Is Your Dubai Office SIRA-Compliant for CCTV? Here Is How to Check and Fix It

Who 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:

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

SIRA CCTV Compliance Check: Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my existing CCTV system is SIRA-compliant? Walk through the 10-point checklist covering resolution, frame rate, retention, NVR security, entry/cashier coverage, remote access, brand approval, installation certification, and maintenance records — more than 2 failures means remediation is needed before an inspection.

What's the most common reason existing CCTV systems fail SIRA compliance? Storage retention — many systems were installed with 500GB or 1TB drives when 4TB to 6TB is needed to actually achieve the required 30-day retention.

What should be fixed first if a compliance audit finds multiple gaps? Critical issues first — no coverage of the main entry point and storage under 30 days retention — before moving to camera resolution upgrades, brand list compliance, or documentation gaps.

SAS IT provides SIRA compliance audits and remediation for Dubai businesses. Book an audit | +971-526716178

Related: Commercial CCTV Installation Dubai | IT AMC Dubai