Privacy Law Library

Kentucky Eavesdropping and Related Offenses

KY Eavesdropping

Communications

Kentucky is a one-party consent state: it is a felony to use a device to overhear, record, amplify, or transmit any part of a wire or oral communication of others without the consent of at least one party. The chapter also criminalizes installing or possessing eavesdropping devices, opening sealed private communications, and using or disclosing illegally obtained communications.

Where
Kentucky
Citation
KRS 526.010 to 526.080 (enacted 1974 Ky. Acts ch. 406, Kentucky Penal Code)
Status
In force
In force since
1975-01-01
Last amended
1976-06-19
Enforced by
Commonwealth's and county attorneys (criminal prosecution)
People can sue
No
Penalties
Eavesdropping and installing an eavesdropping device are Class D felonies; possessing an eavesdropping device, tampering with private communications, and divulging illegally obtained information are Class A misdemeanors.
Applies to
  • Any person who records, overhears, amplifies, or transmits wire or oral communications of others, or who installs, possesses, or uses eavesdropping devices
  • Employees of communications common carriers (limited service exception)

Practices it requires

  • Do not use any device to overhear, record, amplify, or transmit a wire or oral communication of others unless at least one party consents.KRS 526.010; KRS 526.020
  • Do not install or place a device knowing it will be used for eavesdropping, or possess a device designed or commonly used for eavesdropping with intent to eavesdrop.KRS 526.030; KRS 526.040
  • Do not, without consent of sender or receiver, open or read sealed private communications or obtain communication contents from a carrier's employee.KRS 526.050
  • Do not knowingly use or divulge information obtained through eavesdropping, tampering, or employment with a communications common carrier.KRS 526.060

Other duties

  • Carrier employees may intercept communications only as a necessary incident of service or to protect carrier rights and property; carriers may not use service observing or random monitoring except for mechanical or service quality checks.KRS 526.070(2)

Sources

Checked against these sources on 2026-09-25 by research agent (Claude), primary sources.

Unverified: KRS 526.080 (forfeiture) was listed in the chapter index but not fetched. | Kentucky has no separate civil wiretap cause of action in KRS Chapter 526; civil remedies, if any, arise under common-law privacy torts or federal law (not verified).

Research reference, not legal advice.