DIY GUIDE · VEHICLES & TRANSPORT · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to fit a dash cam yourself
Half an hour plugged in, an hour hardwired. £60–£484 for the camera, a memory card and a hardwire kit.
Camera behind the mirror, cable in the headlining, a fuse tap if you hardwire — never a spliced wire, never across an airbag.
- Every step, start to finish
- Checked October 2026 — sources at the end
- Honest about when to call a pro
FIRST, THE HONEST ANSWER
Do it yourself, or get a fitter?
Do it yourself if…
- You are fitting a front camera, or a front and rear pair with the maker's own cables
- You will use the plug-in lead, or a hardwire kit that plugs into an existing fuse slot
- The cable can be tucked into the headlining and windscreen trim without removing panels
- You can find the fuse box and read its diagram in the handbook
Get a pro if…
- The only route for the cable is behind a pillar trim that contains a curtain airbag
- The kit or the car would need wires cut, spliced or joined into the loom
- It is a hybrid or electric car where you are unsure which fuses are safe to use
- You want the rear camera routed through door or tailgate grommets
Safety first
- Mount the camera where it does not block your view of the road. The Highway Code says windscreens must be kept clean and free of obstructions to vision, and the camera maker says the camera should not intrude significantly into the area the wipers sweep.
- Do not route cables across or through an airbag. Curtain airbags sit behind the roof lining and pillar trims, and the safety regulator's airbag guidance says to check the vehicle maker's information before working near them, never to put your head or body in front of an undeployed airbag, and never to modify one.
- Switch the ignition off and take the key out before you touch the fuse box, and use the fuse rating the kit specifies. Never replace a fuse with a bigger one.
- Set the camera up before you drive. The Highway Code warns of distraction from in-vehicle systems, so do not adjust it or watch the screen on the move.
- Never use a fuse slot for an airbag, the engine management or anything safety-critical; use the fuse for the 12V socket or one the handbook lists for accessories.
- Keep the cable away from pedals, the steering column and moving seat runners, where it can snag or be crushed.
Stop here: Stop here: airbag trims and anything spliced into the loom
Curtain airbags deploy through the roof lining and pillar trims, and the safety regulator's guidance says to check the vehicle maker's information before working on cars with airbags, never to place your head or body in front of an undeployed airbag, and never to repair or modify an airbag module. A cable routed through that space can be in the airbag's path. Cutting or splicing into the car's wiring loom risks damaging circuits that control safety systems and is not a fused-feed fit. The Highway Code requires windscreens to be kept free of obstructions to the driver's view, so the camera's position is the driver's responsibility. A plug-in lead or a fuse-tap kit routed in the headlining and door seals is the householder's part; the rest is not. How to hire a dash cam installer →
| MATERIAL | COVERAGE | FOR THIS JOB |
|---|---|---|
| Dash cam with its mount | Front, or front and rear | One |
| Memory card | High-endurance, the class the camera maker states | One |
| Hardwire kit, if hardwiring | Made for your camera, with voltage cut-off | One |
| Fuse tap and fuses | Matching your fuse box and the kit's rating | One or two taps |
Will the cable reach?
Route length = across the top of the windscreen + down the pillar + along the dashboard edge to the socket or fuse box. A typical route of 0.7 m across, 1 m down the pillar and 1.5 m to the socket is 3.2 m, so a 4 m lead reaches with a little to spare.
Measure your own route with a piece of string before you start. Coil and tie the surplus near the socket, not behind the pedals.
A front camera covers most incidents. A rear camera adds cover for being hit from behind; the maker we looked at supplies a long cable, 6.5 m on its rear window camera, so it can run hidden under the headlining. A rear camera roughly doubles the cable routing time.
The plug-in lead is the simplest: the camera maker supplies a 4 m cable, enough to run round the windscreen to the socket. Hardwiring uses a kit that takes power from a fuse slot, keeps the socket free, hides the wiring, and is needed for parking mode, which records while the car is parked.
Parking mode needs a feed that stays live with the ignition off. Hardwire kits usually include a voltage cut-off that switches the camera off before the battery runs too low to start the car. Use it, and set it to the higher cut-off if the car does short trips.
Higher resolution reads number plates better, especially at night. A camera with no screen sits more discreetly behind the mirror and is set up with a phone app. Whichever you choose, make sure you can turn the screen off while driving.
Dash cams record in a loop and write constantly, so use a high-endurance card of the class the camera maker recommends. A cheap card fails quietly and you find out only when you need the footage.
THE PART THAT DECIDES THE FINISH
Before you start — the kit and the car
Every car hides its cables in slightly different places, and the fuse box moves from model to model. Find your situation below and work through its list before you stick anything to the glass.
A plug-in front camera
The simple, most common fit.
- Clean the inside of the windscreen where the mount goes with glass cleaner, and let it dry
- Sit in the driving position and choose a spot behind the mirror, passenger side, that you cannot see past your mirror
- Trace the cable route from the mount, along the headlining, down the passenger side and under the glovebox to the socket
A hardwired camera
For a hidden fit and parking mode.
- Find the fuse box and its diagram in the handbook — the camera maker says it is usually inside or underneath the glovebox
- Identify the fuse for the 12V socket or an accessory fuse that is live with the ignition, and one that is permanently live if you want parking mode
- Check the kit's fuse tap matches the fuse type in your box — standard, mini or micro blade
Pillars with curtain airbags
Look before you push any cable in.
- Look for an airbag label, often marked SRS or AIRBAG, on the windscreen pillar trim
- Where there is a curtain airbag, tuck the cable into the door rubber along the pillar edge rather than behind the trim, if the car allows
- If the only route is behind the airbag trim, stop and get the cable routed by a fitter
A rear camera
More cable, more trim.
- Mount the rear camera at the top centre of the rear window, inside the wiper's sweep if there is one
- Route the cable along the headlining from front to back, keeping it out of airbag zones
- Leave tailgate grommets and door looms to a fitter; forcing a cable through them damages the seal and the wiring
THE JOB
How to fit a dash cam
Set up the camera and the card
15 minCharge the camera, insert and format the memory card in the camera, set the date and time, and update the firmware if the app offers it. Go to the section above for your fit and check the cable route and fuse box before you start.
- Format the card in the camera, not a computer
- Set the date and time correctly; footage with the wrong time is weaker evidence
- Turn on the screen-off-while-driving setting
Mistake to avoid: Fitting everything and then finding the card is not formatted or the camera needs an update. You end up pulling the camera down again.
Choose and clean the mounting spot
10 minSit in your normal driving position. Hold the camera behind the mirror, towards the passenger, and check you cannot see it past the mirror. Keep it clear of the dotted band at the top of the glass and well inside the top of the wiper sweep without intruding into your view. Clean the glass there and let it dry.
- Use the live view in the app to check the picture before you stick it
- The picture should show the road ahead and a little of the bonnet
- Do not mount it where the sun visor hits it
Mistake to avoid: Sticking the camera in the middle of the windscreen where it is easy to reach. It obstructs your view, and the Highway Code is clear windscreens must be kept clear.
Fix the mount
5 minPeel the backing from the adhesive pad or wet the suction cup, press the mount firmly onto the glass and hold it for the time the instructions say. Clip the camera on.
- Press hard over the whole pad
- Fit an adhesive mount in a warm car; cold glass bonds poorly
- Leave adhesive mounts to cure before driving if the maker says so
Mistake to avoid: Sticking an adhesive mount onto dusty glass. It drops off on the first bumpy road.
Run the cable across the headlining
5 minStarting at the camera, push the cable into the gap between the headlining and the windscreen with your fingers or a trim tool, working towards the passenger side. The camera maker says most cars have a gap there that the cable pushes neatly into.
- Leave a small loop at the camera so it can be unclipped
- Push, do not force; the headlining edge tears
- Keep the cable away from the mirror's wiring and any sensors
Mistake to avoid: Draping the cable across the windscreen to the socket. It hangs in your field of view and catches on everything.
Route the cable down the pillar
10 minLook at the pillar trim for an airbag marking. If there is a curtain airbag, tuck the cable into the door seal rubber along the edge of the pillar rather than behind the trim. If the only route is behind trim that hides an airbag, stop and get a fitter to do it. Without an airbag, tuck the cable into the gap at the trim edge.
- Look for SRS or AIRBAG marked on the pillar
- The door seal rubber usually pulls off and pushes back on by hand
- Never tie the cable to anything behind an airbag trim
Mistake to avoid: Pushing the cable behind an airbag trim. A curtain airbag deploys through that trim, and a cable in its path can redirect it or come free as a projectile.
Finish the plug-in route, or go to the fuse box
10 minFor a plug-in fit, run the cable along the edge of the dashboard or under the glovebox to the 12V socket, tie the surplus near the socket, and plug in. For a hardwired fit, run the cable to the fuse box instead and continue with the next step.
- Clip the surplus up under the dash with a cable tie
- Keep the cable clear of the passenger's feet
- Test the camera powers up when the ignition is on
Mistake to avoid: Leaving the surplus coiled in the footwell. It catches the passenger's feet and can work its way to the pedals.
Fit the fuse tap
15 minWith the ignition off and the key out, pull the fuse you chose from its slot — the camera maker suggests the 12V socket fuse. Fit it into the lower slot of the fuse tap, fit the kit's own fuse in the upper slot, and push the tap into the original slot. The original fuse piggybacks on the tap.
- Orient the tap so its wire comes from the side that is fed from the car, checked with a test lamp
- Use only the fuse rating the kit specifies
- Never use a fuse for airbags, engine management or brakes
Mistake to avoid: Pushing a bare wire into a fuse slot beside the fuse, or splicing into a wire behind the dash. It is unprotected, can overheat, and is outside what this guide covers.
Connect the earth and test
10 minFix the kit's earth lead under a bare metal bolt that is part of the body, such as a dashboard frame bolt, and tighten it. Switch the ignition on and check the camera starts and records; switch off and check it either stops or goes into parking mode as you set it.
- Earth to clean, bare metal; paint or plastic gives no earth
- Do not use an airbag or seat-belt bolt as the earth
- Test both ignition on and ignition off
Mistake to avoid: Earthing to a painted bracket or a plastic clip. The camera reboots randomly or does not start at all.
Tidy, set and check the footage
10 minTie up any loose cable, refit the fuse box cover and any trim you eased back, and check nothing fouls the pedals or seats. Go for a short drive, then watch the footage to check the picture, the time and the sound settings.
- Check you can read a number plate in the footage
- Check the camera does not move over bumps
- Note where the emergency save button is
Mistake to avoid: Never checking the footage. Many people find, after an incident, that the camera was pointed at the sky or the card had failed.
The mistakes that cause trouble
- Mounting the camera in the middle of the windscreen where it blocks the view
- Routing cable behind a pillar trim that hides a curtain airbag
- Splicing into the wiring instead of using a fuse tap
- Using a safety-critical fuse, or a fuse of the wrong rating
- Never checking the footage until you need it
Stop here and get a dash cam fitter
- The cable can only reach by going behind trim that conceals an airbag
- The kit or the car would need wires cut, spliced or joined into the loom
- You cannot identify a safe fuse, or the car is a hybrid or electric car and you are unsure
- The rear camera has to go through tailgate or door grommets
| WHAT YOU SEE | WHY, AND THE FIX |
|---|---|
| The camera does not turn on | The fuse tap is the wrong way round, its fuse has blown, or the earth is poor. Check the tap orientation with a test lamp, the kit's fuse, and that the earth is under bare metal. |
| The car battery goes flat overnight | Parking mode is drawing power and the cut-off is set too low, or the tap is on a fuse that is always live without a cut-off. Raise the cut-off, or move the tap to an ignition-switched fuse. |
| The camera reboots while driving | A loose plug, a poor earth or a failing memory card. Check the connections and earth, and format or replace the card. |
| The footage is blurry or shows glare | A dirty windscreen or lens, or the camera is outside the wiper's sweep. Clean both and check the mount is within the wiped area. |
| The mount keeps falling off | It was stuck to dirty or cold glass. Clean the glass, warm the car, and fit a new adhesive pad. |
| Footage has the wrong date or time | The clock was not set or the camera lost power. Set it again, and turn on GPS time if the camera has it. |
| The 12V socket no longer works | The fuse tap was fitted to the socket fuse and the original fuse is not seated. Check the original fuse is in its slot on the tap. |
| Recordings stop after a few weeks | The card is full of locked files or has worn out. Clear protected files and use a high-endurance card. |
WHAT YOU SAVE
What it costs to do it yourself
| Dash cam, front only to front and rear | £59.99–£449.00 |
|---|---|
| Memory card | £20.00–£35.00 |
| Hardwire kit, if hardwiring | £0–£25.00 |
| Fuse tap | £0–£8.00 |
| Total | £60–£484 |
| DIY total | £60–£484 |
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
Prices from a national motoring retailer; the lowest total is a budget camera on its plug-in lead with an existing card. A fitter's price from the price guide is shown alongside.
RATHER NOT?
Dash cam installers near you, with prices shown
The ones who cover your area, nearest first, with one score from every review. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you.
Watch a clip every few weeks to make sure the camera is still pointed correctly, recording and saving files.
Format it in the camera every month or so, and replace it if the camera reports errors.
An old dash cam is electrical waste, and its built-in battery must not go in a household bin. Take it to your council's household waste and recycling centre with small appliances, or use the retailer's take-back when you buy a new one: retailers selling electrical goods must offer customers a way to dispose of an old item of the same kind.
Learn the button or app control that locks a recording, so you can protect footage straight after an incident.
Fitting a dash cam: questions people ask
Tucked behind the mirror, on the passenger's side of it, clear of the dotted band at the top of the glass and within the wiper sweep without intruding into your view, as the camera maker we looked at recommends. The Highway Code requires windscreens to be kept free of obstructions to vision.
Yes, with a hardwire kit that plugs into an existing fuse slot through a fuse tap; the camera maker says it can take around 20 minutes. Do not cut or splice into the car's wiring, and do not use safety-critical fuses.
Only in parking mode, and only if the cut-off is set too low or missing. Use a kit with a voltage cut-off, and set it higher if the car does short trips or stands for days.
Only where it does not cross an airbag. Many cars have a curtain airbag behind the pillar trim; tuck the cable into the door seal instead, or have a fitter route it.
Yes, as long as it does not obstruct your view of the road. The Highway Code requires windscreens to be kept clean and free from obstructions, and warns about distraction from in-vehicle systems.
The Locufy UK price guide puts professional dash cam fitting at £30–£150 per job, typically £90 — the same three figures as the strip at the top of this page.
MORE GUIDES
More DIY guides
Sources — checked October 2026
- HSE — storing and handling airbags and seat belt pretensioners safely: check the vehicle maker's information, keep clear of the front of an undeployed airbag, never modify
- The Highway Code on gov.uk — Annex 6: windscreens and windows must be kept clean and free from obstructions
- The Highway Code on gov.uk — rules 103 to 158: distraction, in-vehicle systems
- Nextbase — how to install a dash cam: 4 m cable, behind the mirror on the passenger side, clear of the dotted band, fuse box usually in or under the glovebox, hardwiring around 20 minutes
- Nextbase — hide dash cam wires: 6.5 m rear camera cable, hardwire for parking mode
- gov.uk — electrical waste: retailers must offer take-back
- North Northamptonshire Council — what can be recycled at household waste recycling centres (small appliances, portable batteries)
- Halfords — dash cams price check: £59.99–£449.00
- Halfords — dash cam accessories price check: hardwire kit £25.00, add-a-fuse £8.00, memory cards £20.00–£35.00