Can I install security cameras at home that film the yard?
It depends — you can film your own yard and house freely, but the moment a camera catches the street or a neighbour's plot, GDPR kicks in. When a camera watches only your territory, it falls under the GDPR "purely personal or household activity" exemption and data-protection rules barely apply. But, as the EU Court of Justice held in Ryneš (C-212/13), when a camera films a public street, pavement or neighbour's plot, you become a data controller: you must minimise the area watched, put up an information sign and limit how long footage is kept. The popular myth that "cameras must be registered with VDAI" is out of date — registration was abolished in 2018. But the accountability principle applies: a camera pointed at a neighbour's door is already treated as breaching the balance, and in an apartment building's common areas cameras need a majority decision of the flat owners.
📋 The rules
- A camera filming only your plot and house falls under the GDPR "household" exemption — barely any limits
- Capture the street, pavement or neighbour's plot and you become a data controller (Ryneš, C-212/13)
- In that case you need an information sign, must minimise the area watched and limit footage retention
- Cameras in an apartment building's common areas need a majority decision of flat owners (CC 4.85)
- Cameras no longer need registering since 2018 — the old "VDAI permit" rule no longer applies
🔓 Exceptions
- If you film only your own territory, or technically mask the outside area, GDPR requirements do not apply
- Recording audio or watching someone else's territory may require a data-protection impact assessment (DPIA)
- Several neighbours' cameras in a shared area may become joint controllers with shared responsibility
⚠️ Penalties & fines
An individual faces not million-euro fines but a VDAI order and a neighbour's claim. If a camera unlawfully films the street or a neighbour's plot, the State Data Protection Inspectorate (VDAI) can order you to change the camera's direction, reduce the area watched or remove it. Failing to comply with a lawful VDAI order carries, under Article 505 CAO, a fine of €80 to €780 — in practice, an individual has already been fined €400 over home cameras. What people miss: although GDPR allows fines up to €20 million, those "headline" sums apply to companies, not home cameras. A neighbour can also go to court over a privacy breach (CC 2.23) and claim damages for non-pecuniary harm. So the safest course is to point the camera only at your own territory and put up a sign about the surveillance.
📎 Official sources
- VDAI · video data processing recommendation →
- e-seimas · Law on Legal Protection of Personal Data →
- EUR-Lex · GDPR (Regulation 2016/679) →
❓ Frequently asked
Can I film my own yard?
Yes, a camera watching only your plot and house falls under the GDPR household exemption, so data-protection requirements barely apply. This changes once the camera catches the street, pavement or a neighbour's territory — then you become a data controller with extra duties.
Do I have to register cameras with VDAI?
No, since 2018 cameras no longer need registering, as the accountability principle applies rather than prior registration. But that does not mean there are no rules — when filming beyond your own plot you must comply with GDPR duties on notice and data minimisation.
Can I film the street in front of my house?
Filming a public street or a neighbour's plot makes you a data controller and you must reduce the area watched to the necessary minimum. VDAI states that a camera aimed straight at a neighbour's door or windows already upsets the balance of interests, so such surveillance must be limited.
Can there be cameras in an apartment building's stairwell?
Surveillance in an apartment building's common areas, such as a stairwell or yard, needs a majority decision of the flat owners under the Civil Code. Without such a decision the surveillance is unlawful, and a data-protection impact assessment and information signs may also be required.
What is the fine for unlawful filming?
VDAI can first order you to change the camera's direction or remove it, and failing to comply carries an €80–780 fine under Article 505 CAO. In practice, an individual was fined €400 over a home-camera breach, while the million-euro GDPR fines apply to companies, not residents.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
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