Am I allowed to record a conversation in Norway?
Yes — you may record a conversation you take part in, even without saying so. Norway has one-party consent. Under Penal Code §205 it is a crime to secretly record a conversation "that he does not himself take part in" — that is, between others. If you take part, the ban does not apply to you. The penalty for unlawful interception is a fine or up to 2 years prison. Remember it is one thing to be allowed to record; another to share or publish the recording — then the privacy rules (GDPR) apply, and publishing the image of an identifiable person usually needs consent.
📋 The rules
- One-party consent: record your own conversations without saying so
- A crime to record conversations you do not take part in (§205)
- Unlawful interception: fine or up to 2 years prison
- Filming in public is generally allowed
- Sharing or publishing the recording is a separate matter (GDPR)
🔓 Exceptions
- Police may intercept communications with court approval
- The GDPR private-use exemption applies until you spread the material
- Publishing the image of an identifiable person usually needs consent
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Unlawful interception under Penal Code §205: a fine or up to 2 years prison. Sharing or publishing a recording can also breach the privacy rules enforced by the Data Protection Authority, or be defamation.
📎 Official sources
- Penal Code §205 · Lovdata →
- Data Protection Authority · Audio recording →
- Copyright Act §104 · Lovdata →
❓ Frequently asked
Can I record my own phone call?
Yes. You may secretly record a conversation you take part in, without telling the other party.
Must I say I am recording?
No, not as a private person in a conversation you are part of. The ban applies to conversations between others.
Can I secretly record other people's conversations?
No. Secretly recording a conversation you do not take part in is unlawful interception under Penal Code §205.
Can I publish the recording?
Not freely. Sharing the material can breach the privacy rules or be defamation, even if the recording was lawful.
Can I film in a public place?
Yes, generally. But publishing the image of an identifiable person usually needs consent.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “can I record a conversation norway”
- “recording phone call legal norway”
- “must I say I am recording norway”
- “penal code 205 interception”
- “filming in public norway”
- “sharing recording gdpr”