CCTV Systems in Algeria: Real Prices, Licensing, and the Math Nobody Shows You

Most CCTV quotes in Algeria are built around one number: how many cameras fit the budget. That's backwards. The right starting point is what you actually need to see, at what distance, stored for how long — and whether the installer is even legally allowed to do the job.

1. The license requirement nobody mentions until the contract is signed

Installing CCTV in Algeria without a license is illegal under Executive Decree No. 09-410 of December 10, 2009. The Ministry of Interior issues this license after vetting a company's technical and ethical standing.

If your installer can't produce that license before you sign anything, they're operating outside the law — and so, by extension, is your system. In a dispute or incident, footage from an unlicensed installation can be challenged as inadmissible. For public tenders, missing the license means automatic disqualification at the file stage.

2. Resolution: ignore the marketing, look at the math

"Full HD," "4K," "8MP" — these numbers mean nothing without context. What matters is whether you can identify a face or a license plate at the distance you actually need.

• 2MP (1080p) — facial identification up to 4-5 meters. Fine for a reception desk, not enough for a 20-meter parking lot.
• 4MP (2K) — the sweet spot. Facial ID up to 8 meters, plates up to 10 meters with the right lens. This is what we spec on most projects.
• 8MP (4K) — for wide areas (large lobbies, open lots). File sizes run 4x heavier than 2MP, so your NVR and storage need to scale accordingly.

The brand we use on professional installs: Dahua Technology. Strong price-to-performance ratio, regular firmware updates, and real local support in Algeria.

3. Storage: the formula everyone needs and almost nobody gets

This question comes up after installation, never before. Here's the real math: a 4MP Dahua camera in H.265+ generates roughly 30-50 GB per day, depending on activity levels. For 8 cameras with 30-day retention:

8 cameras × 40 GB/day × 30 days ≈ 9,600 GB ≈ 10 TB

That means two 6TB drives in RAID 1 inside an 8-channel NVR. Not "an NVR with 2TB," which in practice gives you about 7 days of footage. And make sure the system runs H.265+, not H.264 — it cuts file size by roughly 70% at the same image quality.

4. The four installation mistakes I see most often in Algeria

• IR cameras pointed at a white wall. Infrared bounces back and washes out the sensor at night. Reflective surfaces need to be mapped before camera placement, not after.
• Dome cameras mounted under metal awnings. IP66 protects against rain, not against 70°C heat buildup under a tin roof in summer. Use cameras rated for -30°C to +60°C with proper ventilation.
• NVR sitting in the same room as the front-desk monitor. If someone wants to destroy your footage, that's the first place they'll go. The NVR belongs in a locked technical room.
• Remote access sharing the main internet line. If your primary connection is saturated, remote viewing on a phone becomes unreliable. Either dedicate bandwidth or set up proper QoS.

5. Real prices in Algeria (2026)

• Dahua 4MP IP dome camera: 8,000-14,000 DZD installed, cabling included.
• 8-channel Dahua NVR with 4TB drive: 45,000-65,000 DZD.
• Complete 8-camera system (cameras + NVR + cabling + setup + remote access): 150,000-250,000 DZD depending on site complexity.

If someone offers an 8-camera system for 80,000 DZD "all-in," you're getting unbranded hardware, no warranty, and almost certainly no license. Cheap surveillance creates false confidence — that's worse than having no system at all.