Can I have a camera on my house that films the street?
Your own land only — otherwise the household exemption falls away. If the camera films only private space — the inside of the house or an enclosed yard — it is generally treated as a household activity and GDPR does not apply, provided you do not publish the footage and the camera does not capture anything beyond your boundary. The moment the recording reaches, even partially, the street or a neighbour's land, the household exemption falls away and you must satisfy the whole of GDPR: a lawful basis, an information sign, and a limited retention period. Under the data protection authority's practice and EDPB Guidelines 3/2019, the standard accepted maximum retention is 72 hours.
📋 The rules
- The camera may film only your own land — yard or interior
- That counts as a household activity; GDPR does not apply
- If it catches the street or a neighbour: the exemption falls
- You then need an information sign under Art. 13 GDPR
- Retention of footage: normally at most 72 hours
🔓 Exceptions
- Filming a neighbour's yard is a serious invasion of privacy and needs their consent
- Retention beyond 72 hours requires written justification (a proportionality test)
- The sign must state the purpose, the controller, the retention period and data subjects' rights
⚠️ Penalties & fines
If the camera reaches public space, you become a controller under GDPR with all the duties that follow — and the authority really does impose fines, on individuals too. In practice, sanctions have fallen for excessive retention: one company was fined over a 7-day recording, and in another case a €300 fine was imposed for keeping footage 14 days — against the standard accepted limit of 72 hours. A missing information sign is a separate breach of Art. 13 GDPR. Filming a neighbour's yard is, moreover, a serious invasion of privacy and without their consent you have no right to do it — they can also sue.
📎 Official sources
- Office for Personal Data Protection of the Slovak Republic →
- EDPB · Guidelines 3/2019 on processing through video devices →
- GDPR · Regulation (EU) 2016/679 →
❓ Frequently asked
Can I film the street outside my house?
Not without consequences. The moment the recording reaches the street, even partially, the household exemption falls away and you must satisfy the whole of GDPR — a lawful basis, an information sign and limited retention.
When does GDPR not apply?
Where the camera films only private space — the inside of the house or an enclosed yard — and you do not publish the footage. That counts as a household activity and the GDPR duties do not fall on you.
How long may I keep the footage?
Under the authority's practice and EDPB Guidelines 3/2019, the standard accepted maximum is 72 hours. Keeping it longer requires written justification and a proportionality test.
Do I need an information sign?
Yes, if the camera films public or shared space. The sign must state the purpose of the monitoring, the controller, the retention period of the footage and the rights of the people filmed.
My neighbour films my yard — what can I do?
Filming your land is a serious invasion of privacy and without your consent your neighbour has no right to do it. You can complain to the data protection authority and also bring a civil claim.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
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