Maine
Maine Voyeurism Laws: Hidden Cameras, Penalties, and Defenses (2026)
Independently fact-checked against primary sources (last audited August 15, 2026). · Reviewed by the RecordingLaw editorial team. · Law checked current as of August 15, 2026. · 5 primary sources cited on this page. How we verify our legal content
Under 17-A M.R.S.A. section 511, Maine criminalizes secretly placing a camera or recording device in any location where a person has a reasonable expectation of privacy, as well as recording someone in a state of undress or using technology to see through clothing without consent.
Maine's voyeurism laws protect individuals from being secretly recorded in private settings. The primary statute, 17-A M.R.S.A. section 511, criminalizes the use of cameras and recording devices to observe or record people in locations where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy. This guide covers what constitutes voyeurism in Maine, the penalties for violations, defenses, and the rights of victims.
Maine's Voyeurism Statute
17-A M.R.S.A. Section 511
Maine's core voyeurism law makes it a crime to:
- Knowingly place a camera in a location where a person may reasonably expect privacy for the purpose of observing or recording that person
- Record a person in a state of undress or engaged in sexual activity without their knowledge and consent
- Use technology to see through or beneath a person's clothing without their consent
The statute covers all forms of recording technology, including smartphones, hidden cameras, spy cameras, drones, and any other device capable of capturing images or video.
What Constitutes a "Private Place"
Under Maine law, a private place is any location where a person has a reasonable expectation of being free from observation. This includes:
- Bathrooms and restrooms (in homes, businesses, and public buildings)
- Bedrooms and sleeping areas
- Hotel and motel rooms
- Changing rooms and fitting rooms in retail stores
- Locker rooms at gyms, pools, and fitness centers
- Medical examination rooms
- Tanning booths and salons
- Any enclosed area where a person may be in a state of undress
The expectation of privacy must be objectively reasonable. A person standing on a public sidewalk does not have the same privacy expectation as someone in a bathroom stall.
Criminal Penalties for Voyeurism
Classification and Sentencing
| Offense | Classification | Maximum Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Voyeuristic recording of an adult | Class D crime | Up to 1 year jail, $2,000 fine |
| Voyeuristic recording of a minor (under 16) | Class D crime | Up to 1 year jail, $2,000 fine |
| Disseminating voyeuristic images | Class D crime | Up to 1 year jail, $2,000 fine |
| Repeat voyeurism offense | Enhanced classification | Elevated penalties |
Aggravating Factors
Penalties may be enhanced when:
- The victim is a minor
- The offender holds a position of trust (teacher, coach, employer, landlord)
- Multiple victims are involved
- The images or video are distributed commercially
- The offender has prior voyeurism convictions
Non-Consensual Intimate Images
17-A M.R.S.A. Section 511-A and Maine LD 1944 / PL 2025, c. 400
Maine has enacted a separate statute targeting the non-consensual sharing of intimate images, commonly known as "revenge porn." Under 17-A M.R.S.A. section 511-A, it is a crime to:
- Intentionally distribute an intimate image of another person without their consent
- Distribute the image with the intent to harass, torment, or threaten the person depicted
- Distribute the image knowing or having reason to know that the person depicted has not consented to the dissemination, display, or publication of the image
In June 2025, Governor Janet Mills signed LD 1944 (PL 2025, c. 400) -- "An Act to Protect Children and Adults from Technology-facilitated Sexual Abuse" -- which expanded section 511-A to expressly reach AI-generated and deepfake intimate imagery. The amendment captures images "created or modified so that it appears to show" the victim, closing the gap that previously excluded synthetic images. This makes Maine one of the first states with explicit deepfake-NCII (non-consensual intimate imagery) coverage.
At the federal level, the TAKE IT DOWN Act (Pub. L. 119-12, signed May 19, 2025; effective May 19, 2026) requires online platforms to remove non-consensual intimate images -- including AI-generated deepfakes -- within 48 hours of a victim's notice. The federal law complements Maine section 511-A and LD 1944.
Penalties for Non-Consensual Distribution
- Unauthorized dissemination of certain private images: Class D crime (up to 1 year jail, $2,000 fine), regardless of whether it is a first or subsequent offense or the victim is a minor
- AI-generated/deepfake NCII: Same classification under LD 1944 amendment to section 511-A
Consent Issues
Consent to being photographed or recorded does not automatically mean consent to distribution. A person who agrees to be photographed by an intimate partner does not consent to that partner sharing the images with others. Consent to share a real image does not extend to AI-manipulated versions of that image.
Common Voyeurism Scenarios
Hidden Cameras in Homes
Placing hidden cameras in bathrooms, bedrooms, or other private areas of a home without the occupant's knowledge is one of the most common voyeurism offenses. This includes:
- Landlords hiding cameras in rental units
- Roommates placing cameras in shared bathrooms
- Intimate partners installing hidden cameras without the other's knowledge
- Babysitters or house guests placing cameras
Hidden Cameras in Businesses
Businesses that install cameras in restrooms, changing rooms, or fitting rooms violate Maine's voyeurism law. Employees who discover hidden cameras should report them to management and, if the employer is responsible, to law enforcement.
Upskirting and Downblousing
Using cameras or phones to capture images underneath or down a person's clothing without consent is voyeurism under Maine law, even in public places. The expectation of privacy in one's own clothing applies regardless of the location.
Digital and Technology-Based Voyeurism
Modern technology has created new forms of voyeurism:
- Using remote-access software to activate a victim's webcam
- Hacking into home security cameras
- Using drones to record through windows
- Exploiting smart home devices for surveillance
Defenses to Voyeurism Charges
Consent
If the person recorded consented to being observed or recorded, no voyeurism has occurred. Consent must be voluntary, informed, and specific to the recording in question.
No Reasonable Expectation of Privacy
If the recording took place in a location where the person did not have a reasonable expectation of privacy (such as a public beach or park), the voyeurism statute may not apply.
Lack of Intent
The prosecution must prove that the recording was made "knowingly" for the purpose of observing the person. Accidental or inadvertent recording may not meet this standard.
Law Enforcement Exception
Law enforcement officers acting under valid court orders or warrants are exempt from voyeurism charges when conducting authorized surveillance.
Rights of Voyeurism Victims in Maine
Criminal Prosecution
Victims should report voyeurism to local law enforcement. The Maine State Police and local police departments investigate voyeurism complaints. Prosecution is handled by the district attorney's office.
Civil Lawsuits
Victims of voyeurism in Maine can pursue civil lawsuits against the perpetrator. Available claims include:
- Invasion of privacy (intrusion upon seclusion)
- Intentional infliction of emotional distress
- Negligence (against a property owner who failed to prevent hidden cameras)
- Civil damages under wiretapping statute (15 M.R.S.A. section 711) if audio was also captured
Protection Orders
Victims can seek protection orders against the perpetrator. Maine's protection from harassment statute (5 M.R.S.A. section 4655, Relief, part of the Protection from Harassment chapter defined at section 4651) allows courts to issue orders prohibiting the perpetrator from contacting the victim, requiring them to stay away, and ordering the destruction of voyeuristic recordings.
Victim Services
Maine offers victim services through the Maine Office of Victim Services and local sexual assault crisis centers. The Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MECASA) provides support, advocacy, and referrals for voyeurism victims.
Sex Offender Registration
In Maine, most voyeurism convictions do not trigger sex offender registration. Under 34-A M.R.S.A. section 11273, a section 511 conviction is a Tier I registrable offense only when it falls under section 511, subsection 1, paragraph F: the recording was made for the purpose of arousing or gratifying sexual desire, and the person recorded had not attained 16 years of age. A voyeurism conviction against an adult, or a minor-victim conviction under a different paragraph of subsection 1, does not by itself trigger registration.
Registration for a qualifying conviction means listing on the Maine Sex Offender Registry maintained by the Maine State Bureau of Identification.
More Maine Recording Laws
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is voyeurism under Maine law?
Under 17-A M.R.S.A. section 511, voyeurism includes knowingly placing a camera in a private location to observe or record someone without consent, recording someone in a state of undress or engaged in sexual activity without consent, and using technology to see through clothing. It covers all recording devices including phones, hidden cameras, and drones.
What are the penalties for voyeurism in Maine?
Voyeuristic recording is a Class D crime (up to 1 year jail, $2,000 fine), whether the victim is an adult or a minor under 16. Maine's statute applies the same classification regardless of the victim's age. Distributing voyeuristic images is a separate Class D crime.
Is sharing intimate images without consent illegal in Maine?
Yes. Under 17-A M.R.S.A. section 511-A, intentionally distributing intimate images without the person's consent is a Class D crime (up to 1 year jail, $2,000 fine), regardless of whether the victim is a minor or it is a repeat offense.
Can I sue someone for voyeurism in Maine?
Yes. Victims can pursue civil lawsuits for invasion of privacy, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligence. If audio was captured, civil damages under the wiretapping statute (15 M.R.S.A. section 711) may also apply. Victims can also seek protection orders.
Does a voyeurism conviction require sex offender registration in Maine?
Usually not. Under 34-A M.R.S.A. section 11273, a section 511 voyeurism conviction is a registrable offense only under subsection 1, paragraph F: recording done for sexual gratification where the victim had not attained 16 years of age. Most voyeurism convictions, including those against adults, do not require registration.
Updates
Corrected an overstated sex-offender-registration claim: a Maine voyeurism conviction only requires registration in the narrow case of a recording made for sexual gratification of a victim under 16 (17-A M.R.S. section 511(1)(F)), not for voyeurism generally. Also fixed a pinpoint citation for protection orders (5 M.R.S. section 4655, not the definitions section).
Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources; governing law re-checked for recent changes
Corrected the article's minor-victim age threshold (16, not 18) and removed a fabricated Class C sentencing tier: Maine's voyeurism statute (17-A M.R.S.A. section 511) and its intimate-image-dissemination statute (section 511-A) each impose a single flat Class D classification with no elevation for minor victims or repeat offenses; also corrected the section 511-A mens rea element to the statute's actual 'has not consented to dissemination' standard.
Governing law re-checked for recent changes
Added LD 1944 / PL 2025, c. 400 (signed Gov. Mills June 20, 2025): expanded 17-A M.R.S. section 511-A to cover AI-generated and deepfake non-consensual intimate imagery via the created-or-modified language. Added TAKE IT DOWN Act (Pub. L. 119-12, signed May 19, 2025; effective May 19, 2026): federal 48-hour takedown obligation for NCII including deepfakes on covered platforms.
Reviewed and approved by an editor
The Law Behind This Article
This article rests on the statutory provisions below, held in our own legal record and retrieved from the official source. Tap a section to read the operative text.
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 17-A: MAINE CRIMINAL CODE, Part 2: SUBSTANTIVE OFFENSES, Chapter 21: OFFENSES AGAINST PUBLIC ORDER
§ 511Violation of privacyIn forcecited in 15 of our articles
1. A person is guilty of violation of privacy if, except in the execution of a public duty or as authorized by law, that person intentionally: A. Commits a civil trespass on property with the intent to overhear or observe any person in a private place; [PL 1997, c. 467, §1 (AMD).] B. Installs or uses in a private place without the consent of the person or persons entitled to privacy in that place, any device for observing, photographing, recording, amplifying or broadcasting sounds or events in that place; [PL 1997, c. 467, §1 (AMD).] C. Installs or uses outside a private place without the consent of the person or persons entitled to privacy therein any device for observing, photographing, hearing, recording, amplifying or broadcasting images or sounds originating in that place that would not ordinarily be visible, audible or comprehensible outside that place; [PL 2023, c. 227, §1 (AMD).] D.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-08-31 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legislature.maine.gov
Cited in 6 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2026
In the courts (editorial summary, independently checked):In State of Maine v. Mark W. Strong Sr. (2013) the Maine Supreme Judicial Court read section 511(1)(B) to require an objectively reasonable expectation of being safe from surveillance, and held that people who entered a place solely to engage a prostitute were not persons entitled to privacy there.
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- State of Maine v. Mark W. Strong Sr. (Supreme Judicial Court of Maine 2013, 60 A.3d 1286)✓A man faced 45 counts of violation of privacy for recording the clients of a Kennebunk prostitute; the Law Court held that people present solely to engage a prostitute were not 'persons entitled to privacy' there, so the indictment failed to charge the offense.
- Friedman v. Public Utilities Commission (Supreme Judicial Court of Maine 2012, 48 A.3d 794)“…statutes: 17-A M.R.S. § 402(1) (2011) (criminal trespass), 17-A M.R.S. § 511 (2011) (criminal violation of privacy),…”
- Cuso Mortgage Corp. v. Gauthier (Superior Court of Maine 2012)“…e counts of criminal invasion of privacy, presumably under 17-A M.R.S. § 511(1)(B), for allegedly filming sexual act…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: Maine Recording Laws (2026): One-Party Consent, § 710 and § 511, Maine Audio Recording Laws: One-Party Consent Rules and Penalties (2026), Maine Laws on Recording in Public: Your Complete Guide (2026)
§ 511-AUnauthorized dissemination of certain private imagesIn forcecited in 7 of our articles
1. A person is guilty of unauthorized dissemination of certain private images if the person, with the intent to harass, torment or threaten the depicted person or another person, intentionally or knowingly disseminates, displays or publishes an image of another person in a state of nudity or engaged in a sexual act or engaged in sexual contact or an image that has been created or modified so that it appears to show the depicted person in a state of nudity or engaged in a sexual act or engaged in sexual contact in a manner in which there is no public or newsworthy purpose when the person knows or should have known that the depicted person: A. [PL 2015, c. 394, §5 (RP).] B. Is identifiable from the image itself or information displayed in connection with the image; and [PL 2015, c. 339, §1 (NEW).] C. Has not consented to the dissemination, display or publication of the image. [PL 2025, c. 400, §2 (AMD).] 2. This section does not apply to the following: A. Lawful and common practices of medical treatment; [PL 2015, c. 339, §1 (NEW).] B. Images involving voluntary exposure in a public or commercial setting; or [PL 2015, c. 339, §1 (NEW).] C.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-08-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legislature.maine.gov
Also relied on in: Maine AI Laws and Regulation (2026), Maine Deepfake Laws: AI Images, Voice Cloning & Penalties (2026), Maine Sexting Laws: Legal Consequences and Penalties
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 15: COURT PROCEDURE -- CRIMINAL, Part 2: PROCEEDINGS BEFORE TRIAL, Chapter 102: INTERCEPTION OF WIRE AND ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
§ 711Civil remedyIn forcecited in 8 of our articles
Any party to a conversation intercepted, disclosed or used in violation of this chapter shall have a civil cause of action against any person who intercepts, discloses or uses such communications and shall be entitled to recover from any such persons: [PL 1973, c. 561 (NEW).] 1. Damages. Actual damages, but not less than liquidated damages, computed at the rate of $100 per day for each day of violation; and 2. Attorney's fee. A reasonable attorney's fee and other litigation disbursements reasonably incurred.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legislature.maine.gov
Cited in 1 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2009
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Simpson v. Cumberland County (Superior Court of Maine 2009)“…additional claims, including: (1) an alleged violation of 15 M.R.S. § 711 - which provides a civil damages remedy…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: Maine Dashcam Laws: Mounting Rules, Audio Recording, and Evidence (2026), Maine Phone Call Recording Laws: Consent Rules for Cell, Landline, and VoIP (2026), Maine Security Camera Laws: Home, Business, and HOA Rules (2026)
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Sources and References
- 17-A M.R.S.A. section 511 - Voyeurism (Maine Legislature)(legislature.maine.gov).gov
- 17-A M.R.S.A. section 511-A - Non-Consensual Dissemination of Intimate Images (Maine Legislature)(legislature.maine.gov).gov
- 15 M.R.S.A. section 711 - Civil Remedies for Illegal Interception (Maine Legislature)(legislature.maine.gov).gov
- Maine State Police - Sex Offender Registry(maine.gov).gov
- Maine Office of Victim Services(maine.gov).gov