CCTV symbol

A camera on a bracket, giving notice of video surveillance.

Also known as: Video surveillance sign, Security camera symbol, Camera on a bracket, Surveillance symbol

Everyday & digitalQuiet profile

Meanings

A camera on a wall bracket gives notice that an area is under video surveillance. Unlike most signs in this batch it exists largely for legal reasons — in many jurisdictions people must be told they are being recorded.

Common modern usageVerified fact
Gives notice that the area is monitored or recorded by closed-circuit television.
Contexts: Public information
Common modern usageVerified fact
Exists principally to inform rather than to instruct: many data protection regimes require that people be told they are being recorded, so the sign is part of how that notice is given.
What any particular regime requires of a surveillance notice is a legal question. Symbolwise describes the symbol and does not state the obligation.
Contexts: Public information
Common modern usageVerified fact
Is drawn as a boxy camera body on an angled bracket, a shape now well behind the technology — most surveillance cameras are domes or small fixed units that look nothing like it.
Contexts: Public information
Common modern usageVerified fact
Is a public information symbol rather than a safety sign, so it carries no shape-and-colour safety grammar. It identifies a facility and may be drawn in any colour that suits its setting.
Contexts: Public information

Visual description

A rectangular camera body shown in profile pointing down and to one side, mounted on a short bracket set at a diagonal, with a round lens at the front.

A fuller structured visual breakdown is not yet documented for this symbol.

Confidence

IdentityHigh confidence: High confidence because the identity is documented in encyclopedic references.
Historical originLow confidence: Low confidence because the historical origin is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far, but early or supporting evidence is limited, but the regional or cultural match to this specific claim is not precise.
Current useHigh confidence: High confidence because the current use is documented in encyclopedic references.
Visual matchHigh confidence: High confidence because the visual match is documented in encyclopedic references.

Sources

Safety sign
Wikipedia · retrieved 2026-07-31
Tertiary reference. Used for what the symbol depicts, its shape-and-colour category, and any ISO reference number it reports. The standards themselves are paywalled and were not consulted, so nothing here is treated as an official definition.
Closed-circuit television
Wikipedia · retrieved 2026-07-31
Tertiary reference. Used for what the symbol depicts, its shape-and-colour category, and any ISO reference number it reports. The standards themselves are paywalled and were not consulted, so nothing here is treated as an official definition.

Last reviewed 2026-07-31

Part of

Public information symbols

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Meanings

Common modern usageVerified fact

Gives notice that the area is monitored or recorded by closed-circuit television.

Contexts: Public information

Common modern usageVerified fact

Exists principally to inform rather than to instruct: many data protection regimes require that people be told they are being recorded, so the sign is part of how that notice is given.

What any particular regime requires of a surveillance notice is a legal question. Symbolwise describes the symbol and does not state the obligation.

Contexts: Public information

Common modern usageVerified fact

Is drawn as a boxy camera body on an angled bracket, a shape now well behind the technology — most surveillance cameras are domes or small fixed units that look nothing like it.

Contexts: Public information

Common modern usageVerified fact

Is a public information symbol rather than a safety sign, so it carries no shape-and-colour safety grammar. It identifies a facility and may be drawn in any colour that suits its setting.

Contexts: Public information

Confidence

IdentityHigh confidence: High confidence because the identity is documented in encyclopedic references.
Historical originLow confidence: Low confidence because the historical origin is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far, but early or supporting evidence is limited, but the regional or cultural match to this specific claim is not precise.
Current useHigh confidence: High confidence because the current use is documented in encyclopedic references.
Visual matchHigh confidence: High confidence because the visual match is documented in encyclopedic references.

Sources

Safety sign
Wikipedia · retrieved 2026-07-31
Tertiary reference. Used for what the symbol depicts, its shape-and-colour category, and any ISO reference number it reports. The standards themselves are paywalled and were not consulted, so nothing here is treated as an official definition.
Closed-circuit television
Wikipedia · retrieved 2026-07-31
Tertiary reference. Used for what the symbol depicts, its shape-and-colour category, and any ISO reference number it reports. The standards themselves are paywalled and were not consulted, so nothing here is treated as an official definition.

Last reviewed 2026-07-31