How Long Do Security Cameras Keep Recordings?

The duration for which a security camera keeps records can vary significantly depending on a number of factors. Most businesses and homeowners retain CCTV footage for a period of 30 to 90 days. However, for more critical incidents, the footage might be stored longer for investigative purposes.

Factors Influencing Storage Duration

The storage duration of CCTV data can be influenced by several key factors:

System Settings

Users often have the option to choose the retention period, which can range from 2 weeks to 1 year. This setting allows for flexibility based on security needs and storage capacity.

Storage Capacity

Limited storage space often leads to the overwrite of older footage. This means that as new recordings are made, the system will delete the oldest footage to make space for the newest data.

Industry Regulations

For certain industries, such as banking and casinos, legal requirements mandate longer storage periods, typically ranging from 6 months to 1 year. These regulations ensure compliance with necessary security and data retention standards.

Incident Needs

Footage related to investigations may be kept indefinitely, allowing for thorough analysis and documentation. This is particularly important in cases where incidents must be thoroughly reviewed and analyzed.

Real-World Practices

Typically, most security camera footage is stored for 30 to 90 days. This applies to various settings, including hotels, retail stores, supermarkets, and construction companies. For highly regulated industries like banking, storage requirements can extend to up to six months, and for casinos, footage might be held for six months to a year.

Case Studies

Some places may require more extensive storage, up to 20 days, due to budget and storage cost considerations. For individuals with their own DIY systems, such as a home DVR or NAS, the storage duration can be as short as a few days for up to 4 or 5 cameras.

It's important to note that the duration of footage retention is entirely dependent on the owner of the system. Some recordings may be retained for as little as a few hours, while others could be stored for years. An interesting example is a recording from many years ago that captured a solar eclipse, highlighting the potential for long-term retention in extreme cases.

Whether the camera continues to record until it runs out of storage space, is switched off, or runs out of power, the timeline can vary widely. Some systems have been running for years, only stopping when they are replaced with more advanced technology.

For businesses and homeowners, it's crucial to check with the provider or manager of the CCTV system to understand the specific retention policies in place. This can vary significantly between different setups and locations.