Indiana Security Camera Laws for 2025: What You Need to Know Now

When protecting a commercial property in the Hoosier State, a well-planned security camera system is non-negotiable. However, for your surveillance footage to be admissible in court—and to avoid serious legal penalties—you must understand Indiana security camera laws.

The law here focuses predominantly on two areas: a person’s reasonable expectation of privacy (especially for video) and consent (especially for audio). This guide focuses on security camera laws for businesses in Indiana to help you stay compliant.

How to Select a Commercial Surveillance System in Indiana

There are several decisions to make when selecting a video surveillance system for your business. Some key factors to consider when evaluating business security configuration options include:

• Camera type and coverage
• Video quality and storage
• Real-time monitoring and alerts
• Integration with access control
• Audit and reporting tools
• Scalability and support

It is especially important — particularly in Indiana — for businesses to understand what they can and cannot do to ensure their employees’ safety, while also protecting both company assets and personnel privacy.

Indiana Surveillance Camera Laws Explained 

The core principle for all video recording in Indiana is that you cannot record someone in a place where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy. In a commercial setting, this distinction ends up requiring additional signage and taking technical, preventative measures across systems.

Prohibited Areas (Voyeurism and Felony Charges)

Section 35-45-4-5 of the Indiana Penal Code defines the crime of voyeurism, which becomes a Level 6 felony if a camera is involved. When applied to businesses, this means you cannot place cameras in spaces like:

• Employee or Public Restrooms.
• Locker Rooms, Changing Rooms, or Showers.
• Designated Employee Lounges or other areas where an employee reasonably expects to disrobe or be shielded from public view.

When it comes to placing cameras on your own private property, you must ensure they only record areas to which you have a right to record. There are some state-specific nuances in Indiana via Code 35-46-8.5-1. This code makes it a Class A misdemeanor to “knowingly or intentionally place an unattended camera or electronic surveillance equipment on the private property of another person without the owner or tenant’s consent.”

Permitted Areas (Common Business Spaces)

You have a broad legal right to conduct video surveillance in areas where privacy is not “reasonably expected”. These locations are generally considered "public" within your business:

• Retail floors and showrooms
• Lobbies and waiting areas
• Hallways and common corridors (including areas outside offices)
• Cash registers and point-of-sale stations
• Warehouses, manufacturing floors, and loading docks
• Building entrances and parking lots

The use of video surveillance in these areas is permissible as long as it is for a legitimate business purpose, such as security, loss prevention, or monitoring productivity.

Audio Recording in Indiana

Audio recording is treated differently than video in Indiana due to the state being a "One-Party Consent" state. Under Indiana's wiretapping and eavesdropping laws (see Codes 35-31.5-2-176 and 35-33.5-5-5), it is a felony to record or intercept any oral or electronic communication unless at least one person involved in the communication consents to the recording.

For businesses, this becomes a problem when employees, guests or passerby are recorded unknowingly by cameras that are placed for security reasons. If camera systems record the audio of two employees talking and neither of them knows or has consented to the recording, you may be putting your business at risk of felony charges.

There are two primary ways businesses comply with audio recording laws in Indiana:

1. Disable the Audio: The simplest and safest approach is to permanently disable all audio recording on your security cameras. Simply put: no audio, no problem.
2. Provide Notice: If you must capture audio recordings for business needs, you must provide clear and conspicuous written notice (e.g., signs stating "Audio and Video Recording in Progress") in the monitored area. This acts as "constructive" or “implied” consent because any employee or customer who remains in the area after seeing the sign is considered to have consented to the recording.

Surveillance Requirements for Commercial Locations

For companies and organizations in Indiana, the law on tracking employees extends beyond fixed surveillance cameras. While employers can legally monitor employee activity using company-issued devices (email, internet use, phone calls) and video surveillance in common areas, Indiana law does impose limits. Implementation of tracking or identification devices on employees by an employer, for instance, is strictly prohibited as an invasion of employee privacy rights under Indiana Code 22-5-8-1.

Furthermore, Indiana Code 35-46-8.5-1 (from the previous section) applies to individuals and businesses alike. That means that if your business uses fleet vehicles, for example, you can track company-owned property, but it's a best practice to always notify employees in writing that company vehicles are equipped with GPS or other tracking devices.

Do You Need a License to Install Security Cameras in Indiana?

No state license is required for installing security cameras in Indiana, but a local or municipal license may be required, particularly for electrical or low-voltage work. Regardless of legality, however, having a licensed commercial security integrator like Security 101 install your system ensures:

1. Knowledgeable installation with proper camera placement to keep your organization secure and compliant.
2. Safe installation to protect against electrical issues and camera failure.
3. Recourse through your state licensing entity if the installer does a poor job.
4. Protection against scammers, fraud, and criminals who use security camera installation as a cover.

Lawful Use of Video Surveillance in Indiana

Consistent monitoring is an important part of a plan that protects your employees and property. That said, complying with Indiana’s laws in order to avoid penalties and expensive liabilities can be just as important.

To ensure your organization is abiding by the law, it is key to closely collaborate with an expert security professional, competent in protecting businesses with sophisticated video surveillance technologies and who knows in depth the specific laws and regulations at state and local level in Indiana (Indianapolis).