Windscreen-mounted dashcams: UK vs US vs Germany vs Norway
Two entirely separate bodies of law meet on the windscreen: what may obstruct the driver view, and what may be recorded of people in public.
All four markets reach the same verdict, conditional. What differs is the rule each one uses to get there, which is the third column.
| Market | Verdict | The rule that decides it |
|---|---|---|
United Kingdom DVSA / GOV.UK |
Conditional | Must not obstruct the driver view Mount outside the wiper-swept zone in front of the driver, ideally in the top corner behind the mirror. A camera in the critical vision area fails the test. |
United States EPA, NHTSA and state codes |
Conditional | Windshield obstruction rules set by state Some states permit windshield mounts only within a small defined area. The camera must be securely mounted, must not block the view and must not distract. |
Germany StVZO / KBA |
Conditional | Short looped recording only, not continuous Permanent recording of public space breaches data protection. Footage may serve as evidence after a collision but may not be published, and the mount must not restrict the field of view. |
Norway Statens vegvesen |
Conditional | Legal for personal use, mounted high behind the mirror Publishing footage where people or plates are identifiable needs consent or blurring. Recordings can be handed to police and insurers after an incident. |
The UK and US care about the mount, Germany and Norway also care about the footage. Germany is the only one where continuous unprompted recording is itself the problem.
Why the answers differ
Where can you legally mount a dashcam?
Two unrelated bodies of law meet on the windscreen, and which one dominates tells you a lot about the market. The UK and US regulate the mount: keep it out of the driver's field of view, out of the swept area, securely fixed. Germany and Norway regulate the footage as well, because a camera pointed at a public road records identifiable people and plates. Germany goes furthest, distinguishing short looped recording that continuously overwrites itself, which is acceptable, from permanent unprompted recording of public space, which is not, while still allowing footage to be used as evidence after a collision. Norway lands in a similar place through publication rules rather than recording rules: record for yourself, but blur or get consent before it goes online.
Verdict at a glance
The same four markets, grouped by where they land.
Conditional
ConditionalUnited Kingdom, United States, Germany and Norway. Permitted, but only once the condition in the table above is met.
Sources
Primary legislation and regulator guidance behind each market's verdict.
- UKMOT inspection manual: cars and passenger vehicles (GOV.UK)
- UKRoad Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986
- USVehicle modifications and equipment (NHTSA)
- Germany§ 4 BDSG - Videoüberwachung öffentlich zugänglicher Räume (gesetze-im-internet.de)
- Germany§ 35b StVZO - Einrichtungen zum sicheren Führen der Fahrzeuge, Sichtfeld (gesetze-im-internet.de)
- NorwayKjøretøyforskriften kap. 31 - Vindusruter og sikt (lovdata.no)
- NorwayKameraovervåking - veileder (Datatilsynet)
Other cross-market comparisons
This is a comparison of national rules, not legal advice for your vehicle. Rules change, and the US row in particular summarises federal law where one exists and the common pattern across states where it does not. Confirm the position in your own state or region before you buy or fit anything. Sources last reviewed July 2026.