New Hampshire school security camera law

What does New Hampshire law allow and limit?

Parents have the right to consent in writing before a school makes a video or voice recording, with listed exceptions. One exception covers recordings made "solely for the purpose of a safety demonstration, including the maintenance of order and discipline in common areas of a school or on student transportation vehicles." For this law, "school" includes public school boards, districts, administrative units and public charter schools. Under the state wiretap law, a school bus owner or operator may record audio together with video of the bus interior while students are on board, if the school board allows it and the district tells parents and students. No school may record a classroom for teacher evaluations without school board approval after a public hearing, plus written consent from the teacher and the parent of each affected student.

Which school buildings must have cameras?

The state rule Ed 321.10 sets minimum safety construction standards for school building aid recipients (construction paid for in part by the state). A building aid project for a new school building "shall implement, at a minimum," the items on the Ed 321.10 list. The list includes internal and external cameras as part of a surveillance system that school officials can reach onsite and remotely. It also includes one security alarm system that combines intrusion detection, access control, video surveillance and fire alarm testing. Building aid for an addition must include the listed items in the addition, where applicable. Building aid for a substantial renovation must include them in the renovated areas, where applicable. A school board or board of trustees may ask for a waiver of these standards if the local police and fire departments support the request. The construction rules in Ed 321 cover public school facilities for grades K-12, including public academies and chartered public schools. The current version of Ed 321.10 took effect March 14, 2025.

What are the rules for audio on school buses?

Before any audio recording, the school board must hold a public hearing on whether to allow it on school buses. A sign telling riders about the recording must be displayed prominently on the bus. Audio may be reviewed only after a report of an incident or a complaint about conduct on the bus. Audio may be kept no longer than 10 school days, unless the district finds it relevant to a disciplinary proceeding or a court orders it kept longer.

What other recording limits apply?

No school may install remote surveillance software on a school-supplied student device without school board approval after a public hearing. The student privacy law does not stop audio or video recording that a student's IEP or accommodation plan includes. The Department of Education may not collect or keep student biometric information in the SLDS (the state's student database).

Is school camera footage a public record?

The Right-to-Know law (New Hampshire's public records law) exempts emergency-function records developed by local or state safety officials to thwart a deliberate act; it does not name video. State guidance, which is not binding law, says that under FERPA (the federal student records law), video about a specific student is an education record if the school system keeps it, but a law enforcement record if the school's law enforcement unit runs the cameras for safety.

What does state guidance recommend?

Guidance from the state Homeland Security and Emergency Management division (HSEM; not binding law) says interior cameras should cover all hallways, stairwells and common areas, and exterior cameras all entrances and key outdoor areas such as parking and sports fields. The state School Safety Resource Center advises schools to keep cameras out of places like restrooms and locker rooms, post signs, and set policies for video storage, access and sharing with law enforcement. HSEM offers school security assessments every three years that cover surveillance, access control and emergency alerting.

How can schools pay for cameras?

School security design and integration of security systems is a scoring criterion for state school building aid. Building aid applicants seeking school security ranking points must submit an HSEM school security assessment no more than 3 years old. The Public School Infrastructure Commission may authorize the Department of Education to fund HSEM's school emergency readiness program to improve security in public schools after a security assessment; cameras are not named.

What recent bills changed the rules?

SB 429 (2026, chapter 336), approved July 15, 2026, repealed and reenacted the recording-consent paragraph of the Parental Bill of Rights. That change took effect July 15, 2026. Earlier in 2026, HB 266 (chapter 4) added consent exceptions for recordings made while giving a required assessment or at a school-sponsored event open to the public. HB 751, which proposed a limited consent exception for certain recordings, died when the 2026 session ended. HB 1508, which would have allowed one-party consent for some audio and video recordings (not specific to schools), was voted Inexpedient to Legislate by the House on February 5, 2026.