CCTV commissioning is the last step before an owner signs for a surveillance system: every camera is checked against the view it was designed for, by day and at night, recording is proven to cover the required period, user permissions are set, and a complete documentation file is handed over. This article gives you a practical, item-by-item acceptance protocol to use with AZEIDK’s testing, commissioning and handover team or with any contractor who installed security and surveillance systems in your facility.
Key takeaways
- Accept each camera against its purpose (detect, recognise, identify a face or plate), not just because it shows a picture.
- Run the night test in real darkness after sunset. Infrared problems do not show up in daylight.
- Prove retention by calculation and recording settings on handover day, then by checking the oldest recording once the full period has passed.
- Remove default passwords and give each user only the rights their job needs.
- Do not sign until you have the handover file: as-built drawings, IP schedule, camera schedule with reference snapshots and signed test results.
In this article
- When does CCTV commissioning start?
- How do you test camera views and image detail?
- How do you test recording and retention?
- How do you test CCTV night vision?
- How should permissions and system security be set before handover?
- Which documents belong in the CCTV handover file?
- What are the common mistakes in CCTV acceptance?
- Frequently asked questions
- Conclusion
When does CCTV commissioning start?
Commissioning starts after installation, cabling and NVR programming are complete and the system has run for several days without interruption. Owner and contractor should agree on the test sheet itself before installation starts, so handover day does not become an argument about what “working” means.
Prepare three things before the test: the approved camera layout with the purpose of each camera, the approved storage calculation, and the list of users and their rights as management wants them. If you do not have a clear coverage plan, read our article on CCTV coverage first, because the test measures the system against that plan.
How do you test camera views and image detail?
Each camera on the layout needs a written purpose. The reference used internationally is the DORI classification in IEC EN 62676-4, which measures pixel density on the target in pixels per metre (PPM). TP-Link’s Omada explanation of the classification gives these values:
| Level of detail | Pixel density on target | What you should be able to see |
|---|---|---|
| Detection | 25 PPM | That a person or vehicle is in the scene |
| Observation | 62 PPM | A person’s movement and general clothing |
| Recognition | 125 PPM | Whether the person is known to the facility |
| Identification | 250 PPM | Facial features clear enough to confirm identity |
The site check is simple. Someone stands at the furthest point the camera must cover (entrance door, car park gate, cashier), and the engineer reviews both the live view and the recording. An entrance camera meant to identify faces must show clear features at that point, not only one metre from the lens.
Check items for each camera:
- The frame matches the layout: no ceiling or sky filling half the image, no column blocking the critical area.
- Focus is sharp at the target distance, especially on varifocal lenses after the zoom is set.
- Backlight at glass entrances: faces must not appear as black shadows against sunlight. Test WDR here if the datasheet says the camera supports it.
- The on-screen camera name is clear and matches its number on the layout (for example CAM-12 Warehouse Entrance).
- Time and date on the image are correct and synchronised across all cameras.
- Privacy masks are active where needed, and audio recording is off unless you hold the approval the regulations require.
Save a reference snapshot of each camera once it is accepted. It will help later when someone claims a camera has moved.
How do you test recording and retention?
Retention cannot be checked by looking at hard-disk size alone. Real capacity depends on the number of cameras, resolution, frame rate (FPS), compression (H.264 or H.265), bitrate and recording mode (continuous or motion). Change any of these after the calculation and the number of days changes too.
Practical items on handover day:
- Match each camera’s settings in the NVR against the settings in the approved storage calculation. You can check the calculation yourself with the CCTV storage calculator or our article on NVR storage and bandwidth calculation.
- Confirm all disks are detected and healthy on the disk status screen, and that overwrite is set according to the facility’s policy.
- Test search and playback: pick a random camera and a specific hour from yesterday, play it, and confirm the recording is there with no gaps.
- Export a clip to a USB drive and play it on another computer. This is what you will actually need after an incident.
- Cut power to the NVR, restore it, and confirm recording resumes automatically on every camera. If there is a UPS, confirm the NVR and switches are on it.
On handover day retention can only be proven by calculation. Add a clause to the acceptance record requiring a check of the oldest available recording once the required period has passed from the start-up date. This can be tied to the first visit under a CCTV maintenance contract.
On the required period itself: the Security Surveillance Cameras Law and its implementing regulation refer the details to the Security Terms and Requirements document, as we explain in our article on Saudi CCTV law obligations. Use the period set for your activity in the official document, not a figure passed around without a source.
How do you test CCTV night vision?
The night test is the item most often skipped, because handover usually happens in working hours. Schedule a visit at least an hour after sunset and switch off any lighting that will actually be off during night operation.
- Check that each camera switches to night mode on its own and does not flicker between modes every time a car’s headlights pass.
- Compare the infrared (IR) range in the datasheet with the target distance. If the target is beyond that range, the fix is extra lighting or a different camera, not more brightness.
- Look for reflection: a camera close to a soffit or wall, or behind glass, bounces IR back and washes out the image.
- Make sure movement at night does not turn into motion blur that makes the recording useless.
- For full-colour night cameras, check that the built-in light does not disturb neighbours or the road.
For the difference between night-vision technologies and which suits your site, see CCTV night vision: ColorVu and Starlight.
How should permissions and system security be set before handover?
A CCTV system is a network device. Any weakness means recordings can be deleted or viewed from outside the facility, so system security belongs in the acceptance test, not after it.
| Role | Suggested rights | What to block |
|---|---|---|
| System administrator | Full settings and user management | Daily use of this account |
| Security supervisor | Live view, playback and export | Changing settings or deleting recordings |
| Control room operator | Live view and playback | Export and settings |
| Remote management | Selected cameras on the mobile app | Access to all cameras without need |
Check items:
- All default passwords on cameras, NVR and switches have been changed.
- Each person has a named account, not a shared one, so the event log means something.
- Time comes from one source (NTP or the NVR) so recording timestamps can be relied on.
- Remote viewing works only for the defined accounts, and unused ports are closed.
- The camera network is separated from the office network where possible, and PoE loads stay within the switch budget, as explained in PoE switch power budget for CCTV.
Which documents belong in the CCTV handover file?
The handover file is what stays with the owner after the contractor leaves, and it is the basis for any later maintenance or extension. AZEIDK’s documentation and final handover service is built on this idea. Ask for at least:
- As-built drawings showing camera locations, cable routes, switch and rack positions.
- A camera schedule: number, name, model, location, IP address, switch port and purpose (detect, recognise, identify), with a day and night reference snapshot.
- The final storage calculation using the settings actually configured.
- The test record signed by both parties, with the snag list and the closing date of each item.
- The datasheet of every installed model, and warranty certificates with their start date.
- Administrator passwords in a sealed envelope handed to a named person.
- A configuration backup of the NVR.
- If the facility’s activity falls under the Security Surveillance Cameras Law, follow up the certificate of compliance with installation requirements issued by the General Directorate of Public Security, since licensing or renewing the activity depends on it, as our law obligations article explains.
What are the common mistakes in CCTV acceptance?
- Accepting from the NVR monitor alone without playing an old recording or exporting a clip.
- Skipping the night test, then finding in the first week that car park cameras see nothing.
- Leaving the admin account on its default password, or on one every technician knows.
- Changing resolution or frame rate after acceptance without recalculating retention.
- No IP schedule, so every later service visit becomes a manual search of the network.
If you are still at installation stage, start with our CCTV installation guide for Saudi Arabia, then come back to this protocol at handover.
Frequently asked questions
What does CCTV commissioning mean?
It is the formal test and start-up of a surveillance system before handover: each camera checked against its purpose, recording, playback and export, night vision, permissions, then a documentation file and a signed record.
How long does CCTV testing and acceptance take?
It depends on the number and spread of cameras. What matters is a day visit and a night visit, and several days of operation beforehand so there are recordings to search.
How do I confirm the retention period is right?
Match camera settings with the storage calculation on acceptance day, then check the oldest available recording once the full required period has passed from start-up.
Do cameras need a night test before acceptance?
Yes. Reflection, short IR range and flickering between modes do not show in daylight, and many incidents happen at night.
Who keeps the administrator password after handover?
The owner, or a person the owner names. It is handed over in a sealed envelope, and the contractor then uses a separate maintenance account that can be disabled.
What is the difference between installation testing and acceptance testing?
Installation testing is done by the contractor to confirm each device works. Acceptance testing is witnessed by the owner or consultant and measures the system against the approved layout and storage calculation.
Conclusion
Accepting a CCTV system in clear stages saves many disputes later: each camera on its purpose by day and night, recordings you can search and export, defined rights for each user, and a handover file good enough for any technician who comes years later. Print the protocol and agree it with the contractor before handover day.
Need a CCTV system tested and accepted before you sign? The AZEIDK team runs the tests and prepares the snag list and handover file. Talk to the AZEIDK team
