Security Cameras and Guest Privacy: What Homeowners Need to Know

Last Updated: July 30, 2026

Security cameras can be a helpful way to monitor exterior access points and protect your property. In a vacation rental, however, they must be used with great care. Guests have a reasonable expectation of privacy during their stay, and indoor surveillance can create serious legal, financial, and reputational risk.

Clear boundaries help protect everyone involved, including our guests, homeowners, property managers, and Gather.

Gather's Security Camera Guidelines

To remain aligned with your Gather Property Management Agreement:

Cameras and recording devices are not permitted anywhere inside the home. This includes devices that are turned off, disconnected, or intended only for owner use.
Cameras may ONLY be placed in appropriate, visible EXTERIOR locations, such as a front porch or driveway entrance.
Exterior cameras may not point through windows or monitor spaces where guests reasonably expect privacy, including enclosed outdoor showers, saunas, pools, firepits, gathering areas or like spaces.
All cameras must be disclosed to Gather so the property listing remains accurate and compliant.
Cameras with audio capabilities may be subject to additional consent laws. Audio recording should remain disabled unless specifically reviewed and approved.

These guidelines apply to traditional security cameras as well as doorbell cameras, baby monitors, webcams, smart displays, Alexa/Google Home, and other devices capable of recording or transmitting video or audio. Noise monitoring hardware is acceptable, as it does not record audio.

Airbnb prohibits cameras or recording devices that monitor any interior portion of a home, even when the device is turned off or disconnected. Exterior cameras must be disclosed and cannot monitor private areas. Expedia Group and Vrbo similarly prohibit indoor surveillance devices and limit exterior cameras to disclosed, appropriate locations.

What Our Gather Agreement Says

Gather’s Property Management Agreement includes a Renter Privacy clause stating that an owner may not:

Enter the property during a rental period without prior written permission from Gather.
Permit another person to enter without approval.
Place a camera inside the property.
Place a camera anywhere other than an appropriate exterior area visible from outside the premises, such as a front porch.
Access renter-identifying information maintained by Gather.

⚠️ These protections are an important part of the trust guests place in Gather and in the homeowners we represent.

Why Indoor Cameras Create Significant Risk

A camera inside a vacation rental is not simply a listing or hospitality concern. Depending on the device, its placement, whether it records audio, and what it captures, it may result in:

Criminal investigation or penalties.
Civil claims and monetary damages.
Guest relocation, refunds, or canceled reservations.
Suspension or removal of the property from booking platforms.
Legal claims involving the homeowner and other parties involved in managing or facilitating the rental.
Termination of the property management relationship.

⚠️ Disclosure alone does not make an indoor camera acceptable under Gather’s agreement or current major booking-platform policies.

State-Specific Privacy Considerations

The following is a general overview of several laws that may apply.

▶️ California

California law requires the consent of all parties before intentionally recording a confidential conversation. A violation may carry criminal penalties, including fines and possible imprisonment. A person injured by an unlawful recording may also pursue the greater of $5,000 per violation or three times their actual damages.

California’s civil privacy laws may also create liability when a person uses a device to capture private, personal, or family activity in circumstances where someone reasonably expects privacy. Available remedies can include actual damages, punitive damages, civil fines, and court orders preventing further surveillance.

▶️ Hawaii

Hawaii law prohibits intentionally installing or using a device in a private place to observe, record, amplify, or broadcast sounds or events without the consent of the people entitled to privacy there. A violation of privacy in the second degree is a misdemeanor.

More serious conduct involving the recording of a person who is undressed or engaged in sexual activity in a private place may constitute violation of privacy in the first degree, which is a Class C felony.

▶️ Washington

Washington requires the consent of all participants before recording or transmitting a private conversation. A violation of the Washington Privacy Act may be prosecuted as a gross misdemeanor.

An injured person may also seek actual damages or statutory damages of $100 per day, up to $1,000, along with reasonable attorney’s fees and litigation costs.

In particularly serious circumstances involving surveillance for sexual arousal or gratification, conduct may fall under Washington’s first-degree voyeurism law, a Class C felony. An indoor camera is not automatically a felony under this statute; the circumstances and purpose of the recording matter.

What Should I Do if My Home Has a Camera?

If you believe an indoor camera or recording device may currently be installed in your home, please connect with your property manager promptly. Our team will help you identify the device and align on its removal before the home accommodates additional guests.

Exterior cameras should also be reviewed with your property manager to confirm that their location, field of view, audio settings, and listing disclosures meet Gather and booking-platform requirements.

🔗CLICK HERE for additional information, including state-specific legal considerations
and relevant case studies.

Important: Gather cannot manage or market a property containing an indoor surveillance device. If an owner is unwilling to remove a prohibited device, Gather may need to pause rentals or end the management relationship to protect guests and the parties involved.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are cameras allowed in locked areas within the home, such as an owner's closet?

No. Recording devices are not permitted anywhere inside the home, including locked owner closets, garages, or other areas that are inaccessible to guests.

Are decibel monitors considered recording devices?

No. Decibel monitors measure sound levels only and do not record conversations or other audio. As a result, they are not considered recording devices under these guidelines.

Are we allowed to provide an owner with guest information?

No. To protect guest privacy and comply with applicable privacy laws, guest identifying information may not be shared with homeowners.

Are smart devices such as Amazon Alexa or Google Home included on the list of prohibited devices?

In most cases, yes. Smart devices capable of recording or monitoring guest interactions should be removed or disabled before guest occupancy to comply with these guidelines.

Is a lanai considered an interior or exterior space?

A lanai is considered an exterior space only if it is open to the outside and any security camera is outward-facing. Cameras may not be positioned to look into the home or other private guest areas.

Do inoperable security cameras need to be removed?

Yes. All interior security cameras must be removed, regardless of whether they are functional or inoperable.

This article provides general educational information and is not legal advice. Privacy, recording, and short-term rental laws may change and can vary by location.