The rule in West Virginia
West Virginia is a one-party consent state: you can record a conversation you are taking part in without telling the others, because your own consent is enough. You can't record a conversation you aren't part of, and a call with someone in an all-party state can bring that state's stricter rule with it.
The law: W. Va. Code §62-1D-3.
Can I record a phone call in West Virginia?
Yes, if you are on the call: your consent is enough under West Virginia law. If someone on the call is in an all-party consent state (California, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Washington), that state’s stricter law can apply too, so tell everyone.
Do I need consent to record a meeting at work in West Virginia?
West Virginia law lets a participant record with their own consent, but your employer’s policies, a union agreement or a contract can be stricter. Telling people you are recording keeps everyone on the same page.
Can I record my doctor’s appointment in West Virginia?
West Virginia law allows it if you take part in the conversation, though asking first is courteous and some practices have their own policy. Many doctors are glad you want to 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 West Virginia’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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