Security and smart home

CCTV installation

Fitting cameras and recording. Cameras that see beyond your own property bring data protection duties with them.

Whether this needs a licence in Ireland

Ireland

Licence required

PSA licence (security equipment installer)

PSA licence (security equipment installer), issued or supervised by the Private Security Authority. Ask for the registration number before the work starts and check it on the public register. Check the register: www.psa-gov.ie

Wording approved by Talqero; not yet reviewed by a solicitor

Private Security Authoritywww.psa-gov.ieChecked 14/10/2026

CCTV installation: what the job involves

Fitting cameras around a home with a recorder or cloud storage and phone viewing, sited so they cover your own property. Installers of CCTV in Ireland must be PSA-licensed, and cameras that see beyond your boundary bring data protection duties.

Also asked for as: security cameras for house · home CCTV · camera installer · IP cameras fitted · CCTV with phone app

How the job is usually done

Walk the property with you and agree what each camera must see, keeping views inside your boundary.
Choose camera types, resolution, night vision and recording: local recorder, SD card or cloud.
Run cables, usually network cable with power over ethernet, or position wireless cameras with good Wi-Fi.
Mount cameras, set angles and privacy masks over neighbours’ property and the street.
Set up the recorder, retention period, motion zones and phone app.
Hand over passwords, show how to export footage and explain the data protection basics.

CCTV installation: what is included

Usually included

Cameras, recorder and cabling as quoted
Setting angles, privacy masks and motion zones
Phone app set-up and a handover

Usually not included — agree it separately

New mains circuits for cameras or recorder
Cloud subscription fees
Integration with an alarm unless specified

Materials and who supplies them

Cameras, recorder and hard drive, normally supplied by the installer
Network cable, junction boxes and fixings

How long it takes

A four-camera domestic system usually takes half a day to a day, longer with long cable runs or cameras on outbuildings.

When to book

Fit cameras before long dark evenings, and set them up on a clear day so angles and night vision can be checked after dusk.

CCTV installation: the rules in Ireland

What the official sources say, checked against them on the date shown. A summary, not legal advice — follow the link to read the rule itself.

A contractor who installs or maintains CCTV systems for other people must hold a Private Security Authority licence for that sector. Licences are issued per sector, run for two years, and can be checked on the PSA register.
Applies to: the installer
Private Security Services Act 2004; Private Security Authority · psa-gov.ie · Checked 9 October 2026
The PSA publishes a register of licensed contractors showing each one’s sectors and licence expiry date.
Applies to: the homeowner
Private Security Authority · psa-gov.ie · Checked 9 October 2026
It is an offence to engage an unlicensed contractor to provide a licensable security service; having been shown a valid licence is a defence, so ask to see it before work starts.
Applies to: the homeowner who hires the installer
Private Security Services Act 2004, section 38 · revisedacts.lawreform.ie · Checked 9 October 2026
A home camera or smart doorbell that only records inside the boundary of your own property falls within the household exemption. Once it records a public footpath, the street or a neighbour’s property, the household exemption no longer applies and the owner has data protection duties, so the Data Protection Commission advises privacy masking or re-angling.
Applies to: the homeowner operating the camera
GDPR Article 2(2)(c); Data Protection Commission · dataprotection.ie · Checked 9 October 2026

What cctv installation costs, and why

What jobs on Talqero came to

Not enough comparable jobs yet to publish a range here. Talqero shows a price range only once at least five comparable jobs, agreed prices or offers exist — a range from fewer would describe a handful of jobs, not the market. Post your job and compare the offers you get.

What affects the price

Number of cameras and their resolution and night performance
Cable runs through walls, attics and outside
Recording: recorder and storage size or a cloud plan
Heights and access for mounting
Integration with an alarm or video doorbell
VAT: installation work on a home is charged at the reduced 13.5% rate by a VAT-registered business, unless equipment exceeds two-thirds of the price, when the higher goods rate applies; ask whether the quote includes it
VAT: building work on a home is charged at the reduced rate of 13.5% by a VAT-registered business — unless the materials come to more than two-thirds of the price, when Revenue’s two-thirds rule applies the goods rate to the whole job. Ask whether a quote includes VAT.

Paperwork to ask for at the end

System record with camera positions and recorder settings
Equipment warranties
Admin passwords handed to you, not kept only by the installer

Safety

Change default passwords and keep the recorder’s firmware updated; unprotected cameras can be accessed online.
Use privacy masking for any view of a neighbour’s house or garden.
Posting footage of identifiable people online makes you a data controller with legal duties.

CCTV installation: before you hire

Questions to ask a tradesperson

What is your PSA licence number, and does it cover CCTV?
Will the cameras record only my property, and can you mask the rest?
Who holds the admin password?
How long will footage be kept?

What you can do yourself

A plug-in camera covering your own property is a reasonable DIY job; a paid installer of a CCTV system must hold a PSA licence.

What to put in your task

How many cameras do you think you need?
What do you want covered?
How do you want footage stored?
Wired or wireless cameras?

Photos that help

Each area you want covered, from where a camera could mount
The front of the house showing neighbours and the street
Where a recorder could go near the broadband router

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Questions about cctv installation

Does cctv installation need a licence in Ireland?

Yes. PSA licence (security equipment installer), supervised by the Private Security Authority. Source: www.psa-gov.ie. Ask for the registration number and check it on the public register. Wording approved by Talqero; not yet reviewed by a solicitor.

Can my camera see the street?

If it records the street, a footpath or a neighbour’s property, the household exemption no longer applies and you have data protection duties. The DPC advises privacy masks or re-angling so cameras cover only your property.

Does a CCTV installer need a licence?

Yes. Contractors installing or maintaining CCTV for others must hold a PSA licence for the CCTV sector. Check it on the PSA register before work starts.

Can I watch the cameras on my phone?

Yes, nearly all systems now do. Ask for the app to be set up on each phone and for strong, unique passwords.

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