Is It Possible To Use a Dashcam In France? - Our Guide

If you are planning to bring your car on holiday and it's fitted with a dash cam you need to make sure you are clear about the dashcam rules in the country you are travelling to. 

For France, in particular, dash cams can be used on public roads legally, but there are some conditions such as the footage recorded is only allowed to be for private use, you are never allowed to post this footage on social media.

To help you out with different laws for dashcams when travelling we've composed a short guide below which will take you through where it is legal to have dashcams, why it's illegal in some countries, and the countries where they are banned or under conditions. 

Where Is It Legal To Drive With a Dashcam? 

First of all, let's get into where you can take your dashcam without any issues, the UK is one of the places where having a dashcam is relaxed as long as you get consent from the passengers when recording. 

Some other countries where it is legal to have a dashcam are; Bosnia, Denmark, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Serbia, Spain and Sweden.

Is It Legal To Drive In France With a Dashcam?

As we touched on above, you can drive with a dashcam in France but they are a nation with rules surrounding this, for example, you can only use the footage for private use and never post it on social media.

Why Is It Illegal To Drive With a Dashcam In Some Countries? 

Some countries mainly ban or put laws in place against the use of dashcams in peoples cars due to privacy issues, many countries believe that they should have strict privacy laws for other people vehicles and passengers inside. 

Most of the conditions in countries have complex rules, for example, if you do get footage relevant to a car incident you have to have a principle of transparency where you inform all parties involved that you are submitting evidence before handing it over to the police.

Where You Can & Cannot Drive With a Dashcam

To help you avoid any issues with your dashcam from country to country we've put together a small guide below which will show the European countries where you can have a dashcam and where the use of one is banned. 

• Germany - In Germany a dashcam is legal but it must not obstruct the driver's view and footage released has to have the public faces or number plates blurred.
• Austria - Having a dashcam in Austria is illegal and you can be fined a huge amount of money if caught with one.
• Belgium - In Belgium you can have a dash cam but for private use only. 
• Luxembourg - Owning a dashcam here is legal, but it is illegal to use one.
• Norway - Norway has the same dashboard camera rules as the UK and it should only be out of the driver's view.
• Portugal - In Portugal it is illegal to own or use a dash cam.
• Switzerland - Switzerland is one of the European countries which allow dashcams but only under heavy conditions, for example, you can own and use one but only for legal service, not for entertainment and you must get consent from passengers first. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Using a Dash Cam In France

Can dashcams cut insurance in France? 

Yes, not only in France but even in the UK insurance cost can be lowered if you have a dashcam in your car as it forces you to drive better.

Where are the most relaxed rules surrounding dashcams? 

Norway and the UK have the most relaxed views surrounding dash cams.

What can make a dash cam illegal in a legal country?

Even in legal countries, your dash cam can still become illegal depending on how you are using it. For example, the placement of your dashcam matters, it should not be obstructing the driver's vision and you also need to get consent before recording anyone inside the car or you can be sued.

It is also illegal to tamper with dashcam evidence.

Final Words 

To conclude, you can use a dashcam in France if it is for private use, the dashcam footage should also never be posted online and should not obstruct your vision when driving in the car. We recommend always checking the laws of where you are travelling with your dashcam to avoid any issues, they are always changing so stay updated to keep to the law.