A question that often comes up: “Can I legally record images in and around my car with a dashcam?” The answer to this question varies quite a bit within Europe. In a number of European countries a dashcam is completely legal, while in some other countries there are somewhat stricter regulations regarding the use of a dashcam. It is useful to know what the regulations in your country say about the use of a dashcam, but of course also what the regulations are in the countries you travel through. In this blog we explain what you should pay attention to when you use a VIOFO dashcam and what you can or cannot do with the images.

Dashcam Legal

We kick off with the countries where you can use a dashcam without or with few restrictions. In countries such as the Netherlands, Spain and Italy it is completely legal to use a dashcam. It is allowed to record images here and also to use them as evidence in a lawsuit. It is therefore always a good idea to install a dashcam in your car to feel safer in traffic.

A complete list of European countries where a dashcam can legally be used without or with few restrictions:

• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Denmark
• Italy
• Malta
• The Netherlands
• Serbia
• Sweden
• Spain
• United Kingdom
• Russia
• Turkey
• Czech Republic
• Romania
• Poland
• Ireland
• Finland
• Slovenia
• Belarus
• Croatia
• Bulgaria
• Latvia
• Georgia
• Armenia

Did you know? There are insurance companies in the United Kingdom that give a 15% discount on car insurance if a dashcam is built in. With the VIOFO T130 3CH record your images of the front, side and back of your car. This way you have images everywhere that the insurance company can use!

Countries with regulations for a dashcam

There are also a number of countries that you should pay attention to when using a dashcam. Some of these have relatively simple regulations that are actually self-evident, but in some countries it is better to be careful that you use a dashcam or its images correctly. We go through a number of countries with the rules they have for using a dashcam or for sharing the images that have been made.

Belgium: In Belgium you can use a dashcam, but you can only share the images you make with the authorities.

France: A dashcam may be used, provided it does not block your view. With the compact design of the VIOFO dashcams, you will never have this problem, because you can always easily hide them behind the rear-view mirror of the car. With the VIOFO A119 Mini Do you have the smallest available dashcam. Images may only be shared with the authorities.

Germany: A dashcam may be used, provided it does not block your view. With the compact design of the VIOFO dashcams, you never have to worry about this, because you can always easily hide them behind the rear-view mirror of the car.

Switzerland: A dashcam may only record for legal purposes.

Dashcam illegal

In two European countries, the use of a dashcam is completely prohibited. If you do use a dashcam or its images and are caught doing so, you can even expect a large fine! In some cases, this buoy can even be above $1000. The countries in which you cannot legally use a dashcam are Portugal in Austria. The reason that a dashcam is not allowed in these countries has mainly to do with the privacy law surrounding filming people in public. If you live in Austria or Portugal or if you drive through it, pay extra attention when using a dashcam!

Is it legal to use a dashcam in your country of residence? Look at here which dashcam is most suitable for you. No rights can be derived from this article. Regulations can change, we recommend that you contact us about the latest rules.

VIOFO Benelux

VIOFO Benelux is the official distributor of high-quality VIOFO dashcams in the Benelux. In addition, we are now active throughout Europe. For years, our dashcams have been the best in the test at various major test platforms such as Dashcamtalk. The VIOFO dashcams are characterized by high quality video resolution, discreet design and premium smart functions. View our complete range now here!