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Choosing a dash cam in the UK: coverage, night footage, parking mode and where to mount it

Start with what you need to record: the road ahead, the rear as well, or the inside of the car. Then decide on resolution, whether you need parking mode (which usually means a hardwire kit) and GPS. This guide also covers where to mount a dash cam without blocking your view, what the ICO says about work vehicles, and how to send footage to the police.

SellPix editors9 min readUpdated October 10, 2026

Quick answer: Most drivers need a front camera with GPS; add a rear camera if you are worried about being hit from behind, and a cabin camera only if you carry passengers for work. A 1080p camera covers everyday commuting, while 4K helps read number plates at a distance. If you park on the street and want it to record when someone knocks the car, budget for parking mode, which usually means a hardwire kit. Mount it behind the rear-view mirror so it does not obstruct your view of the road.

Choosing a dash cam in the UK – Original editorial graphic · not a product photograph

1. Decide what you need to record

Front only. Covers the most common disputes: who pulled out, who braked, what the lights showed. It is the simplest to fit, and the cheapest.

Front and rear. A rear camera records the car behind you, which matters in a rear-end shunt where the other driver claims you reversed or braked sharply. Some front cameras accept a clip-on rear module later; others come as a two-camera kit.

Front, cabin and rear. A third camera faces into the car. That is mainly for taxi and private hire drivers who want a record of passengers. It also changes your legal position: the ICO says a dashcam used for work is not domestic, so the business must normally register and pay the data protection fee (see below).

2. Resolution and night footage

Higher resolution helps you read detail such as number plates further away, but it fills memory cards faster. A 1080p camera such as the Nextbase 322GW is enough for many commuters; 4K front cameras such as the 70mai A810S and Vantrue N4 Pro aim at better detail and use Sony STARVIS 2 sensors that their makers pitch at low-light performance. Treat makers' night-vision claims as claims: a lens and sensor only help if the windscreen in front of them is clean.

Use the memory card the maker recommends. Nextbase, for example, says an SD card designed for dash cam use is recommended for the 322GW, because the camera writes continuously and overwrites old footage in a loop.

3. Parking mode and hardwiring

Parking mode records when the car is bumped or, on some cameras, when motion is detected while you are away. A camera plugged into the 12 V socket usually loses power when the ignition is off, so most makers need a hardwire kit connected to the fuse box for full parking surveillance. 70mai says all A810S parking features require its hardwire kit, and the Vantrue N4 Pro listing says its 24/7 parking mode is available after a hardwire kit is installed. If you are not confident with car electrics, have it fitted.

4. GPS, app and emergency features

GPS adds speed and location to each recording, which helps show where and how fast you were travelling. An app over Wi-Fi lets you copy a clip to your phone at the roadside instead of removing the card. Nextbase's 322GW adds an Emergency SOS feature that, according to the listing, can alert emergency services to your location after a crash.

5. Where to mount it

There is no single legal measurement to quote, but the MOT inspection manual shows how seriously the view through the windscreen is treated. It treats an obstruction that significantly affects the driver's view of the road through the swept area of the windscreen as a major defect, and says testers can remove items such as a sat nav that obstruct the driver's view of the road. It also defines zone A, a 290mm-wide area of the swept area centred on the steering wheel, where even small windscreen damage is checked.

The practical answer is to mount the camera high and central, tucked behind the rear-view mirror, within the area cleared by the wipers so it can see in rain, and to route the cable along the headlining and pillar trim rather than across your view.

Five-step decision checklist for choosing a dash cam

Recording, privacy and the ICO

For a private car used only for personal journeys, the ICO's data protection fee self-assessment says to answer "no" to the CCTV question if you use CCTV for domestic reasons only. If the dashcam is used for work, or for both work and domestic purposes, the ICO treats it as work use.

For business vehicles, the ICO's guidance for small businesses says the business must register and pay the data protection fee, be upfront that it is recording (which can be as simple as a sticker on the vehicle), keep audio off by default and use it only in exceptional circumstances, and not hold footage longer than needed; if there has been no accident or other reason to keep it, deleting after about a week is probably appropriate. If you share or post footage of other people, think carefully: the ICO notes that people captured on camera have rights, including asking for copies of their data.

Sending footage to the police

Nextbase runs the National Dash Cam Safety Portal, which lets you choose the police force area where an incident happened, upload footage from any brand of dash cam, action camera or phone, and complete a witness statement online. Its page notes that police will not respond to every upload, that most road traffic offences generally have a six-month prosecution time limit, and that some require the driver or keeper to be notified within 14 days if possible, so submit promptly. Keep the original, unedited file safely, because police may ask for it, and take the footage down from social media if you have posted it. You can also contact the force directly instead.

Buying decision

Choose the Nextbase 322GW if you mainly commute and want a straightforward 1080p front camera with GPS, Wi-Fi, a touch screen and the option of adding Nextbase's rear-window module later. Choose the 70mai A810S (front and rear set) if you want 4K at the front plus a 1080p rear camera, and you are willing to hardwire it for parking mode. Choose the Vantrue N4 Pro if you drive a taxi or private hire vehicle and need front, cabin and rear coverage; remember the ICO's rules for work use. Skip a cabin camera altogether if you only drive for yourself.

Nextbase 322GW 70mai A810S (front and rear) Vantrue N4 Pro
Cameras Front; rear module optional Front and rear in this set Front, cabin and rear
Front resolution 1080p 4K (3840 x 2160) 4K
Other cameras Rear-window module sold separately Rear 1080p Cabin 1080p, rear 1080p
GPS Yes Yes Yes, in the mount
Parking mode Intelligent Parking Mode Requires 70mai hardwire kit Requires a hardwire kit
Screen 2.5-inch touch screen 3-inch IPS (maker) Not stated in our sources
Best for Commuters, front-first Street parkers wanting 4K Taxi and private hire

Before you order

  • Check the Nextbase model: Nextbase's own page mentions a newer Gen 2 version of the 322GW, and a front-and-rear kit is sold under a different listing.
  • 70mai sells the A810, A810S and A810 Lite; this link is the A810S front-and-rear set with a memory card. Check the rear camera type in the box.
  • Vantrue also sells the N4 Pro S and N4S; this link is the N4 Pro.
  • Budget for a hardwire kit if you want parking mode, and for professional fitting if needed.
  • Buy a high-endurance memory card in the size the maker supports.

FAQ

Yes, for recording the road. Mount it where it does not obstruct your view: the MOT inspection manual treats a significant obstruction of the view through the windscreen's swept area as a major defect.

Do I need to register my dash cam with the ICO?

Not for purely domestic use, according to the ICO's fee self-assessment. If the dashcam is used for work, including mixed work and personal use, the ICO says the business should register and pay the data protection fee.

Does parking mode drain the car battery?

It needs power while the engine is off, which is why makers usually require a hardwire kit. Check whether the kit you buy has a low-voltage cut-off and follow the maker's instructions.

How do I send dash cam footage to the police?

Use the National Dash Cam Safety Portal or contact the police force where it happened. Submit promptly, keep the original file, and do not post the footage on social media.

Is 4K worth it over 1080p?

If you want a better chance of reading number plates at a distance, it can be. It also uses more storage, so budget for a larger card.

How we researched this

We read the MOT inspection manual's visibility section on GOV.UK, the ICO's dashcam guidance for small businesses and its data protection fee self-assessment, Nextbase's National Dash Cam Safety Portal page and 322GW page, and 70mai's A810 and A810S pages on 10 October 2026, and checked all three Amazon.co.uk listings the same day. Vantrue's own product page was rate-limited when we tried it, so N4 Pro details come from its Amazon.co.uk listing only. We did not fit or drive with these cameras. This is general information, not legal advice. Buying links and any commission relationship are disclosed on this page.

Sources