Best Mailbox Security Cameras – Explore Solutions for Mailbox and Car Safety

Mailbox security cameras seem like a no-brainer for keeping your mail safe. No one wants their private info as well as sensitive documents compromised by thieves or vandals.

Sounds like a simple solution, right?

But, before you jump to that conclusion, let’s go over some of the red tape that may be worth considering before you place any security camera in your mailbox. Here are a few questions you should be asking yourself:

Is it legal to put a security camera in a mailbox? How do I find the best mailbox security cameras? Is it easy to hide a security camera in or around the mailbox?

Read on and learn about best practices on the selection process as well as great ideas for installation of mailbox security cameras.

What’s Ahead:

• Is Putting a Security Camera in Your Mailbox Legal?
• How to Find the Best Mailbox Security Cameras (Including Top Picks)
• Best Practices for Installing Mailbox Security Cameras

Are Mailbox Security Cameras Legal?

Using a security camera solutions as a means of keeping your mailbox safe from thieves and vandals seems like a great idea. But you should pause and do just a little bit of research before you implement such solutions!

You could potentially break laws in relations to postal services depending on your specific situation.

When it comes to putting cameras directly hidden in your mailbox, here is how legality breaks down:

Not Legal if the Mailbox is the Property of the Postal Service

According to federal law people who open and tamper with mailboxes that do not belong to them can incur fines upwards of $200,000. Along with that, depending on the level of severity with the given situation, offenders can be given up to 3 years of prison time for an act of vandalism or mailbox tampering.

Mailbox laws are no joke.

We highly recommend giving your local post office a call and checking to see if it is legal to implement security cameras physically inside the mailbox. You’ll want to do this before installing your security solution here to avoid the risk of getting a citation or worse!

Even if you find out that it is not legal for you to install a camera in the box, you have other options. You can place your camera(s) on your property, facing the mailbox from different angles. More on that in a bit!

Regardless if you end up placing your camera in your mailbox, or in an area adjacent to the mailbox, you’ll want to check out our ONE Link Wireless Battery Camera System.

These wireless, rechargeable cameras are perfect for stealthy installation as they will fit in any mailbox. Or, you can hide them in nearby bushes or other suitable areas. We’ll take a closer look at these below!

Legal if You Own the Mailbox

If you own the mailbox, it is absolutely within your rights to install an outdoor security camera to monitor the safety of your mail.

Always be mindful of the viewing area of your security solutions, though. You’ll want to make sure that they are only capturing your property and public property. Along with that, you will want to avoid pointing them directly at your neighbors’ property. This could lead to issues for you, depending on local CCTV laws.

Another thing to be careful of is inadvertently recording audio with out people’s consent. Many security solutions have two way-audio with audio recording capabilities. For that reason, you’ll want to either turn those options off or be mindful of this when you implement your cameras.

Why you may wonder?

For a quick example, in the state of California, Florida and others, consent of all recorded parties is required for lawful recording. If you are accused of using your hidden mailbox camera of recording conversations without consent, you could face fines north of $2,000 or even jail time.

If you do not own your home, you’ll want to communicate with landlords to cover your bases. Also, putting up surveillance warning signage is always a good idea.

In a general sense, you are likely better off placing mailbox security cameras somewhere adjacent to the box itself. Not only will this help you avoid tricky rules with actual installation within the mailbox, but it will also give you a better view of any vandals or thieves. If you have your security solution actually in the mailbox, you may not get a very good look at the person who is stealing your mail. Read on to see exactly what you should be looking for.

How to Find the Best Mailbox Security Cameras

When you are in the market for mailbox security cameras, you should have a checklist of features that you should look for. This includes: high image clarity in any lighting, weatherproofing and more.

Here is a closer look at the crucial features for mailbox security cameras along with some top picks:

Resolution Level and IR Night Vision

If you implement your security camera in the front of your home, you have a good chance of securing both your mailbox and your cars in the driveway. For that, you’ll want a high level of HD resolution as well as clear IR night vision.

If you want the best viewing options, we suggest going with HD 4MP resolution or higher. 4MP means there are over 4 million pixels providing pristine clarity to watch over your mailbox and driveway. These would need to be installed on the perimeter of your home, preferably on/under your eaves. This high up position will give you a great view of the entire front of your home. Click below to see some of our top HD 4MP solutions.

When it comes to IR night vision, all of our HD IP security systems have great clarity at night. If you want to take things up a notch, you can try our HD 5MP Color Night Vision System, if you are looking for a comprehensive system for the perimeter of your home.

This records in full color even in extreme low light conditions to provide extra details like clothing color. This can be crucial if you have someone break into your mailbox or car at night! Check these color night vision cameras in action below:

Weatherproofing In the Elements

You’ll have to remember that when you use outdoor mailbox security cameras, you’ll need them to have a significant level of weatherproofing.

IP ratings are important here. These are the weatherproofing standards that let you know how well protected the camera is against the ingress of liquids and small particles.

Generally speaking you want an IP rating of 65 or higher. Many of our solutions are IP67, which makes them totally weatherproof for guaranteed functionality in any climate.

Size of Mailbox Security Cameras and Distance From Home

If you are truly intent upon installing the camera in your mailbox, you’ll have to consider the size of the space within. As mentioned before, the ideal solution for this is the ONE Link Wireless Battery Camera System. These make for the perfect mailbox security cameras. Their magnetic backing can adhere to the inside of the mailbox if it is metal.

An even better idea is using the ONE Link cameras to hide in bushes or other discreet areas on your property facing your mailbox. This will give you an even better view of everything that goes on around your mail receptacle. Or, with the multiple cameras, do both!

Beyond providing HD 1080P clarity and IP65 weatherproofing, these cameras also boast long-distance data transmission. When linked via the smart station in your home, they can transmit their WiFi signal up to 450 feet. That means even with an extremely long driveway, you could still cover the area around your mailbox with ease.

This concludes our rundown on mailbox security cameras. Check out our WiFi security solutions for more options and ideas for securing the important areas of your home!

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