Recording consent
Recording a call in Pennsylvania
Whether you can legally record a debt collector's call in Pennsylvania, and the safer way to document one. Last reviewed August 7, 2026.
Can you record a phone call in Pennsylvania?
No — not unless everyone on the call agrees.
All parties must consent before a conversation is recorded.
18 Pa. Cons. Stat. §§ 5703–5704
This is the exception, not the norm. Federal law (18 U.S.C. § 2511(2)(d)) and most states allow recording when one party consents — and since you're on the call, that party is you. Pennsylvania is one of the states that asks for more.
A collector calling you is usually in another state
Which makes it worse, not better. If either end of the call sits in a state that requires everyone's consent, assume the stricter rule governs — and since you're in Pennsylvania, that's your end.
Document the call without recording it
Logging a call — who rang, when, and what was said — is lawful in every state and is what actually builds a case. An off-hours call violates 15 U.S.C. § 1692c(a)(1) because of when it happened, and a log captures that perfectly.
A voicemail is different again: the caller chose to leave it, so there's no consent question. Keep those — they preserve what was said, which a log can't.
Start logging callsStop the calls
Or let us send the cease & desist for you.
Once the collector receives written notice to stop contacting you, § 1692c(c) requires them to stop. We draft it against your file, print it, and send it certified with tracking — so you have proof of the date they received it.
- Drafted from your logged contacts
- Printed and mailed certified, with tracking
- Delivery date filed to your evidence vault
- You approve the wording before it goes
One-time, no subscription. Logging calls is free — you only pay when a letter goes out.
This is general information, not advice
Collector Audit is not a law firm and this page is not legal advice. See the full state-by-state comparison and our disclaimer.