102. Maine is a one-party consent state, so you may record conversations you are participating in. However, you generally cannot use a camera to capture conversations between other people on your property without the consent of at least one participant.

Audio Recording and One-Party Consent

Maine follows a one-party consent rule for recording conversations. Under 15 MRSA Section 709, the definition of "intercept" excludes recordings made by the sender or receiver of a communication, or by someone given prior authority by the sender or receiver.

What One-Party Consent Means

If you are a participant in a conversation, you may legally record it without telling the other person. This applies to both in-person conversations and telephone calls. You do not need to notify the other party or obtain their permission.

However, if you are not a party to the conversation, you cannot record it. Using a device to capture conversations between other people without the consent of at least one participant is a criminal offense under 15 MRSA Section 710.

Criminal Penalties for Illegal Audio Recording

Unauthorized interception of wire or oral communications is a Class C crime in Maine. Under 17-A MRSA Section 1604, a Class C crime carries a maximum of 5 years in prison. Under 17-A MRSA Section 1704, the maximum fine is $5,000.

Additional offenses under 15 MRSA Section 710 include:

Offense	Classification
Unauthorized interception of communications	Class C crime (up to 5 years, $5,000 fine)
Disclosing or using intercepted communications	Class C crime (up to 5 years, $5,000 fine)
Possessing interception devices without authorization	Class C crime (up to 5 years, $5,000 fine)
Selling or furnishing interception devices	Class B crime (up to 10 years, $20,000 fine)
Editing recordings and presenting them in court	Class C crime (up to 5 years, $5,000 fine)

Civil Remedies for Illegal Recording

Under 15 MRSA Section 711, anyone whose conversation is illegally intercepted, disclosed, or used may bring a civil lawsuit. Victims can recover actual damages, with a minimum of $100 per day for each day of violation, plus reasonable attorney fees and litigation costs.

Special Rule for Private Places

Maine's privacy statute adds an extra layer of protection for audio in private places. Under 17-A MRSA Section 511(1)(C), it is illegal to use any device outside a private place to capture sounds originating inside that would not ordinarily be audible from outside, without the consent of the people entitled to privacy in that space.

Hidden Cameras and Voyeurism: 17-A MRSA 511

Maine's primary statute addressing hidden cameras and voyeurism is 17-A MRSA Section 511, titled "Violation of Privacy." This law criminalizes several forms of unauthorized surveillance.

Prohibited Conduct

A person commits violation of privacy in Maine by intentionally, and without legal authorization:

Trespassing to observe or overhear (Section 511(1)(A)): Committing a civil trespass on property with the intent to overhear or observe any person in a private place.

Recording in private places (Section 511(1)(B)): Installing or using any device in a private place to observe, photograph, record, amplify, or broadcast sounds or events in that place without the consent of the person or people being recorded.

Using remote devices to capture private sounds or images (Section 511(1)(C)): Installing or using equipment outside a private place, without the consent of the people entitled to privacy, to capture images or sounds originating inside that would not normally be perceptible from outside. This subsection was amended in 2023 to expand its scope.

Upskirting and similar violations (Section 511(1)(D)): Using mechanical or electronic equipment in public places to photograph, observe, or record any portion of a person's body that is concealed from public view under clothing, when a reasonable person would expect to be safe from such surveillance. This provision was also amended in 2023.

Enhanced Penalties for Crimes Involving Minors

The 2023 amendments to Section 511 added two additional provisions targeting surveillance crimes against children:

Section 511(1)(E): Committing any of the above violations when the victim has not attained 16 years of age.

Section 511(1)(F): Committing any of the above violations for the purpose of arousing or gratifying sexual desire when the victim is under 16.

A conviction under Section 511(1)(D) for upskirting can trigger mandatory sex offender registration under Maine's SORNA law, classifying the offender as a Tier 1 sex offender.

Defense

Under Section 511(1-A), it is a defense to a prosecution under subsection 1(D) that the person subject to surveillance had attained 14 years of age and had consented to the visual surveillance.

Unauthorized Dissemination of Private Images: 17-A MRSA 511-A

Maine also criminalizes the sharing of intimate images without consent under 17-A MRSA Section 511-A. This statute, sometimes called Maine's "revenge porn" law, is relevant to surveillance camera footage.

What the Law Prohibits

A person violates Section 511-A by intentionally or knowingly disseminating an image of another person in a state of nudity or engaged in a sexual act or sexual contact, with the intent to harass, torment, or threaten. The law also covers artificially created or modified images that appear to show such content.

The depicted person must be identifiable from the image or from information provided with it, and must not have consented to the dissemination.

Exceptions

Section 511-A does not apply to images shared for medical treatment, voluntary exposure in public or commercial settings, or content hosted by interactive computer services under federal law (47 USC Section 230).

Penalty

Violation of Section 511-A is a Class D crime, carrying up to 364 days in jail and a fine of up to $2,000.

Workplace Surveillance Laws in Maine

Maine has enacted one of the most comprehensive workplace surveillance laws in the United States. LD 61, titled "An Act to Regulate Employer Surveillance to Protect Workers," was signed into law in 2025 and takes effect in the summer of 2026.

What the Law Covers

LD 61 defines "surveillance" broadly as monitoring an employee through an electronic device or system, including computers, telephones, wire or radio systems, electromagnetic or optical systems, and similar technologies. This includes employee productivity tracking tools, remote attendance applications, and mobile device tracking.

Key Restrictions on Employers

Under LD 61, employers in Maine face the following restrictions:

No audiovisual monitoring in personal spaces: Employers cannot use audiovisual monitoring in an employee's residence, personal vehicle, or on the employee's property unless it is specifically required for the duties of the job.

No forced installation on personal devices: Employees may decline any request to install data collection or surveillance applications on their personal electronic devices.

Employer Notification Requirements

Employers who use electronic surveillance must:

• Inform prospective employees during the interview process that surveillance is used
• Provide written notice to all current employees at least once per calendar year

Unlike some other states, Maine does not require a workplace poster or employee acknowledgment of the notice.

Exceptions

LD 61 does not apply to surveillance cameras used for security or safety purposes, or to GPS tracking and safety devices installed on employer-owned vehicles.

Penalties for Employers

The Maine Department of Labor enforces LD 61 and can impose civil penalties ranging from $100 to $500 per violation. There is no private right of action for employees under this law.

Neighbor Security Camera Disputes

Disputes over security cameras between neighbors are common in Maine. The law draws a clear line between recording public-facing areas and invading someone's privacy.

What Your Neighbor Can Legally Record

Your neighbor may legally point security cameras outward from their own property. Maine law does not protect backyards, driveways, or the exterior of your home as private spaces. If an area is visible from your neighbor's property or from public view, it can generally be recorded by video.

What Your Neighbor Cannot Record

Your neighbor cannot:

• Point cameras through your windows to record activities inside your home where you have a reasonable expectation of privacy
• Use audio recording devices to capture conversations from your property that would not ordinarily be audible from outside, without your consent
• Place cameras on your property without your written consent under Title 33 Section 2001

Harassment Through Surveillance

If a neighbor installs cameras specifically to intimidate or harass you, you may have legal options beyond the surveillance statutes. Maine recognizes private nuisance claims when a neighbor's actions unreasonably interfere with your use and enjoyment of your property. A pattern of camera placement designed to create discomfort rather than serve a legitimate security purpose could support such a claim.

Cameras on Private Property: Title 33 Section 2001

Maine has a specific statute addressing the placement of surveillance equipment on other people's property. Title 33 Section 2001, originally enacted in 2013 and amended in 2025, establishes clear rules.

Prohibition

No person may place a camera or electronic surveillance equipment on another person's private property without the written consent of the landowner, unless the placement is authorized by a warrant.

Labeling Requirement

When surveillance equipment is lawfully placed with consent or by warrant, the person who installs it must label the device with their name and contact information.

Property Owner Rights

If a landowner discovers an unauthorized camera on their property, they may:

• Remove or disable the equipment
• If the camera is abandoned and the owner is unknown, take ownership of the device
• Remove, destroy, sell, or possess abandoned surveillance equipment

Exceptions

Title 33 Section 2001 permits:

• Using cameras to prevent vehicle theft or vandalism while a vehicle is temporarily parked
• Using electronic devices to identify and track animals through implantation or attachment

Penalty

Violations of this statute are civil infractions carrying fines of up to $500.

Nanny Cams and In-Home Recording

Maine law allows parents and homeowners to use nanny cams (hidden cameras) in their homes, but with important restrictions.

Video-Only Nanny Cams

You may legally place video-only cameras in common areas of your home, such as living rooms, kitchens, and hallways. These are areas where a caregiver does not have a reasonable expectation of privacy.

You cannot place cameras in areas where your nanny or babysitter has a reasonable expectation of privacy. This includes:

• Bathrooms
• A live-in caregiver's bedroom
• Changing areas

Nanny Cams with Audio

If your nanny cam records audio, Maine's one-party consent law applies. Since you will not be present for the conversations being recorded, you are not a party to those conversations. Recording audio of conversations between your babysitter and your children, or between your babysitter and another person, without the consent of at least one participant could violate 15 MRSA Section 710.

The safest approach is to either disable audio recording on nanny cams or inform your caregiver that audio and video recording is in use in common areas of the home.

Best Practices for Nanny Cam Use

• Place cameras only in common living areas
• Avoid recording in bathrooms, bedrooms, or changing areas
• Disable audio recording or inform the caregiver about it
• Consider providing written notice of camera placement as part of your employment agreement

Facial Surveillance Restrictions: Title 25 Section 6001

Maine enacted Title 25 Section 6001 to regulate the use of facial recognition technology by government entities. This law is among the strictest in the nation.

What the Law Restricts

Government departments and public employees generally cannot obtain, retain, possess, access, request, or use a facial surveillance system. This ban extends to agreements with third parties to use facial surveillance on the government's behalf.

Definition of Facial Surveillance

The statute defines facial surveillance as "an automated or semi-automated process that assists in identifying or verifying an individual, or in capturing information about an individual, based on the physical characteristics of an individual's face."

Limited Exceptions

Facial surveillance may be used in narrow circumstances:

• Investigating serious crimes (felonies or specific Class D/E offenses) when there is probable cause
• Identifying deceased or missing persons
• Bureau of Motor Vehicles fraud prevention duties

Enforcement

Data collected through facial surveillance in violation of Section 6001 must be deleted upon discovery and is inadmissible as evidence. Individuals harmed by violations may seek injunctive or declaratory relief, and government employees who violate the law face disciplinary action, including suspension or termination.

Facial surveillance data alone cannot establish probable cause for an arrest or search warrant.

Penalties for Violating Maine Surveillance Laws

Maine imposes a range of penalties depending on the type of surveillance violation.

Criminal Penalties

Violation	Statute	Classification	Maximum Jail Time	Maximum Fine
Violation of privacy (voyeurism, hidden cameras)	17-A MRSA Section 511	Class D crime	364 days	$2,000
Unauthorized dissemination of private images	17-A MRSA Section 511-A	Class D crime	364 days	$2,000
Illegal wiretapping or interception	15 MRSA Section 710	Class C crime	5 years	$5,000
Selling interception devices	15 MRSA Section 710	Class B crime	10 years	$20,000

Civil Penalties

Violation	Statute	Penalty
Illegal interception of communications	15 MRSA Section 711	$100 per day minimum + attorney fees
Placing cameras on another's property	Title 33 Section 2001	Up to $500 per violation
Employer surveillance violations (LD 61)	LD 61	$100 to $500 per violation
Telecom carrier failure to report	15 MRSA Section 710	Up to $5,000

Sex Offender Registration

A conviction for upskirting or similar public-place surveillance under 17-A MRSA Section 511(1)(D) can require mandatory registration as a Tier 1 sex offender for 10 years under Maine's sex offender registry laws.

Convictions involving victims under 16 years of age under Sections 511(1)(E) or 511(1)(F) carry enhanced penalties and may also trigger sex offender registration requirements.

More Maine Laws

• Maine Recording Laws
• Maine Lemon Law
• Maine Hit and Run Laws
• Maine Dog Bite Laws
• Maine Car Seat Laws
• Maine Whistleblower Laws
• Maine Statute of Limitations
• Maine Sexting Laws