Ask the camera owner in writing, straight away, to keep the footage: no law sets how long it must be kept, and footage can be deleted routinely. If you can be seen or heard in it, make a subject access request. It is normally free, and the owner should reply within one month, or within three months for complex or numerous requests if they tell you why within the first month. If the footage does not show you, the owner decides whether to release it unless a court orders disclosure, which a solicitor can apply for.
Camera footage can show exactly how an accident happened: a fall in a shop, a collision at a junction, a bus pulling away. The ICO tells operators to keep footage for the shortest period their purpose needs, so the first request should go out quickly and say clearly what to keep.
This guide covers the UK rules for getting footage from shops, councils, transport operators, employers, home cameras and the police, as published by the ICO and on legislation.gov.uk and justice.gov.uk as of 28 September 2026. It is general information, not legal advice. For other evidence, see evidence for a personal injury claim and what to do after an accident.
Act fast: footage may be deleted
The UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 do not set any minimum or maximum period for keeping CCTV footage. The ICO tells operators that the purpose of the system should decide how long they keep footage, that the period should be the shortest one for that purpose, and that they should not keep it for longer than needed. It also warns operators that, where they have set retention periods, footage may be routinely deleted if they take the full month to answer a request, and that it is good practice to prevent the premature deletion of anything a request covers.
So the first step is a short written request, sent the same day if you can, asking the owner to keep the footage. Keep a copy of what you sent and when, and a note of any phone call. If you have your own dashcam or phone footage, save a copy straight away.
To find the owner, look at the signs. The ICO expects signs to be clearly visible and readable, and in its car park example the sign names the organisation running the system and who to contact. For shops and other organisations, the ICO says you can usually find the contact for these requests in the privacy notice or on the website.
If you are in the footage: a subject access request
Footage from which you can be identified is your personal data, and Article 15 of the UK GDPR gives you the right to a copy. The ICO says anyone can make a subject access request without a solicitor, and requests can be made verbally or in writing, although writing gives you a record. It helps to include:
- "subject access request" in the subject line, and the date;
- the date, time and place of the accident and which camera you think recorded it;
- a description of yourself so staff can find you in the footage; and
- how you would like to receive it, for example a digital copy.
A subject access request is normally free. A reasonable fee is allowed only for a manifestly unfounded or excessive request, or for further copies. The owner must reply without undue delay and within one month. If they ask for proof of identity or charge a permitted fee, the month starts when they receive it, and if they reasonably need more details to find the footage, the days until you reply do not count. They can extend by two further months for complex or numerous requests, but must tell you, with reasons, within the first month (UK GDPR Article 12A). The ICO says the extension does not apply to information collected or used for law enforcement, which covers most information collected by the police.
The owner has to give you your own data, not the whole recording, and your copy must not adversely affect the rights and freedoms of others, so other people may be blurred or masked. The owner only has to make a reasonable and proportionate search.
If you are not in the footage
If the camera caught the other vehicle or the hazard but not you, a subject access request does not reach it, because it is not your personal data. The owner can still choose to release it: paragraph 5 of Schedule 2 to the Data Protection Act 2018 allows disclosure where it is necessary for legal proceedings, including prospective proceedings, for obtaining legal advice, or for establishing, exercising or defending legal rights. But the ICO tells operators that decisions about disclosure are theirs, and that they can refuse unless there is an overriding legal obligation, such as a court order.
That is where a solicitor comes in. Before a claim starts, the court can order disclosure by someone likely to be a party to the claim, if the applicant is also likely to be a party and early disclosure is desirable, for example to save costs (CPR 31.16). Once proceedings have started, it can order a non-party, such as a shop that was not involved, to disclose documents that are likely to support the applicant's case or harm another party's case, where that is necessary to dispose fairly of the claim or to save costs (CPR 31.17). For these rules a document means anything in which information of any description is recorded. The general rule is that the applicant pays the other side's costs of the application and of complying with the order (CPR 46.1). See the pre-action protocol guide for the steps before a claim is issued.
Who to ask, by type of camera
Who you write to depends on who runs the camera:
| Camera | Who to ask and what applies |
|---|---|
| Shop, supermarket, car park or other business | The business running the cameras; its privacy notice or website usually gives the contact for these requests |
| Council, bus, train or tram operator | The body's data protection or CCTV request route; a request for your own images is a subject access request, not a freedom of information request |
| Employer, after an accident at work | Your employer's data protection contact; see work accident claims |
| Neighbour's camera or smart doorbell | The owner: if it records beyond their property, data protection law applies and they should be able to respond to a request from people who appear in it |
| Police | The police force: for law enforcement information the right of access is in section 45 of the Data Protection Act 2018, and access can be restricted where necessary and proportionate, for example to avoid prejudicing an investigation |
A doorbell camera facing the street may have recorded a collision or a fall on the pavement. For home cameras, the ICO suggests that in most cases you start by talking or writing to the owner. The planner below gives the reply date and drafts your request.
CCTV request planner and letter builder
Indicative only. It applies UK GDPR Articles 12, 12A and 15, the Data Protection Act 2018 and the ICO's guidance on subject access, time limits and CCTV, with GOV.UK bank holidays, as published on 28 September 2026. It is not legal advice. Nothing you enter leaves your browser.
If they refuse or do not reply
If a month has passed without a reply, the ICO suggests sending a follow-up email or letter. If you get a reply but are unhappy with it, complain to the organisation first, clearly listing what you think is missing, and keep copies of everything. You can then complain to the ICO, which asks you to do so within three months of your last meaningful contact with the organisation. The ICO cannot act as your representative or award compensation. You can also enforce your rights through the courts, and the ICO strongly advises getting independent legal advice first.
For a claim, a refusal is a good reason to involve a solicitor early, so that a disclosure application can be considered before the footage is gone. Tell them exactly what you asked for, when and from whom.
Using the footage in your claim
Keep the copy you receive safe and unedited, note where and when it came from, and give it to your solicitor with the rest of your evidence. Other people in the footage are entitled to privacy too, so share it only with your solicitor, your insurer or the court. See road traffic accident claims, slip and fall claims and supermarket accident claims for how the evidence fits into each type of claim.
Frequently asked questions
Can I request CCTV footage of an accident?
Yes. If you can be seen or heard in the footage, make a subject access request to whoever runs the camera; it is normally free and they should reply within one month. If it does not show you, ask them to keep it and whether they will release it for a claim; a solicitor can ask the court to order disclosure.
How long is CCTV footage kept in the UK?
There is no fixed legal period. The UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 do not set a minimum or maximum, and the ICO tells operators to keep footage for the shortest period their purpose needs, so ask for it to be kept as soon as you can.
How long does an organisation have to send me CCTV footage?
One month from receiving your request, or from receiving any ID or permitted fee they asked for. They can extend by two further months for complex or numerous requests if they tell you, with reasons, within the first month. The extra two months do not apply to law enforcement information, which covers most information collected by the police.
Can I get CCTV footage that shows someone else?
Not through a subject access request, which only covers your own data, and other people in your copy may be blurred. The owner can choose to disclose footage for legal proceedings, but can refuse unless there is an overriding legal obligation, such as a court order.
Do I have to pay for CCTV footage?
Normally no. A reasonable fee is allowed only if a request is manifestly unfounded or excessive, or for further copies, and the month starts when a permitted fee is paid.
Can I get CCTV footage from the police?
You can ask the police for footage of yourself. For law enforcement information the right of access is in section 45 of the Data Protection Act 2018, the two-month extension does not apply, and access can be restricted where necessary, for example to avoid prejudicing an investigation.
Official sources and help
- ICO: getting copies of your information: how to make a subject access request, what to expect and how to complain
- ICO: home CCTV systems: the rules for home cameras and smart doorbells
- legislation.gov.uk: UK GDPR Articles 12, 12A and 15, and the Data Protection Act 2018
- Civil Procedure Rules, Part 31: disclosure before and during proceedings, on justice.gov.uk
Related guides: evidence for a claim, how to request medical records, car park accident claims, bus accident claims and claims against the police.
Official sources used for this guide: ICO: subject access requests; ICO: time limits; ICO: video surveillance guidance; ICO: home CCTV systems; UK GDPR Article 12A; Data Protection Act 2018, Schedule 2, paragraph 5; Civil Procedure Rules, Part 31; Part 46. This guide is general information about the law in the UK, not legal advice; the law can change, so check your own position with a regulated solicitor.