Dashboard cameras — Maine

Dash cams are legal in Maine, but the following rules should be considered:  

Windshield placement and visibility

In Maine, a person may not operate a vehicle with:

• A sign, poster, opaque or semitransparent material or substance on the front windshield, side wing or side or rear window that obstructs the operator’s clear view of the way or an intersecting way.
• An object (e.g., dash cam) placed or hung in or on the vehicle, other than the required or provided equipment of the vehicle, in a manner that obstructs or interferes with the view of the operator through the windshield or prevents the operator from having a clear and full view of the road and conditions of traffic.

This means it is not advisable to mount dash cams on the windshield and when mounted on the dashboard or behind the rear-view mirror, they must not obstruct or interfere with the operator's full view.

Audio and video recording

Maine is an all-party consent state. This means you can record audio as long as all parties to the conversation (e.g., the driver and all passengers) consent.

In Maine, it is generally legal to record videos in public and in semi-public places like a truck cab, where there is little or no expectation of privacy.

However, a person may not place a camera or electronic surveillance equipment that records images or data of any kind while unattended outside on the private property of another without the written consent of the landowner or the landowner's representative. An exception to this rule exists for a motor vehicle temporarily parked on private property may use a camera to deter theft or vandalism.

Because driving a vehicle with a video recorder onto private property (e.g., customer sites and delivery locations) would not make the camera “placed” or “unattended” under the above rule, it may not be considered illegal. But it is still a good practice to deactivate dash cams or obtain permission to record prior to entry onto private property.

Employee and driver privacy

Because Maine is an all-party consent state for audio recordings, fleet managers or drivers can record conversations in the vehicle if all parties to the conversation consent. The best practice, however, is to both post a sign in the cab and inform all passengers verbally (whether customers, contractors, or employees) of audio or video recording for purposes of trust, transparency, and to avoid privacy disputes.