ARS 13-3012: Exemptions

The following are exempt from the provisions of this chapter:

1. The interception of wire, electronic or oral communications, the installation and operation of a pen register or trap and trace device, the providing of information, facilities or technical assistance to an investigative or law enforcement officer pursuant to a subpoena or an ex parte order granted pursuant to sections 13-3010, 13-3015, 13-3016, 13-3017 and 13-3018 or an emergency interception made in good faith pursuant to section 13-3015, including any of the foregoing acts by a communication service provider or its officers, agents or employees.

2. The normal use of services, equipment and facilities that are provided by a communication service provider pursuant to tariffs that are on file with the Arizona corporation commission or the federal communications commission and the normal functions of any operator of a switchboard.

3. Any officer, agent or employee of a communication service provider who performs acts that are otherwise prohibited by this article in providing, constructing, maintaining, repairing, operating or using the provider’s services, equipment or facilities, protecting the provider’s service, equipment and facilities from illegal use in violation of tariffs that are on file with the Arizona corporation commission or the federal communications commission and protecting the provider from the commission of fraud against it.

4. Providing requested information or any other response to a subpoena or other order that is issued by a court of competent jurisdiction or on demand of any other lawful authority.

5. The interception of wire or electronic communications or the use of a pen register or trap and trace device by a communication service provider or by a person providing technical assistance at the request of the communication service provider if the interception or use either:

(a) Relates to the operation, maintenance and testing of that service, the protection of the rights or property of the provider or the protection of users of that service from fraudulent, abusive or unlawful use of that service.

(b) Records the fact that a wire or electronic communication was initiated or completed in order to protect the provider, another provider furnishing service toward the completion of the communication or a user of that service from fraudulent, unlawful or abusive use of that service.

6. The interception of any radio communication that is transmitted:

(a) By any station for the use of the general public or if the transmission relates to ships, aircraft, vehicles or persons in distress.

(b) By any government, law enforcement, civil defense, private land mobile or public safety communication system, including police and fire systems, and that is readily accessible to the general public.

(c) By any station that operates on an authorized frequency within the bands that are allocated to the amateur, citizens band or general mobile radio services.

(d) By any marine or aeronautical communications system.

(e) Through a system using frequencies that are monitored by persons who are engaged in the provision or the use of the system or by other persons who use the same frequency if the communication is not scrambled or encrypted.

7. The interception of wire or electronic communication if the transmission is causing harmful interference to any lawfully operating station or consumer electronic equipment, to the extent necessary to identify the source of the interference.

8. The use of a pen register or trap and trace device by a communication service provider for billing or recording as an incident to billing for communication services, or for cost accounting or other like purposes in the ordinary course of business.

9. The interception of any wire, electronic or oral communication by any person, if the interception is effected with the consent of a party to the communication or a person who is present during the communication, or the installation of a pen register or trap and trace device with the consent of a user or subscriber to the service.

10. Divulging the contents of a wire or electronic communication and any related records or information to a law enforcement agency by a remote computing service or communication service provider, officer or employee if either:

(a) The contents, records or information were lawfully or inadvertently obtained by the service provider and appear to pertain to the commission of a crime.

(b) The provider reasonably believes that an emergency involving immediate danger of death or serious physical injury to any person justifies the disclosure of the contents, records or information without delay.

11. Divulging records or other information that pertains to a customer or subscriber by a remote computing service or communication service provider, other than the contents of a communication, either:

(a) As authorized by section 13-3016.

(b) With the customer’s or subscriber’s consent.

(c) As may be necessary incident to the rendition of the service or for the protection of the rights or property of the provider of that service.

(d) To any person other than a governmental agency.

12. The interception or access of an electronic communication that is made through an electronic communication system and that is configured so that the electronic communication is readily accessible to the general public.

13. For other users of the same frequency to intercept a radio communication that is made through a system that uses frequencies that are monitored by individuals who provide or use the system, if the communication is not scrambled or encrypted.

14. The interception of oral communications by means of a child monitoring device.