Filming only your own property is not "automatically allowed" — what counts is the why, not the where.

Updated July 2026

📹 Can I film my house with security cameras?

With conditions

Quick answer

Only under conditions — and "I only film my own property" will not save you. According to the Data Protection Office, fixed cameras for the purpose of security, protection of property or securing evidence do not fall under the household exemption — not even when they capture only your garden. What matters is the purpose: "it is about the why, not the where." With that, GDPR and the Data Protection Act (DSG, LR 235.1) apply. You need a demonstrable legitimate interest (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR) — a mere feeling of security is not enough — and a notice sign (Art. 13 GDPR). The myth: "On my own ground I may film whatever I want." Wrong. You may capture neither public space nor the neighbouring property.

📋 The rules

Purpose beats place: fixed cameras for security, protection of property or securing evidence are, per the Data Protection Office, never covered by the household exemption — even if they film only your own plot. This follows from the CJEU Ryneš judgment and applies equally to wall, fence and post cameras.
Legitimate interest with proof (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR): the camera is admissible only with a demonstrable, actual threat; a subjective feeling of security is expressly not enough. On top comes the balancing of interests with the rights of those filmed.
Taboo zones and other people: public space (street, pavement) and the neighbouring property must not be in the frame; intimate areas certainly not. Staff and tradespeople must not be monitored — one cannot even consent to this monitoring, says the Data Protection Office.
Notification only for public space (Art. 5 DSG): if the system captures publicly accessible space, it must be notified free of charge before commissioning; an intentional breach costs up to CHF 5,000 (Art. 5 para. 8 DSG). Purely private residential property is, per the Data Protection Office, not publicly accessible.
Personality protection and surveillance pressure (PGR Art. 38 ff.): even a compliant camera can be a violation of personality if it creates surveillance pressure — critical for dome cameras or dummies. This is pursued by private action; recordings must also be deleted after a few days (Art. 5 para. 6 DSG).

🔓 Exceptions

The genuine household exemption: recordings of a family or barbecue party that are not published do not fall under data protection law. But as soon as security or securing evidence is the purpose, this exemption is gone — even for the camera on your own house wall.
Pure residential house without public space: a single- or multi-family house serving only as a private retreat is, per the Data Protection Office, not publicly accessible — then the notification duty falls away. If a part is used commercially (practice, law office), that tips over.
Swiss data protection law does not apply here: the revised Swiss DSG has no general notification duty for private cameras. The Liechtenstein DSG keeps the notification duty in Art. 5 — the same statute name, a different regime.

⚠️ Penalties & fines

Anyone who does not notify a notifiable camera (public space) is fined by the Data Protection Office up to CHF 5,000 (Art. 5 para. 8 DSG). Unlawful processing — such as filming the street or the neighbouring property — can additionally trigger GDPR fines. Those affected can lodge a complaint with the Data Protection Office and take the private-action route under PGR Art. 38 ff.: injunction, removal and destruction of the recordings, damages and satisfaction. If the camera also records sound, the Secret Sphere Act and § 120 StGB come on top. Not obvious: recordings for the purpose of evidence are precisely not purely personal — their publication needs its own legal basis, and even a dummy camera can be unlawful.

📎 Official sources

Last verified: 2026-07-12

❓ Frequently asked

May I set up a camera that films only my own property?

Yes, but it still falls under GDPR and the DSG, because the security purpose excludes the household exemption. What matters is the why, not the where — public space and the neighbouring property must never be in the frame anyway.

Do I have to notify my camera to the Data Protection Office?

Only if it captures publicly accessible space such as a street or pavement is a notification required before commissioning. A pure residential house counts as not publicly accessible, but an intentional notification breach costs up to CHF 5000.

Is my feeling of security enough as a justification?

No, the Data Protection Office requires a demonstrable, actual threat that goes beyond the general risk of life. A merely subjective need for security is expressly not enough for a permanent video surveillance.

Is a dummy camera legally harmless?

A dummy processes no data and therefore does not fall under the DSG. It can, however, still create surveillance pressure and thus amount to a violation of personality under PGR Art. 38 ff., pursued in civil proceedings.

Does Swiss data protection law apply here?

No, the revised Swiss DSG has no general notification duty for private cameras. The Liechtenstein DSG keeps this notification duty in Art. 5, so the same statute name conceals a different regime that you must observe here.

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