NSW Compliance • Strata • CCTV
Installing CCTV in a NSW Strata Building: What Apartment Owners Need to Know
You can install a camera inside your own apartment without permission. But any camera on common property — lobbies, car parks, corridors, lifts — needs an owners corporation special resolution and a specific by-law. NCAT has twice ordered unauthorised cameras removed at the lot owner’s expense. Here’s the full process.
Primary sources: Australian Privacy Principles.
Can a Lot Owner Install a Camera on Their Own Apartment Door?
Inside your own lot: yes. You can install cameras inside your apartment, on your private balcony, and pointing at your own front door (if the door is within your lot boundary) without owners corporation approval. It's your property.
On common property: no. The corridor, lobby, car park entrance, lift lobby, and stairwell are all common property. Installing a camera there — even a small doorbell camera in a shared corridor — requires OC approval because the camera is mounted on and surveils common property.
How to Get Strata Approval for CCTV
Under the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW), installing cameras on common property requires a special resolution passed at a general meeting, plus a specific by-law that governs:
- Where cameras are located
- Who can access footage
- How footage is stored and for how long
- Who is responsible for maintenance
- What signage is required
The process: Draft a motion → circulate to owners → agenda for the next general meeting → vote (special resolution passes if no more than 25% of total vote value votes against) → if passed, register the by-law with NSW Land Registry Services.
Timeline: typically 4–8 weeks from drafting to resolution, depending on the next scheduled general meeting. An extraordinary general meeting can be called specifically for this purpose.
Who Pays for Common Area CCTV?
If the owners corporation approves CCTV on common property, the costs are typically funded from the capital works fund (formerly sinking fund) or the administrative fund, depending on scale:
- Small system (2–4 cameras, lobby + car park): Often approved from the admin fund as a maintenance/safety upgrade
- Large system (8–16 cameras, full building): Usually a capital works fund item requiring specific budgeting
- Individual lot owner request: If one owner wants a camera covering their parking spot, the OC may approve it on the condition that the owner pays the full cost
Ongoing costs (storage, maintenance, monitoring) should be addressed in the by-law so there's no ambiguity about who pays after installation.
Signage Requirements in Strata Buildings
If cameras cover common areas, visible signage must be displayed at every access point to the surveilled area. This is a requirement under both the Surveillance Devices Act 2007 and strata best practice. Standard wording: "CCTV surveillance is in operation on these premises. Images are recorded for security purposes." Your installer should provide compliant signage as part of the installation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I install a camera on my apartment front door in NSW strata?
If the door is within your lot boundary, yes. If the camera mounts on common property (the shared corridor wall or ceiling), you need owners corporation approval. Check your strata plan to confirm where your lot boundary ends and common property begins.
What happens if I install CCTV on strata common property without approval?
The owners corporation can request removal. If you refuse, they can apply to NCAT (NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal) for a removal order. NCAT has twice ordered unauthorised cameras removed at the lot owner's expense. Compliance is cheaper than litigation.
How do I get strata approval for CCTV?
Draft a motion for a special resolution, circulate it to all owners, table it at the next general meeting. The resolution passes if no more than 25% of total vote value votes against. You also need a specific by-law governing camera use, access, and maintenance. Timeline: typically 4–8 weeks.
Who pays for CCTV on strata common property?
Usually the owners corporation, funded from the capital works or administrative fund. If an individual owner requests a camera for their parking spot, the OC may approve it on the condition that the owner pays. Ongoing costs (maintenance, storage) should be addressed in the by-law.
Does strata CCTV need signage?
Yes. Visible signage at every access point to the surveilled area is required. Standard text: 'CCTV surveillance is in operation on these premises. Images are recorded for security purposes.' Your installer should provide compliant signage.
Can strata CCTV record audio?
No — the same NSW Surveillance Devices Act 2007 rules apply. Audio recording without all-party consent is illegal. All strata CCTV must be configured video-only.
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