Cambridge Security Camera Laws

Cambridge Security Camera Laws & Permit Guide (2025)

Installing cameras in Cambridge?
Smart move — but screw up the placement, audio, or signage and you’re risking lawsuits, takedowns, or tenant complaints.

Here’s how to stay 100% legal in homes, rentals, condos, and businesses.


Are Security Cameras Legal in Cambridge?

Yes — if you follow Ontario privacy and placement laws.

Legal When:

  • You install on property you own or lease
  • Cameras do not film public streets or neighboring homes
  • Audio is disclosed or turned off
  • Commercial setups include clear signage
  • Rentals and condos follow consent + board rules

Illegal When:

  • Pointed at sidewalks, driveways, or windows of others
  • Hidden audio recordings without notice
  • Inside tenant units
  • No signs in commercial spaces
  • Unauthorized condo installs

Cambridge Homeowners – What You Can & Can’t Do

You Can Legally Install:

  • Front doors, driveways, backyards
  • Inside your own home
  • Side gates, garages, and yards — as long as they stay on your property line

You Can’t:

  • Record audio without signs
  • Point cameras across your neighbor’s yard
  • Monitor sidewalks, roads, or intersections
  • Mount cameras on shared property lines

Landlords & Rentals – What’s Legal

If you’re a landlord in Cambridge:

  • ✅ You can record shared areas: entrances, driveways, garages
  • ✅ You should provide written tenant disclosure
  • ✅ Audio must be disabled or disclosed with signage
  • ❌ Do not install in private or tenant-exclusive areas
  • ❌ Do not record audio secretly

Pro Tip: We provide landlord-ready consent and signage templates.


Condo Camera Rules in Cambridge

You must get board approval if:

  • Installing on shared exterior walls
  • Aiming at common areas (halls, garages, mailboxes)

You can install privately if:

  • Cameras are inside your owned unit
  • They don’t view common or public shared space
  • You’re not violating neighbor or board rights

👉 We provide board submission plans & mounting diagrams.


Business / Commercial Install Laws in Cambridge

All businesses must:

  • Post clear signage at entrances
  • Avoid cameras in bathrooms, breakrooms, or employee rest zones
  • Disclose audio or disable it
  • Store footage securely with NVR or encrypted cloud
  • Limit access to authorized personnel only

Violations = liability lawsuits, audits, and privacy commissioner action.


Audio Recording Law in Cambridge (Ontario-Wide)

Ontario = One-party consent, but that doesn’t mean “no rules.”

✅ Legal when:

  • You’re part of the recording
  • You disclose it with signage
  • It’s used for safety, not spying

❌ Illegal when:

  • No signs are posted
  • You’re recording guests, employees, or tenants unknowingly
  • Audio is used for discipline or snooping

We’ll configure your system legally — audio off, or signage on. Your choice.


What Happens If You Violate These Laws?

  • 💸 Tenant lawsuits
  • 📣 Privacy Commissioner complaints
  • 🧾 Condo board cease & desist
  • 🚫 Forced takedown of your system
  • ❌ Insurance won’t cover footage if it’s inadmissible

Our Legal Install Guarantee in Cambridge

All of our installs include:

  • 🪧 Legal signage for business, rentals, or shared zones
  • 🛠️ Proper camera angles + blind spot zones
  • 🔇 Audio configured to Ontario law
  • 📄 Disclosure templates (tenant + condo-ready)
  • 🔐 Encrypted NVR/cloud storage & access control

👉 Book a Legal Security Install in Cambridge


Final Word

Most people break the law with cameras — and don’t even know it.
We don’t let that happen. We protect your property and your liability.

📞 Install the right way. We’re fast, legal, and clean.