Sealed original
One only
- Held by
- One named custodian
- May be edited
- Never
- Hash
- Recorded at export
Privacy · Free Excel template
Footage access request and chain-of-custody log
Who asked for the clip, who approved, and every hand it passed through. A request form, a register and a custody log with hash fields.
Free: enter your name and email and we send you the file. Works in Excel, Microsoft 365, Google Sheets and LibreOffice Calc. No macros.
- Printable request form
- Approval and handover logged
- Hash fields and a continuity check
Needs legal review before use
Sharing footage with insurers, police, customers or other third parties is subject to data-protection law and your camera policy. This log helps you document access and handovers. It does not say that any footage will be accepted as evidence by an authority or a court, and it does not say that any law is met.
What's inside
What is inside the log?
Four working sheets, plus Start here and the drop-down Lists. The form is printed for each request. The two logs do the counting.
01
Request formA one-page printable form: requester, purpose, footage window, handling conditions, decision and an undertaking.
02
Request registerOne row per request with approval level, decision, days to decide and a calculated status.
03
Custody logOne row per handling event, with from and to, method, hash and signatures. A check flags any break in the chain.
04
SummaryRequests by status, type and purpose, plus gaps, mismatches and entries past their delete-by date.
The chain
From the request to deletion, and three copies of a clip
The original never leaves its custodian. Everything else is a copy, and every copy is logged.
Working copy
For the investigation
- Held by
- The investigation team
- May be edited
- No. Write findings elsewhere.
- Hash
- Must match the original
Requester's copy
After approval
- Held by
- The requester, under the undertaking
- May be edited
- No
- Hash
- Must match, recorded at handover
Why log who sees a clip?
A clip from a vehicle camera shows people: the driver, other road users, sometimes passengers. Access should be limited, and you should be able to show who had it and why. The same record protects the clip's value after an incident or a dispute, because it shows that nothing was changed.
Five rules
- Never edit the original clip.
- Keep one locked, sealed original.
- Give requesters a copy, never the original.
- Log every request, decision and handover.
- Delete on the date your policy sets, and log the deletion.
Hash values
A hash is a short fingerprint of a file. If a copy has the same hash as the original, the content is the same. Calculate it on each exported or handed-over file with your own tool and paste it into the log. The sheet checks only the length: 64 characters for SHA-256. Ask your provider whether exported clips carry a hash or a time watermark. The log does not assume they do.
Continuity = the From of a row equals the To of the previous row of the same clip
Gap = a handover nobody recordedExample: A to B, then B to C is continuous. A to B, then D to E is a gap.The check compares names as typed, so use the same name and role every time.
Requests from insurers and authorities
Record the letter or case reference in the request form. Route the request to the approval level your policy names, including legal when an authority or a court is involved. Approve with limits when you can: one camera, a short window, faces blurred. The register keeps the limits next to the decision.
Delete-by dates
Write the delete-by date from your retention policy on the first custody entry. Type the date of your review on the Summary sheet and the log marks entries past their date. Keep the original longer if a claim or a case is open.
Limits of this log
It documents access and handling. It does not export clips, calculate hashes or give legal advice. Whether a clip is accepted as evidence is decided by the authority or the court, and the rules differ by country. Ask your legal team before you rely on it.
Related Tracom solution
See what an MDVR records and who can reach it
Tracom M1N is a mobile DVR (MDVR). Camera options such as DSM/ADAS are confirmed with the Tracom team. Bring your camera policy and we go through who can see and export clips on your setup.
- Tracom M1N MDVR. Camera options such as DSM/ADAS are confirmed with the Tracom team.
- Tamper-proof security. A device built to resist interference.
- SCMS portal. Manage devices and configuration files in one place.
- Over-the-air updates. Update device software without a workshop visit.
Questions
Footage access questions, answered
Want to review who can export clips on your setup? Talk to Tracom.
Who should approve a footage request?
The person your policy names. The register has an approval level column: safety manager, legal, data protection lead or senior management. Use the level your policy sets.
Can I give the original clip to an insurer?
No. Give a copy and keep the sealed original. Record the hash of both, and log the handover.
Does the log say a clip is admissible in court?
No. Admissibility is decided by the court or the authority, and the rules vary by country. The log helps you show how the clip was handled. Ask your legal team.
Does the file calculate the hash?
No. You calculate it with your own tool and paste it. The Start here sheet shows the commands. The sheet checks only the length.
What does the continuity check do?
It compares the From name of a row with the To name of the previous row of the same clip. A Gap marks a handover nobody recorded.
What is Tracom's role here?
Tracom makes the devices. This log is a neutral tool for any fleet. It makes no claim about approvals, about how courts treat clips, or about any data-protection law.
Next step
Set up access control for your cameras
Bring the log and your camera policy. We go through who can export clips on your setup and how to record it.
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