What Does IP67 Mean on a Security Camera? UK Guide 2026

IP67 means a security camera's enclosure is fully dust-tight (the 6) and survives temporary immersion in water up to 1m deep for 30 minutes (the 7), as defined under the IEC 60529 standard. The catch is that the rating applies to the camera housing only, not to the cable glands, junction boxes or connectors around it, which is where most outdoor installations actually let water in. For a UK eaves or wall mount, IP67 is normally more than the camera itself needs, so the real job is keeping the cabling and connections as weatherproof as the camera.

What do the two digits in IP67 actually mean?

IP67 means completely dust-tight (the 6) and able to withstand temporary immersion in water up to 1 metre for 30 minutes (the 7). Both figures come from Reolink's IP rating guide, which treats 6 as meaning no dust or dirt can get in.

Amcrest's support page confirms that 6 is the highest dust level, so there is nothing to gain from a higher first digit. Only the second digit separates one camera from another in practice.

Reading the code

If you have wondered what "IP" means in CCTV cameras, it stands for Ingress Protection, not Internet Protocol. The scheme is set out in IEC 60529, and the rating describes the enclosure rather than the electronics inside it.

• An X in a digit means that aspect wasn't tested, so IPX7 says nothing about dust.
• A trailing letter is described by SCW's knowledge base as relating to tamper-proofing. I'd treat that cautiously and check the manufacturer's datasheet before relying on it.

Testing is voluntary, so a camera can be properly weatherproof without a stated rating. The reverse is the useful point for buyers: a printed rating means the manufacturer chose to put the enclosure through the standard.

Is IP67 enough for eaves and walls, or do I need IP66?

For sheltered eaves and walls, IP67 is more than adequate. What it adds over IP66 is short-term immersion, which a wall-mounted camera will never face. SCW's IP rating guide puts it as "the big difference being that IP67 can be submerged for short durations". Reolink describes the IP67 water test as temporary immersion to a depth of 1 metre for 30 minutes.

Look for a dual marking on exposed sites

This is general guidance from IEC 60529, not from the manufacturer pages above. IP66 tests against powerful water jets and IP67 tests immersion, so they are different tests rather than rungs on a ladder. IP67 does not automatically imply IP66. On exposed gable ends or coastal walls, look for a camera marked IP66/IP67.

Where immersion matters

• Low-mounted cameras that sit near ground level
• Flood-prone yards, including farm security cameras covering areas where water stands
• Bollard positions at ground level

A camera under an eave is never submerged, so the second digit matters little there.

IP is not impact resistance

IP covers dust and water only. Knocks and vandalism fall under the separate IK rating, which Amcrest covers alongside IP. If the camera is within reach, choose an IK-rated housing and check the datasheet for the actual figure.

How do driving rain and coastal salt change real-world performance?

Driving rain tests the seals and coastal salt attacks the metalwork, and an IP67 code measures neither over time.

This section is installer experience and general guidance, not test data. We hold no weather or salt-corrosion figures for any camera.

Driving rain

IP67 is a lab result on a new unit. The "7" describes temporary immersion, which Reolink gives as up to 1 metre for 30 minutes. That is a different stress from wind pushing rain at the same joint all winter.

Water usually gets in at the seals: the cable gland, the base gasket and any junction box. Where the view allows, aim the camera away from the prevailing weather. Position the gland facing downwards and leave a drip loop in the cable so water runs off rather than tracking inside.

Coastal salt

An IP code says nothing about corrosion. Near the sea, the enclosure finish, screws and bracket usually fail first, whatever the rating. Check the datasheet for an explicit corrosion or salt-spray claim, and if there isn't one, treat the camera's salt resistance as unknown rather than assuming it.

Ageing

Rubber seals can harden over the years, so the day-one rating is not a lifetime guarantee. How fast that happens depends on the exposure. A periodic look at the gland and gasket is cheap insurance, and your installer can do it during any routine visit.

Why doesn't IP67 cover cable glands, junction boxes and connectors?

An IP code grades the camera's enclosure as supplied, so anything joined or added on site falls outside that rating and needs its own.

The code comes from IEC 60529, which sets out protection against solids and liquids for the device being tested. The IP67 immersion test, up to 1 metre for 30 minutes, applies to the housing alone. It says nothing about a spliced cable or an overtightened gland.

Where water gets in

• The RJ45 or PoE lead: a network plug left loose outside the housing is an open entry point.
• The 12V DC pigtail: cameras are offered with PoE, 12V DC input, or both, so a unit may have two leads to protect.
• Any joint outside the housing: a connector, a gland or a junction box is only as watertight as its own rating.

The practical rule

Every exposed joint needs a separately rated junction box or connector seal. Check the rating on each part rather than assuming the camera's IP67 carries through. The installation is only as weatherproof as its lowest-rated component.

Fitting

Clear Security sells equipment and does not install it, so your own installer or electrician does the fitting. The camera's datasheet or installation guide gives the gland and cable-entry method. For anything beyond a simple job, use an independent installer accredited by NSI or SSAIB.

What should I check on a datasheet before trusting an IP67 claim?

Look for a full IP code that states what it covers and cites IEC 60529, not just the word "waterproof".

• A complete code. "Weatherproof" and "waterproof" aren't ratings. IP67 means the enclosure is dust-tight and, per Reolink's explainer, survives temporary immersion to 1 metre for 30 minutes.
• Which parts are covered. The rating applies to the enclosure, so check whether the bracket, cable and connector are included or only the camera body.
• An X in either digit. An X, as in IPX7, means that aspect wasn't tested. It doesn't mean it passed.
• The standard. The code comes from IEC 60529, and testing is voluntary. A datasheet that names the standard is easier to hold a manufacturer to.
• Separate IK and temperature entries. IK (impact) and operating temperature are different questions from ingress, so they should appear as their own lines.
• A rating for the cable or junction box. The weak point outdoors is usually the connection, not the dome.

Reading real phrasing

Catalogue entries often say "IP67-rated metal enclosure" protecting against dust and water ingress. That wording does name the enclosure, which is useful. It doesn't say whether the supplied cable or connector shares the rating, and it doesn't cite a standard.

If a datasheet leaves those gaps, ask the supplier before you buy. For help matching a camera to a site, you can browse the range or ask for a suggested system.