---
title: "Is call recording legal in Australia?"
url: "https://calltracking.au/help/recording/recording-consent"
summary: "Generally yes, when callers are told the call may be recorded before the conversation starts. Call Tracking can play a consent message, the recording preamble, before each recorded call is connected, but the business that records is still responsible for following the law."
type: explainer
audience: everyone
products: ["Call recording"]
---

# Is call recording legal in Australia?

**Short answer:** Generally yes, when callers are told the call may be recorded before the conversation starts. Call Tracking can play a consent message, the recording preamble, before each recorded call is connected, but the business that records is still responsible for following the law.

**Applies to:** Call recording

> **Note:** This is general information, not legal advice. The business that records calls is responsible for following the law, so get advice for your situation.

## What does the law expect?

Australian law protects phone calls from being recorded without the knowledge of the people on them. Each state and territory has its own law about recording a conversation you're part of, and most require the consent of everyone on the call. Because callers can ring from anywhere, the practical approach is to tell every caller that the call may be recorded before the conversation starts. To learn more, see [Call recording consent in Australia](/docs/recording/consent-in-australia/).

## What does Call Tracking do?

- **Recording is off until you turn it on.** A new tracking site doesn't record calls.
- **It can play a consent message before each recorded call.** With **Recording preamble** set to **Enabled**, the caller hears the message before the call is put through. Unless you write your own, it says: "This call may be recorded for quality and training purposes."
- **The message is a separate setting.** It's off by default, and turning on recording doesn't turn it on. It plays only while recording is on: where recording is **Disabled**, the message doesn't play either.

You set both under **Call recording defaults** in the tracking site's **Settings** in the Enfonica Console, and a number pool or static tracking number can override them in its **Call recording** settings. To learn how, see [Record calls and play a consent message](/docs/recording/).

## What does the business need to do?

- Turn on the consent message, or tell callers another way before the call is answered.
- Tell the staff who answer calls that they're recorded.
- Cover call recording in the business's privacy policy.
- Give access to recordings only to people who need it, and remove their access when they leave.

## Related

- [How long are call recordings kept?](https://calltracking.au/help/recording/recording-retention.md)
- [Are call recordings or transcripts sent to Google or Meta?](https://calltracking.au/help/recording/recordings-shared.md)
- [Call recording consent in Australia](https://calltracking.au/docs/recording/consent-in-australia/)
- [Record calls and play a consent message](https://calltracking.au/docs/recording/)

---

Web version: https://calltracking.au/help/recording/recording-consent