Compliance guide · Law 61/2015 · MOI Decision 5003/2015
Kuwait CCTV Requirements for Businesses — the Official Spec, Explained
Every commercial establishment in Kuwait must install surveillance cameras under Law No. 61 of 2015 — and the system must meet the technical specifications of Ministerial Decision No. 5003 of 2015. This guide explains the entire official spec in plain language: the 120-day recording rule, camera requirements, storage limits, UPS backup, and what inspectors expect.
Quick answer
Kuwait law requires business CCTV to record all cameras for at least 120 days at maximum resolution, 15 fps, at 50% motion — with ONVIF/PoE IP cameras (indoor IR ≥20 m; outdoor IP66 with IR ≥30 m), a maximum of 64 cameras per NVR, tamper-proof footage export for court, UPS backup with 30-minute battery plus 30% spare capacity, and outdoor equipment rated −5°C to +60°C. The Ministry of Interior determines camera positions and counts, and owners are legally obliged to maintain the system continuously.
What the decision says (Articles 1–4)
Issued by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior on 15 November 2015, under Law No. 61 of 2015 on regulating the installation of security surveillance cameras and devices.
Article 1
The technical specifications for security surveillance cameras and devices attached to the decision are in force.
Article 2
The competent authority at the Ministry of Interior determines the locations, points, and number of surveillance cameras and devices.
Article 3
Owners of establishments and those responsible for managing them must maintain and update surveillance cameras and devices periodically and continuously, to guarantee proper performance and ongoing conformity with the technical specifications.
Article 4
The Undersecretary implements the decision, effective from its publication in the Official Gazette (issued 15 November 2015).
The technical specification, section by section
The attached specification covers eleven areas. Here is each one, exactly as required — the same checklist we design against on every project.
1. Indoor fixed cameras
- 3MP @ 20fps, or 2MP @ 25fps, supporting H.264 @ 25fps
- Dual codec H.264 & MJPEG, configurable per stream
- 3MP CMOS progressive-scan sensor; vari-focal 2.7–12 mm lens per site condition
- Wide Dynamic Range up to 120dB; noise reduction; true day/night with IR-cut filter
- Privacy masking and motion detection; multiple lower-resolution output streams
- 100 Mbps LAN, ONVIF compliant, PoE as primary power
- Dome housing; built-in IR with minimum 20 m range for full darkness
2. Outdoor fixed cameras
- Same resolution/codec baseline as indoor (3MP @ 20fps / 2MP @ 25fps)
- Dual streaming; image enhancement; auto gain and white balance
- ONVIF compliant; PoE as primary power
- Weatherproof IP66 housing with easy servicing
- IR (built-in or separate) with minimum 30 m range, IP66-rated
3. Speed dome (PTZ) cameras — indoor/outdoor
- 2MP @ 25fps, CMOS progressive scan, 360° continuous pan
- 30x optical zoom (4.3–129 mm) + 10x digital
- Low-light with IR-cut filter and WDR; IR range minimum 100 m
- RS-422 PTZ data; OSD showing camera ID and PTZ coordinates
- Concealed cable entry within bracket/pole; ONVIF; IP66 dome for outdoor
4. Video management software (VMS)
- Open IP-based platform — managing, streaming, switching, recording
- Modular; unlimited video streams across the network
- Gigabit backbone integration with multicast and QoS
- Dynamic bandwidth control, resilience, and redundancy
- Remote real-time monitoring for diagnostics and maintenance
- Public/private video switching for restricted-area cameras
5. NVR / server & storage — the 120-day rule
- All cameras recorded for minimum 120 days @ maximum resolution @ 15 fps @ 50% motion
- Maximum 64 cameras (at 3MP) per NVR/server
- Export to open formats (AVI, MOV, MKV) playable on standard players
- Authentication/validity check of exported footage — proof recordings are untampered, for court
- Alarm and event-triggered recording; synchronized multi-recorder playback
- Storage access over minimum 10 Gigabit Ethernet; central management server
- 99.9% availability; automatic health alerts to the administrator by Email or SMS
6–7. Monitors & client workstations
- High-resolution LCD/LED monitors, 24/7-rated, minimum 24 inches
- Workstation per manufacturer spec, with GIS map presentation of cameras
- CCTV keyboard and joystick support for operators; PTZ presets
- Password-protected access based on user rights; DVD-format export
- Multi-vendor IP device support
8–9. Network switches & control room
- Core switch design; edge switches minimum 1 Gigabit (8/12/16/24 port per design)
- Minimum 10 Gigabit uplinks to control room when the system has 50+ cameras
- Control console for 24/7 monitoring of CCTV and intrusion alarms
- Rack-mounted equipment with quick-disconnect, serviceable modules
10. UPS power backup
- Entire security system powered from UPS
- Half-hour battery backup plus minimum 30% spare capacity
- UPS bridges MEW outages until generator power stabilizes
11. Environmental spec (Kuwait climate)
- Outdoor components: −5°C to +60°C operating range
- Indoor components: 0°C to +40°C
- Humidity: 10%–95% non-condensing
How UltraTech delivers a compliant system
We install CCTV across Kuwait for shops, offices, warehouses, schools, and industrial sites — designed against Decision 5003/2015 from the first survey, not patched after a failed inspection.
Storage sized to the official formula
120 days @ max resolution @ 15 fps @ 50% motion, calculated per camera before quoting — plus RAID overhead and disk-health monitoring.
Spec-compliant equipment only
ONVIF, PoE, WDR, IR ranges, and IP66 outdoor housings from Hikvision, Dahua, Hanwha Vision, Axis, Uniview and others — matched to Kuwait's −5°C to +60°C requirement.
Court-ready export & documentation
Authenticated, tamper-evident footage export configured and demonstrated at handover, with an as-built pack that doubles as your inspection evidence.
UPS & maintenance built in
30-minute UPS backup with 30% spare capacity per the spec, and AMC plans with service records that satisfy the Article 3 continuous-maintenance obligation.
Frequently asked questions
What is Ministerial Decision 5003 of 2015?
It is the Kuwait Ministry of Interior decision (issued 15 November 2015) that defines the mandatory technical specifications for security surveillance cameras and devices required under Law No. 61 of 2015. It covers camera specs, recording retention, storage, monitors, workstations, network switches, control rooms, UPS backup, and environmental ratings.
How long must CCTV footage be kept in Kuwait?
A minimum of 120 days, recorded at maximum resolution, 15 frames per second, calculated at 50% motion — as stated in section 5 of Decision 5003/2015. Storage must be sized so this is always true, and exported footage must carry authentication proof for court admissibility.
Who decides where cameras must be placed?
Article 2 of the decision assigns the competent MOI authority the power to determine the locations, points, and number of cameras for an establishment. A professional integrator designs the layout to satisfy those requirements the first time.
Is maintenance legally required after installation?
Yes. Article 3 obliges establishment owners and managers to maintain and update their surveillance systems periodically and continuously so they remain conformant with the technical specifications. An annual maintenance contract (AMC) with service records is the practical way to evidence this.
Does my old analog CCTV system comply?
Most legacy analog systems fail multiple requirements — resolution, ONVIF, PoE, authenticated export, and the 120-day retention formula. We assess existing systems against the spec and, where possible, migrate in phases rather than replacing everything at once.
Where can I read the original decision?
The original Arabic decree with the English technical specification is available as a PDF on this page, as published. UltraTech provides it for reference; always confirm current requirements with the Ministry of Interior for your specific activity.
This guide summarizes Ministerial Decision No. 5003 of 2015 for general information and is not legal advice. Requirements and inspection practices may be updated — confirm current details with the Ministry of Interior or during our free site survey.