Dash cams have become popular because their footage can be critical to settling disputes and proving right or wrong. Having footage of exactly what went down while you were driving leaves little room for argument, and can be used as evidence for accidents, traffic stops, and other road encounters.

Some of the best dash cams record the interior and exterior footage as well as audio conversations to keep you covered in a sticky situation.

Where Dash Cams Are Legal

The short answer is yes, but it’s not that simple, and there are other factors to consider when using a dash cam. Dash cams are legal in all 50 states, so you can use one wherever you live and even travel the country, provided you comply with state regulations.

What The Regulations Say

Regulations vary from state to state, although most are concerned with the dash cam’s fitment, privacy laws, and entering or leaving restricted areas.

Fitment

Many states have regulations for where to fit dash cams because they may cause accidents if they obstruct the driver.

Some states like New York and Nevada are more relaxed and allow motorists to attach a dash cam to their windshield as long as it doesn’t block the driver’s line of sight. Others, like Arizona and California, are stricter, and dash cams must meet specific size regulations to fit on the windows. Places like Michigan and Mississippi allow dash cams as long as they’re mounted on the dash and not the windows.

Privacy laws

Privacy laws refer to electronic surveillance and are something to consider if your dash cam records audio from inside the vehicle. These laws generally apply to any engers you have in the car and their consent to being recorded.

Again, the regulations vary, and states like Washington and Nevada require all vehicle parties to consent to be recorded. Most other states, like New York and Colorado, only need the enger to agree.

Most of these privacy laws relate to recording conversations, and you can quickly turn off the function if you have any doubts when you’re carrying engers.

Restricted Areas

Dash cams are generally acceptable in most public places but aren’t allowed in certain restricted areas. Places like emergency services areas, border crossings, and military installations have rules against recording for security reasons, and it can be a criminal offense to film there without permission.

How To Decide

Now that you know that dash cams are legal, it’s worth best dash cams to see which one suits you best.