How long do security cameras keep footage?

Businesses rely heavily on video surveillance for a variety of purposes, including:

• Mitigating theft and vandalism
• Enhancing employee safety
• Monitoring business operations
• Maintaining customer security

However, a crucial aspect of video surveillance often overlooked is footage retention. Security camera footage doesn’t last forever, and understanding retention periods is essential for maximizing the effectiveness of your system.

Our blog will guide you on how long security cameras retain footage and how to optimize your system for the best recording retention!

Video footage retention periods for security cameras:

The duration for which security cameras retain footage depends on several factors, including the camera’s storage capacity and legal requirements for data retention.

Short-term retention periods:

Many security camera systems utilize a 24-hour loop recording function, particularly for high-traffic areas. This ensures capturing recent activity while maximizing storage efficiency.

However, footage older than 24 hours gets overwritten automatically. This might be suitable for low-risk areas where immediate monitoring is the primary concern.

• Homes and Small Businesses security cameras : Often footage is retained for 1-2 weeks, due to limited storage capacity on typical NVRs or hard drives used in these settings.

Mid-term retention periods: 

A 30-day retention period offers a balance between capturing recent events and maintaining manageable storage requirements.

This timeframe can be useful for many residential applications or businesses with moderate security needs.

• Larger Businesses security cameras : These businesses may keep footage for anywhere from 30 to 90 days, depending on their storage capacity and industry regulations. Some industries, such as retail or healthcare, may have legal or compliance requirements that dictate how long footage needs to be retained.

Long-term retention periods: 

Organizations in high-risk industries or those with legal requirements to retain footage for extended periods may opt for 90-day or even year-long retention policies.

This ensures critical video evidence is available for investigations, audits, or compliance purposes.

• High-Security Environments: Banks, casinos, or facilities with strict regulations might retain footage for much longer periods, ranging from 6 months to a year or even more. 

Does the security camera storage capacity affect footage retention?

Yes, security camera storage capacity has a significant impact on footage retention. While some security camera systems might capture everything forever (in movies at least), the reality is footage retention hinges on several factors.

 Here’s a breakdown to help you determine the ideal timeframe for your needs:

• Continuous Recording Mode: This is the simplest option, but it can quickly fill up storage space. Dashcams are a prime example, as they record video footage continuously and stop recording once the memory card is full.
• Scheduled Recording: This allows you to specify the times when you want the camera to record. Other than that scheduled time, the CCTV camera will stream live videos but it will not record. You can easily set the recording schedule on the IP camera that has an SD card.
• Loop recording: Loop recording divides footage into short segments (3-5 minutes) that are continuously overwritten until the storage is full. This method rewrites the oldest video feeds, ensuring storage is used efficiently for ongoing CCTV monitoring and capturing recent activity. The biggest benefit is that it maximizes storage usage while maintaining recent footage.
• Motion Detection Recording: This only records when the camera detects motion.
• Cloud-based Recording Services: This allows you to store footage in the cloud, which can be accessed from anywhere.
• External Storage Solutions: This enables you to store footage on an external hard drive, NAS, or personal computer.

What are the legal requirements for retaining security camera footage?

Certain industries have legal mandates for footage retention. The video surveillance guidelines in Nova Scotia recommends a maximum retention period of 30 days, unless the recording is used to make a decision that directly affects an individual. In that case, the record must be kept for one year.

The guidelines on the amount of time you can keep the security camera footage depends on why you recorded it in the first place.

For example, if you are using CCTV to deter theft in a car park, you only need to keep the footage for a few days in case a theft is reported.

You should delete any footage that does not show a crime. Some exceptions allow you to keep footage for longer, for example, if the police need it for a criminal investigation.

 Some industries have stricter guidelines compared to others:

• Financial Services: The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) and related regulations from the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) may require financial institutions to retain video footage for specific periods, often ranging from 30 to 90 days.
• Healthcare: The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) doesn’t explicitly address video retention, but regulations around patient privacy may influence storage duration for footage capturing sensitive areas. State laws may require storing video surveillance footage for 30 to 90 days.
• Retail and Hospitality: These industries may face less stringent regulations, but local laws or PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) compliance might influence video retention for areas where payment card transactions occur. Apartment buildings keep the footage for more than a week and up to 1 month.
• Gas stations, convenience stores and pawn shops keep the security footage from one week up to 3 months.

Security Camera Footage Storage Options:

Choosing the right storage solution for your security camera footage depends on your specific needs. Here’s a breakdown of the three main options:

Storage Option	Advantages	Disadvantages	Examples
On-Camera Storage	Good for small amounts of footage  No internet connection needed	Limited storage capacityUnreliable storage Formatting requirements	SD cards MicroSD cards
Local Storage	More storage capacity Avoids recurring costs Security control	Requires additional equipment  Backup responsibility	Hard Disk Drives (HDD), Solid State Drives (SSD), Network Attached Storage (NAS),  DVRs (Digital Video Recorders) , NVRs (Network Video Recorders), VMS (Video Management Systems).
Cloud Storage	Scalable storage Remote access Disaster recovery	Recurring costs  Reliant on internet connection	Cloud storage services (e.g., Dropbox, Amazon S3, Google Drive)

Here’s a general rule:

Smaller Storage: Expect shorter retention periods (a week or less).

Larger Storage: Allows for longer retention periods (months or even a year).

Surveillance storage calculator:

While choosing storage for your security camera footage, calculating the required space is crucial. Thankfully, many helpful apps including a surveillance storage calculator, simplify this process..

By entering the number of cameras, recording duration (days), and daily recording hours, you can estimate the storage needs.

This information empowers you to select the storage option that maximizes your security camera footage retention, ensuring you have vital recordings when needed.

Image courtesy of Seagate.

Factors Affecting Security Camera Footage Retention:

Image quality: 

Image quality refers to the level of detail and clarity captured in the video. This directly relates to the recording resolution. Here’s a breakdown of how image quality affects retention:

Impact on Retention:

• Higher Image Quality (Higher Resolution):
  
  • Offers sharper images with more details, allowing for better identification of objects and people.
  • However, it creates large video files due to the increased amount of data captured.
  • This translates to shorter retention periods for a given storage capacity.

• Lower Image Quality (Lower Resolution):
  
  • Might be sufficient for general surveillance purposes, allowing for identification of shapes and movement patterns.
  • Creates smaller video files due to less data captured.
  • Enables longer retention periods for the same storage capacity.

Recording Resolution and Frame Rate:

These two settings are crucial factors influencing how much storage space your security camera footage consumes and therefore, how long you can retain it.

Let’s break them down individually:

• Recording Resolution: Refers to the number of pixels captured in an image. Higher resolutions (like HD, 4K) provide sharper, clearer images but create larger video files. For example, a 4K resolution video file will require significantly more storage space compared to a standard definition (SD) video file.
• Frame Rate: Indicates the number of images (frames) captured per second. Higher frame rates (e.g., 30fps, 60fps) provide smoother video playback, especially for fast-moving objects. However, a higher frame rate also translates to larger video files.

Impact on Retention:

• Higher Resolution and Frame Rate: These settings create larger video files, shortening the retention period for a given storage capacity. You might only be able to store footage for a few days or a week.
• Lower Resolution and Frame Rate: These settings create smaller video files, allowing for longer retention periods. You might be able to store footage for several weeks or even months with a large enough storage device.

Here’s a table summarizing the impact:

Resolution & Frame Rate	Video File Size	Retention Period (with same storage)
High	Large	Shorter
Low	Small	Longer

Recording Schedule:

The way you choose to record footage also influences retention. Here are two common recording options:

• Continuous Recording: The camera captures video constantly, regardless of activity. This consumes the most storage space and offers the most complete footage record, but with the shortest retention period for a given storage capacity.
• Motion-Activated Recording: The camera only records when it detects movement, significantly reducing storage needs. This allows for longer retention periods compared to continuous recording. However, you might miss footage between motion events.

How to balance security camera storage and video footage  retention:

Now we will discuss how you can keep your security camera footage longer. There’s a constant balancing act between maximizing storage capacity and desired footage retention. Here are some strategies:

Prioritize Motion Detection:

This significantly reduces storage needs while capturing key events, allowing for longer retention with limited storage.

Calibrate Resolution:

Higher resolutions create bigger video files. Adjusting video resolution settings to a balance between detail and storage usage can extend retention periods.

Schedule Footage Exports:

Regularly export critical footage for long-term archiving to an external drive or a separate cloud storage plan, freeing up space on your primary storage for newer recordings.

Encoding Type: 

The encoding type supported by your camera and NVR also affects footage retention. Choosing an efficient encoding type like H.265 maximizes storage space without compromising video quality.

Since H.265 uses half the bitrate, it allows you to retain twice as much footage on the same size hard drive!

RAID Technology for Redundancy:

RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) is a storage technology that uses multiple hard drives to mirror or stripe data across them, providing redundancy in case one drive fails.

While RAID helps prevent data loss from single drive failures, it doesn’t offer complete protection against all scenarios, such as multiple drive failures or physical damage.

Cloud Storage: 

Cloud storage allows footage to be stored on remote servers accessed via the internet. It is accessible from anywhere with an internet connection.

It also offers redundancy and protection against local disasters (fire, theft).

Cloud-based video surveillance systems can significantly impact how long security cameras keep footage. Here’s a breakdown of the key influences:

Impact on Retention:

• Increased Flexibility: Cloud storage offers scalability. You can choose a plan with more storage space, allowing you to retain footage for longer durations compared to limited local storage on NVRs or hard drives.
• Cost Considerations: However, cloud storage often involves recurring fees based on storage space and recording length. You might need to balance your desired retention period with your budget. Some providers offer tiered plans with different storage options.
• Archiving Options: Some cloud services provide archiving options for older footage. This archived footage might be stored at a lower resolution or have limited accessibility to save costs.

Cloud storage doesn’t replace local storage:

• Local recording still happens: Even with cloud storage, your cameras will likely record footage locally first. This local storage acts as a buffer before uploading to the cloud.
• Local retention: The retention period for local storage might still be limited depending on your storage capacity. This local footage can then be uploaded to the cloud based on your settings (continuously, scheduled uploads, etc.).

Benefits for Retention:

• Offsite Backup: Cloud storage offers redundancy and disaster recovery. If your local storage fails, you might still have footage saved in the cloud.
• Remote Access: Cloud storage allows you to access and manage recordings from anywhere with an internet connection. This can be helpful for reviewing footage or managing retention policies remotely.

Here’s a table summarizing the impact:

Factor	Local Storage Only	Cloud Storage with Local Recording
Retention Flexibility	Limited by storage capacity	More flexible, can be extended with additional storage
Cost	No recurring fees (besides initial hardware)	Recurring fees based on storage and recording length
Archiving	Not typically available	May be available for older footage at a lower resolution or with limited access
Local Retention	Still affects initial retention before upload	Can be independent of cloud storage retention period
Redundancy	Vulnerable to local storage failures	Offers redundancy and disaster recovery
Remote Access	Limited to accessing local storage device	Allows access and management from anywhere with internet

Conclusion: 

Security camera footage retention depends on storage space, recording schedule, and video quality settings. To maximize retention, prioritize motion detection, adjust resolution, and consider exporting critical footage. 

Cloud storage offers greater flexibility and redundancy, but comes with costs. Understanding retention and implementing these strategies ensures you have the footage you need, when you need it.

Contact us today for a customized security solution for your business.