The rule in Michigan
In Michigan the rule depends on the setting, for example in person versus on the phone. The safest course is to tell everyone and get their agreement before you record.
The law: MCL §750.539a — debated; appellate splits. Consult brief.
Can I record a phone call in Michigan?
MCL §750.539a — debated; appellate splits. Consult brief. When in doubt, tell everyone on the call and get their agreement.
Do I need consent to record a meeting at work in Michigan?
Yes: under Michigan law everyone in the meeting must agree before you record it. Ask at the start, on the recording, and again if someone joins later. Your employer’s policies may add their own rules.
Can I record my doctor’s appointment in Michigan?
Only if the doctor and everyone else in the room agree. Ask at the start: most doctors say yes when you explain it helps you remember their instructions.
What if the other person is in another state?
Follow the stricter state’s rule. When anyone in the conversation is in an all-party consent state, get everyone’s agreement before you record.
What to say before you record
Before we start: is everyone OK with me recording this meeting so I have accurate notes? It stays private to me.
Great. For the record, I’m recording now and everyone here has agreed.
Ask before anything substantive is said, so the agreement is on the recording itself. If anyone says no, don’t record.
Record with consent built in
Bonfiyah records in-person conversations on iPhone, iPad and Mac, tells you who said what by voice and remembers what everyone said. It shows Michigan’s rule before you record, keeps each person’s consent status, and can pick up a spoken “yes” at the start of a recording. New accounts get 14 days of Pro and Pro AI, no card needed; after that the Free plan includes 120 minutes of cloud transcription a month.
Download on the App StoreGeneral information, not legal advice. Laws change and courts read them differently; when in doubt, get everyone’s consent before you record. Rules from the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press state guide (2024) and Bonfiyah’s per-state counsel cross-check: the same table Bonfiyah’s app shows before you record. Updated 2026-10-25.
All-party consent states
California, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Washington.
Every state
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