Call recording is incredibly useful — for training, dispute resolution, and AI improvement — but it's also one of the most regulated areas of telephony law. FrontDesk handles the legal mechanics automatically so you don't have to think about it.
The legal landscape
US recording laws split into two camps:
- One-party consent (37 states + federal default) — only one person on the call needs to consent. As the practice you're a party to the call, so your consent is enough.
- Two-party consent (13 states) — every person on the call must consent. You + the caller.
The 13 two-party states are: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington.
When the laws of the parties' states differ, courts generally apply the stricter law. So if you're in Texas (1-party) and your caller is in California (2-party), assume 2-party rules.
What FrontDesk does automatically
At the start of every inbound call:
- We look up the caller's area code → estimated state
- If either you or the caller is in a 2-party state, your AI plays:
"This call may be recorded for quality and training. Press 1 or say 'yes' to continue, or press 2 to decline recording."
- Accept → full audio recording is captured and saved to your Call Logs
- Decline → call continues normally; transcript is saved (it's generated live, not from audio); no MP3
- No input in 5 seconds → defaults to no recording (safer assumption)
What you'll see in Call Logs
| Call has | Why |
|---|---|
| Audio + transcript | One-party state or 2-party with consent accepted |
| Transcript only, no audio | 2-party state, consent declined or no response |
Customizing the prompt
Settings → AI Voice → Settings tab → Recording Consent Script. You can rewrite the prompt as long as it clearly discloses recording — for example, with your practice's branding ("This is Sunny Dental — your call may be recorded for quality. Say yes to continue, or no to opt out.").
Calls you initiate (outbound)
If your team uses Click-to-Call to initiate an outbound call, the same consent logic runs — the recipient gets the consent prompt before you connect. Outbound calls in two-party states without consent are not recorded.
What's next
- Review what's in your recordings — Review call recordings and transcripts
- Set how long they're kept — Data retention and deletion
- For healthcare practices: Sign your BAA