CCTV for petrol stations: how many cameras you need and where to put them
A typical petrol station needs about 10 CCTV cameras — 6 to cover the essentials (pump islands, entry & exit, shop till), up to 11 for complete coverage. Below is a placement map, the right camera type for each spot, a 16-channel recorder with 4 TB of storage and a complete kit with prices in Kenya.
Where to place CCTV cameras in a petrol station
Recommended plan for a medium-sized petrol station — 10 cameras. Numbers match the table below.
| # | Area | Camera | Qty | Why it goes here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pump islandsEssential | Bullet | 3 | One camera per island records the pump, the vehicle and the attendant at every sale — key for drive-offs and fuel disputes. Mounted under the canopy, looking along the island. |
| 2 | Entry & exitEssential | Zoom bullet | 2 | Zoomed cameras on the entry and exit lanes capture number plates of every vehicle. |
| 3 | Forecourt overview | Zoom bullet | 2 | Covers the whole forecourt for incidents, accidents and safety. |
| 4 | Shop tillEssential | Dome | 1 | Records cash and M-Pesa payments at the counter. |
| 5 | Shop entrance | Eyeball | 1 | Face-level view of customers entering the shop. |
| 6 | Fuel tanks / offloading | Dual-light | 1 | Records tanker deliveries and dipping, and lights up the tank area at night. |
Which cameras to use
Bullet camera
Weatherproof outdoor camera. Its visible shape is a deterrent on its own.
Best for: Outside walls, yards, perimeters and loading areas.
Varifocal (zoom) bullet camera
Outdoor camera with an adjustable zoom lens, so it can be set to see far or wide after installation.
Best for: Gates, long driveways, forecourts and reading number plates.
Vandal-proof dome camera
Tough, tamper-resistant dome housing that hides where the lens is pointing.
Best for: Tills, cash offices, corridors and anywhere within reach of people.
Eyeball (turret) camera
Compact 4MP camera with a wide 2.8 mm lens and infrared night vision. Easy to aim, no glare from the dome cover.
Best for: Entrances, receptions and doors — anywhere you need clear faces.
Smart dual-light camera
Switches to full-colour video at night with a warm light, and can flash and sound an alarm when it detects a person or vehicle (active deterrence).
Best for: Parking, compounds and perimeters where you want to scare intruders off, not just record them.
Recorder, storage and cabling
For 10 cameras use a 16-channel PoE NVR (it powers the cameras through the network cable) with a 4 TB surveillance hard drive — about 14 days of continuous 4MP recording. Allow roughly 386 m of Cat6 cable, and a UPS so the system keeps recording during power cuts.
Complete kit & prices
- Dahua IPC-HFW5442E-ZE 4MP IR Vari-focal Bullet Network Camera × 7 KSh 112,000
- Dahua IPC-HDBW5442R-ASE 4MP Vandal-proof Dome WizMind Network Camera × 1 KSh 28,000
- Dahua IPC-HDW5442TM-ASE 4MP WizMind IR Eyeball Network Camera × 1 KSh 12,000
- Dahua IPC-HFW3449T1-AS-PV 4MP Smart Dual Light Bullet WizSense Camera × 1 KSh 18,000
- Dahua NVR5216-16P-EI 16-Channel 2HDD PoE Network Video Recorder × 1 KSh 45,000
- 4 TB surveillance hard drive (quoted) × 1 —
- Cat6 Outdoor Ethernet Cable × 2 KSh 20,000
- UPS backup power (1 kVA) (quoted) × 1 —
In-stock equipment: KSh 235,000+ 4 TB surveillance hard drive, UPS backup power (1 kVA) (quoted)
Adjust to your petrol station & add to cartFrequently asked questions
How many CCTV cameras does a petrol station need?
One camera per pump island, zoom cameras on the entry and exit to read number plates, a forecourt overview, the shop till and entrance, and the fuel-tank offloading area. A station with 3 islands typically needs 8 to 12 cameras.
How do cameras help with fuel drive-offs?
Pump-island cameras record the vehicle and attendant at each sale, and entry/exit cameras capture the number plate, giving the evidence needed to report a drive-off.
What recorder and storage does a petrol station CCTV system need?
For about 10 cameras, a 16-channel PoE network video recorder (NVR) with a 4 TB surveillance hard drive keeps roughly 14 days of continuous 4MP footage.
Can Kefa Solutions install CCTV for my petrol station?
Yes. Kefa Solutions technicians survey the site, recommend camera positions, install and configure the system, and set up viewing on your phone. Use the CCTV planner to send your plan and request a call back.