SAS ITWho Needs to Be SIRA-Compliant?
SIRA (Security Industry Regulatory Agency) compliance is mandatory for businesses in Dubai operating in regulated sectors including hospitality, retail, healthcare, education, and financial services. Non-compliance risks fines and can void insurance claims after incidents.
Step 1: Identify Your SIRA Category
SIRA categorises businesses by risk level (A, B, C). Category A (highest risk — jewellery, banks, hotels) has the strictest requirements.
If you are unsure of your category, check your trade licence sector or contact SIRA directly at www.sira.gov.ae.
Step 2: The 10-Point SIRA Compliance Checklist
Walk your premises with this checklist:
| Check | SIRA Requirement | Your Status |
|---|---|---|
| Camera resolution | Minimum 2MP general, 4MP at entries | Pass / Fail |
| Frame rate | Minimum 15fps | Pass / Fail |
| Storage retention | Minimum 30 days | Pass / Fail |
| NVR location | Locked, secure room | Pass / Fail |
| Coverage — entries | All entry/exit covered, no blind spots | Pass / Fail |
| Coverage — cashier | All POS/cashier points covered | Pass / Fail |
| Remote access | NVR accessible for authority review | Pass / Fail |
| Brand approval | Cameras on SIRA approved list | Pass / Fail |
| Installation certificate | SIRA-licensed installer | Pass / Fail |
| Maintenance record | Annual service log maintained | Pass / Fail |
If you have more than 2 Fail marks, you need remediation before an inspection.
Step 3: Check Your Camera Resolution
Log into your NVR admin panel. Check each camera's stream settings. If any camera shows resolution below 1080p (2MP), it is non-compliant.
Compare your camera model against the SIRA approved product list. Cameras not on the list — even if high resolution — may not be accepted.
Step 4: Check Retention
On the NVR, go to storage settings. Calculate: (number of cameras × GB per day × 30 days). If your hard drive capacity is less than this, you are not achieving 30-day retention.
Most non-compliant systems fail on retention — NVRs installed with 500GB or 1TB drives when 4TB to 6TB is required.
Step 5: Coverage Gaps
Print or photograph your floor plan. Mark each camera and its coverage area. Identify any entry/exit points, cashier stations, or high-value areas without direct coverage.
Step 6: Remediation Priority
| Priority | Issue | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Critical | No coverage of main entry | Install camera immediately |
| Critical | Storage under 30 days | Replace or add HDDs |
| High | Cameras below 2MP | Replace camera heads |
| Medium | Not on approved brand list | Phase replacement |
| Low | Documentation gaps | Update records |
SAS IT provides SIRA compliance audits and remediation for Dubai businesses. Book an audit | +971-526716178
*Related: Commercial CCTV Installation Dubai | IT AMC Dubai*
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About the Author
Written by the SAS IT Team — the same engineers who design, install, and support the networking, security, and infrastructure work described on this site. SAS IT Services was founded on 22 February 2020 in Dubai and has since delivered 500+ projects for businesses across the UAE.
We are a certified technology partner for Fortinet, Cisco, and Microsoft, among 17 documented vendor partnerships spanning networking, cybersecurity, CCTV, and cloud infrastructure — credentials that inform the technical guidance in our articles.
Our work is independently rated 5.0 out of 5 from 17 verified Google Reviews. Every article is reviewed internally for technical accuracy before publishing and reflects practices we apply on real client deployments in Dubai and the UAE.
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