How Long Should You Keep Security Camera Footage?
Most buildings keep footage for 30 days by default. Whether that is enough depends on what you actually need it for -- and most property managers have never thought it through.
Most commercial buildings should keep camera footage for 30 to 90 days. The right number depends on your incident response process, insurance requirements, and local regulations. 30 days is a reasonable starting point, but it is often not enough if you are dealing with a slow-moving dispute or a recurring issue.
Key Takeaways
- 130 days is the common default -- but not always sufficient for disputes, insurance claims, or investigations
- 2Local regulations in NY and NJ may set minimum retention requirements for certain property types
- 3The type of storage (cloud vs. on-site NVR) directly affects how long you can practically keep footage
- 4Higher-risk areas like parking garages and loading docks often need longer retention windows
- 5Your insurance carrier may have specific requirements -- worth checking before you set a policy
Most camera systems ship with a 30-day default. The installer sets it up, the footage rolls over automatically, and nobody thinks about it again until something happens. Then the question becomes: is the footage still there?
Thirty days sounds like a lot until you realize that most disputes -- slip-and-falls, theft investigations, tenant complaints -- surface weeks after the fact. By then, the footage you needed is gone.
Why the default is not always enough
Insurance claims are slow. A tenant falls in your parking lot on March 1st and files a claim in April. If your footage cycles every 30 days, you have nothing to show the adjuster. That is a problem that is entirely avoidable.
The same logic applies to employee disputes, package theft patterns, or ongoing vandalism. If you are trying to prove a pattern of behavior, 30 days of footage rarely tells the full story.
What actually drives the right number
A few things determine how long you should hold footage. First, your property type. Parking garages, loading docks, and lobbies with high foot traffic are higher-risk zones. Those areas typically warrant 60 to 90 days. Interior hallways with low activity can usually get away with less.
Second, your insurance policy. Some carriers will ask about retention periods during underwriting or when you file a claim. If they expect 60 days and you kept 30, that is a gap that can affect your coverage.
Third, your storage setup. On-site NVRs have fixed hard drive capacity. Once the drive fills up, the oldest footage gets overwritten. If you want longer retention, you either need more storage or a cloud system that scales without a cap.
Regulations worth knowing about
New York State and New Jersey do not have a single blanket law that applies to all commercial properties. But specific sectors do have rules. NYC Local Law 147 touches on camera requirements for certain residential buildings. Public housing and Section 8 properties often have their own guidelines. If you manage multiple property types, it is worth verifying what applies to each one.
When we build camera systems for property managers in NYC and NJ, we ask about these requirements upfront so the storage config matches what you actually need -- not just what ships as default.
A practical starting point
For most commercial properties in NY and NJ, 60 days is a reasonable baseline. It covers the window for most insurance claims and gives you room to investigate incidents that surface slowly. Higher-risk zones like parking structures and delivery areas should be set to 90 days if storage allows.
If you are not sure what your current system is set to, that is worth checking today. Most NVR and VMS systems show retention settings in the main dashboard. If you cannot find it, your installer should be able to pull it up in a few minutes.
Your Checklist
- Check your current retention settings in your NVR or VMS dashboard
- Identify your highest-risk camera zones (parking, loading, lobby) and consider 60-90 day retention for those
- Review your insurance policy for any camera footage retention requirements
- Verify whether any regulations apply to your specific property type in NYC or NJ
- Confirm your storage capacity can support your target retention window without looping too early
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Leaving the 30-day default in place without ever reviewing it
Assuming cloud storage means unlimited retention
Not matching retention settings to camera location
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a legal minimum for how long I need to keep camera footage in NYC?
There is no single law that applies to all commercial properties. Requirements vary by property type and use. Certain residential buildings in NYC are subject to Local Law 147. Public housing and federally funded properties may have separate guidelines. Check with your attorney or property manager association if you are unsure what applies to your building.
What happens if I run out of storage on my NVR?
Most NVR systems are set to loop -- when the drive fills up, the oldest footage is automatically overwritten. You will not get a warning. If you want to keep footage for longer, you need to either increase hard drive capacity, reduce the number of cameras recording at high resolution, or switch to a cloud or hybrid storage system.
Can I set different retention periods for different cameras?
Yes. Most commercial VMS platforms let you set retention per camera or per camera group. This is useful if you want longer retention on exterior and parking cameras but shorter retention on low-risk interior areas to manage storage costs.
Does cloud camera storage cost more for longer retention?
Usually yes. Most cloud camera plans are tiered by retention length. 30-day plans are typically the base tier. 60- and 90-day plans cost more. The tradeoff is that cloud storage is offsite and survives if your on-site equipment is stolen or damaged -- which matters in a real incident.
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