An IK rating is a standardized scale that measures how much physical impact a device’s housing can withstand before failing, used to determine how vandal-resistant a security camera is. The rating runs from IK00 (no protection) to IK10, with each step corresponding to a specific level of impact energy, measured in joules, that the housing is built to survive.
For security cameras, two tiers are the ones you’ll hear cited most often.
- IK08, which can withstand impact roughly equivalent to a strike from a hammer, suitable for most standard outdoor or public-facing installations
- IK10, the highest common rating, is built to withstand sustained, deliberate attempts at physical damage, typically reserved for high-vandalism-risk locations like parking structures, transit stops, or entrances in high-traffic public areas
Note: A camera’s IK rating addresses a different risk than an IP rating. IP ratings document how well a camera holds up against environmental intrusion, dust and water; IK ratings document how well it holds up against deliberate or accidental physical force. The two ratings are frequently listed together on a camera’s spec sheet, and a property with both harsh weather exposure and elevated vandalism risk needs to account for both.
