Do you need consent to record a session?

Recording is not on by default. Enabling it is a workspace-level decision, and it can be restricted to specific teams or templates.

When recording is enabled, the customer sees a clear on-screen notice and must accept before capture begins. Declining does not end the session — it proceeds unrecorded, so a refusal never blocks help.

The consent event is stored with the session: what was disclosed, who accepted, and when.

Several US states and many countries require all parties to consent. The explicit prompt plus a stored consent record is designed for exactly those regimes.

You can customise the disclosure text per workspace to match the language your legal team requires.

Recordings are stored under the same encryption, access control, and retention policy as inspection media, and every subsequent view is logged.

Recordings can be deleted on request, independently of the rest of the session record.

For Virtual Inspection Pro, recording is off unless you enable it. When enabled, the customer sees an explicit consent prompt before capture begins, and consent, timestamp, and identity are stored with the session. Build your video recording consent procedure around that workflow, but do not treat the prompt as a complete legal assessment.

Before an appointment, identify the recording purpose, expected participants, participant locations, and whether audio or video may reveal sensitive information. Assign a staff member to explain why recording is requested, who is expected to access it, and what alternative process is available if someone declines. Government agencies should also check applicable records schedules and disclosure obligations with their records officer. For insurers and lenders, keep permission to record separate from any authorization needed to collect claim, financial, or property information.

Recording requirements vary by jurisdiction and circumstances. The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press recording guide summarizes differences among U.S. state laws and warns that violations can carry consequences. A search for “two party consent recording” is only a starting point: the practical issue may be consent from all participants, including people joining from another jurisdiction.

Use an opening script that states the recording purpose and asks who else is present or participating. Establish a procedure for late arrivals, interpreters, tenants, and contractors; do not assume the customer's prompt covers everyone. If locations or consent requirements are uncertain, stop the recording workflow and seek qualified legal or compliance review. Browser camera and microphone permissions are not a substitute for recording consent. Likewise, a stored identity entry does not, by itself, establish that every participant was identified or authorized to consent.

Consider a municipal inspector conducting a remote inspection of a water-heater replacement. The owner agrees to recording, but a tenant enters the room and objects while personal paperwork is visible. The inspector should stop recording activity, clarify who is participating, and ask that unrelated documents be moved out of view. Document the interruption and route any material already captured through the agency's approved handling process rather than making an improvised deletion decision.

If someone declines or withdraws permission, do not pressure them to agree. Follow an approved alternative, such as rescheduling or arranging an in-person visit; an unrecorded remote inspection may be appropriate only if agency policy permits it. ICC remote virtual inspection guidance provides context for planning remote inspections, not blanket approval for every inspection. An in-person visit is appropriate when required observations cannot be made reliably or safely through the remote process.

A stored consent record supports review of the recording decision; it does not establish that every later use of the footage is appropriate. Define access, retention, deletion, and escalation responsibilities before collecting recordings. Where GDPR applies, its purpose limitation, data minimization, storage limitation, and lawful-basis requirements remain relevant. Agreement to record should not be assumed to authorize unrelated analytics, training, or external sharing.

For support call recording compliance, a support leader can use the same operational checklist: confirm the purpose, identify participants, explain the choice, and review exceptions. Have a human assess disputed consent, unexpected sensitive content, or requests to reuse footage for another purpose. Retention decisions should account for applicable policy and preservation obligations. Neither consent metadata nor a recording alone guarantees legal compliance, proves an inspection finding, or ensures admissibility in a proceeding.