Are Dash Cams Legal in the UK?

How we research

Yes. The RAC says dash cams are legal to install throughout the UK, with some restrictions [1]. The rules that matter are where you fix the camera, not touching it while you drive, telling passengers, and what you do with the footage afterwards. This guide sets out each one, with the source. It is guidance, not legal advice.

Last updated: 19 October 2026

Where to fix it

The RAC says a dash cam must be fixed behind the rear-view mirror so that it does not obstruct your view, and that most attach with double-sided tape or suction cups [1]. Regulation 30 of the Construction and Use Regulations requires a motor vehicle to be built so that the driver can at all times have a full view of the road and traffic ahead [2]. That is a rule about the vehicle, so it is a reason to keep anything you add out of your line of sight, not a rule that names dash cams.

Using it while you drive

The RAC says it is illegal to interact with a dash cam while you are driving, including at red lights, and gives the penalty as a £100 fine and three penalty points [1]. Its advice is to park and stop before touching the device [1]. Set the camera up and start recording before you set off.

Passengers

The RAC says you must tell all passengers that a dash cam is in operation, and it flags this for taxi and ride-hailing drivers and driving instructors [1]. We could not find an official source that sets out how to tell them.

Using the footage

  • Police. Nextbase runs a free National Dash Cam Safety Portal that sends footage to a police force you choose. It accepts road offences such as mobile phone use, careless driving and traffic light contraventions, as long as the offence is clearly visible. You supply an unedited, uncompressed copy of the original file, the police do not take your device, and you complete a witness statement online [3]. Nextbase says most road traffic offences have a six-month prosecution limit, so submit as soon as you can [3].
  • Insurers. The RAC says footage can show the police or your insurer exactly what happened and can help show a third party was at fault [1]. It also says a dash cam will not give you control over your premium the way a black box does, so check with your insurer [1].
  • Social media. The ICO advises protecting recordings so that they do not end up on social media [4]. Nextbase says footage already posted on social media should be removed before you submit it [3].

If you use one for work

The ICO’s guidance is aimed at small businesses, and it says [4]:

  • You can use a camera in a business vehicle if you can justify it.
  • Tell people they are being recorded and why. For customers in or near the vehicle, display a sign and point them to your privacy notice.
  • Switch audio off by default and use it only in exceptional circumstances, such as a threat to personal safety.
  • If there is no accident and no other reason to keep the footage, delete it after about a week.
  • Most small businesses pay a data protection fee of £52 a year.
  • If business vehicles are used for personal journeys, switch the cameras off outside working hours.

The ICO says its guidance is under review and may change [4]. We could not find an official source on how data protection law applies to a private driver who only uses footage for their own insurance or police report, so check the ICO’s current guidance if you are unsure.

Parking mode and power

The RAC says most dash cams plug into the 12 V socket. Parking mode, or switching on and off with the engine, needs the camera hardwired to the fuse box, which the RAC recommends leaving to a professional [1]. It says dash cams use little power and should make little difference to a healthy battery [1].

Questions people ask

The sources we opened do not address this directly. The ICO’s guidance covers businesses using dash cams and says to tell people they are being recorded [4]. For a private driver, check the ICO’s current guidance.

Can I use dash cam footage in court or for a claim?

The RAC says footage can help show the police or your insurer what happened [1]. We could not find a source on how a court treats it, so ask your insurer or a solicitor.

Can I report a dangerous driver with my footage?

Nextbase’s portal lets you send footage to a police force you choose, for offences clearly visible on video [3]. Other offences should be reported on 101, or to the local authority for parking [3].

Does a dash cam lower my insurance?

Not by itself. The RAC says it will not give you control over your premium and that you should check with your provider [1].

Sources

  1. Dash cam guide: installation and insurance, RAC Drive. Published 17 May 2023, rac.co.uk. Checked 19 October 2026.
  2. The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, regulation 30, legislation.gov.uk. Checked 19 October 2026.
  3. National dash cam safety portal, Nextbase, nextbase.co.uk. The page shows no date. Checked 19 October 2026.
  4. Dashcams and UK GDPR: what small businesses need to know, Information Commissioner’s Office, ico.org.uk. Guidance under review. Checked 19 October 2026.