Dashboard cameras — North Carolina

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

Windshield placement and visibility

North Carolina has no laws that regulate the use and placement of dash cams. The best practice is to mount them on the dashboard or behind the rear-view mirror to ensure they are effective but do not obstruct the driver's view.

Audio and video recording

North Carolina is a one-party consent state. This means you can record audio as long as one party to the conversation (e.g., the driver or the passenger) consent.

In North Carolina, 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, video recording on private property (e.g., customer sites and delivery locations) without permission may be illegal, especially if footage includes people who are unaware that they are being recorded. Best practice: Dash cams should be deactivated or explicit permission obtained from the property owner or the individuals being recorded prior to video recording on private property.

Employee and driver privacy

Because North Carolina has one-party consent for audio recordings, fleet managers or drivers can record conversations in the vehicle as long one party, such as the driver consents. 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.