Jersey City, NJ Privacy & Surveillance: Security Camera Rules (2026)

Adopted by Ordinance No. A. 1 establishes a purely voluntary registry of 'private outdoor video surveillance cameras', any device installed outside a residence or business that captures footage of the surrounding area for security purposes. A registrant fills out a form approved by the Chief of Police listing the owner's name and current contact information, the street address where the camera sits, how many cameras are installed, which outdoor areas each one records, and how and for how long the footage is saved. The Chief of Police can require any additional information the registry form calls for.

Registering is explicitly optional: the section states registration 'is not required' and 'does not constitute a waiver of any rights' under the federal or state constitutions. A. 47:1A-1 and 47:1A-5, and cannot be obtained by any person, entity, or agency without a grand-jury subpoena or a criminal court order. Jersey City Police, or any other state, county, or municipal agency, may contact a registrant to request footage that could help an investigation, but a registrant is never required to hand over footage unless a separate legal requirement compels it.

There's no registration fee, and a registrant can update or remove their information at any time by writing to the Chief of Police, who is also directed to periodically verify and refresh registry entries.