How Long Do Security Cameras Keep Footage? (30, 60, 90 Days)

TL;DR: Cloud-based security cameras typically keep footage for 7 to 30 days before older clips are overwritten, while local storage systems (NVR/DVR with hard drives) can hold 30 to 90 days or more, depending on drive size and resolution. Retention length is set by your storage capacity, video resolution, and whether the camera records continuously or only on motion, not by any fixed industry rule.

_Last reviewed: July 2026 · 7 min read_

You catch a package thief on camera, go to pull the clip three weeks later, and it's gone. That's the most common complaint landlords and homeowners have about security footage, and it almost always comes down to a storage setting nobody checked when the camera was installed.

Okoniq Property Hub logs your camera install dates, storage plan renewals, and firmware updates so you're not guessing when footage might expire or when a subscription needs attention.

How long does cloud storage keep footage?

Most cloud security camera plans keep footage for 7 to 30 days on standard tiers, though some budget plans drop to 3 days and premium tiers stretch to 60 or 180 days. Ring's basic plan holds 180 days of event history at $4.99/month, while Nest Aware's standard tier gives 30 days of event video for $8/month. Wyze's free tier only keeps 14-day event clips, and its paid Cam Plus tier extends that to 60 days.

The catch with cloud storage is that retention is tied directly to your subscription. Cancel the plan, and footage often disappears within days, sometimes immediately. If you're relying on cloud cameras for a rental property, mark renewal dates the same way you'd track a 100 vs 200 amp service upgrade or any other recurring maintenance item, because a lapsed payment means a blind spot exactly when you need footage most.

How long does local storage keep footage?

Local storage on an NVR (network video recorder) or DVR typically holds 30 to 90 days of footage, and sometimes 6 months or more, because it depends entirely on hard drive size rather than a subscription tier. A single 2TB drive can store roughly 30-60 days of continuous 1080p video from one camera, or double that if the system only records on motion detection.

The tradeoff is upfront cost versus ongoing cost. Local systems need a $150-$400 hard drive investment but no monthly fee, while cloud systems have low upfront cost but $60-$100 a year in ongoing subscriptions. For owner-operators managing multiple properties, a local NVR at each property often pencils out cheaper over 3 years than paying per-camera cloud fees at each address.

| | Cloud Storage | Local Storage (NVR/DVR) | |---|---|---| | Typical retention | 7-30 days | 30-90+ days | | Upfront cost | Low ($0-$50) | $150-$400 for drive | | Ongoing cost | $5-$15/month per camera | None after install | | Risk if unpaid/failed | Footage lost fast | Drive failure loses everything | | Access after theft/fire | Safe (offsite) | Vulnerable if drive is stolen |

What actually shortens or extends retention time?

Four settings control how long your footage actually lasts: resolution, frame rate, motion-only recording, and drive/plan size. Recording in 4K instead of 1080p can cut your storage window by 60-75% because the files are that much larger. Continuous recording (24/7) fills a drive far faster than motion-triggered recording, sometimes 5-10x faster, since most footage of an empty driveway or hallway has zero events worth keeping.

Dropping from 30fps to 15fps, or switching a camera to motion-only mode, is the single easiest way to double your retention window without spending anything. If you're running multiple cameras off one system, check your electrical setup can handle it too. Older homes with limited capacity sometimes trip breakers when several cameras, a router, and an NVR share one circuit, similar to how 5 appliances quietly running up your electric bill can overload things you didn't expect.

Do you legally need to keep footage for a set number of days?

There's no federal law requiring a specific retention period for residential security cameras, but state laws and lease agreements can create obligations. If footage becomes evidence in a police report, insurance claim, or tenant dispute, you may need to preserve it beyond your normal retention window, which usually means manually exporting the clip before it auto-deletes. Some states also have two-party consent laws for audio recording (California, Illinois, and Pennsylvania among them), which affects whether audio can be stored at all, separate from video retention length.

For rental properties specifically, some local ordinances require landlords to disclose camera locations to tenants, and a few require written notice before installing cameras in common areas. This isn't a storage-duration issue, but it affects whether footage you're keeping is even legally usable if a dispute goes to court.

What should you do before an incident happens?

Export and back up any footage you might need before it auto-deletes, because most systems don't warn you when a clip is about to be overwritten. Set a recurring reminder to check camera footage weekly if you're managing a rental remotely, and keep a separate backup drive or cloud folder for anything tied to an insurance claim, break-in, or lease violation. If your property's electrical panel is aging, confirm your camera system's power draw won't trip anything; a quick check against signs you still have knob-and-tube wiring is worth doing before adding any new devices to an old circuit.

FAQ

How many days of footage does Ring keep?

Ring's basic plan (Ring Protect Basic) stores 180 days of event history at $4.99/month per camera, while the free tier without a subscription only allows live viewing with no recorded storage at all.

Does Nest delete footage automatically?

Yes. Nest Aware's standard tier keeps 30 days of event video and its higher tier keeps 60 days, after which older footage is automatically overwritten unless you manually download the clip.

Can police request footage after it's deleted?

No, once footage is overwritten it's generally unrecoverable, which is why many police departments ask homeowners to preserve and share clips within 24-48 hours of an incident rather than days later.

Is local storage safer than cloud storage?

It depends on the threat. Local storage keeps footage private and free of subscription risk, but if the physical drive is stolen or damaged in a fire, that footage is gone, while cloud storage survives physical damage to the property.

How much storage do I need for a 4-camera system?

A 4-camera 1080p system recording motion-only typically needs a 2TB-4TB drive for 60-90 days of retention, while 4K continuous recording across 4 cameras can require 8TB or more for the same window.

This is educational information, not legal advice. Consult a local attorney about camera consent laws and footage retention requirements specific to your state and lease agreements.