What happens to Ring devices when someone dies
Ring publishes its own process for a deceased person's account; a written request goes by mail.
Ring's terms allow Ring devices to transfer to a family member after the account holder dies.
Ring publishes its own process for a deceased person's account: Request ownership of a device if you can't contact the previous owner (in "Transfer ownership of a Ring device"); a written request goes by mail to Ring LLC, 12515 Cerise Ave, Hawthorne, CA 90250, Attn: Customer Service. The request takes 6 documents. Customer Service (Ring LLC) answers at 1-800-656-1918 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week).
How to request a transfer
- •Video is kept only while the subscription is active.
- •In the US it is kept by default for 30 days on 4K devices and 60 days on 1080p and 2K devices.
- •Deactivating frees the device for a new owner and keeps its Event History viewable until the videos expire.
- •Deleting frees the device and ends access to its Event History.
- •Deleting a device does not cancel the attached subscription.
- •Doorbells, cameras and chimes move automatically after up to 15 days, while the previous account is emailed three times.
- •The MAC ID for each device, on the back of a doorbell, near the power cord or mount on a camera, or near the barcode on the box.
- •The installation address.
- •The email address and phone number on the Ring account, if known.
- •The death certificate and letters testamentary or letters of administration.
Required Documents
- MAC ID or serial number of each Ring device: Ring calls the MAC ID the fastest and most reliable way for it to identify the correct account and device.
- Installation address of the devices
- Email address and phone number on the Ring account: where known. Without them Ring may search by name, address, telephone number or email address, which may take longer.
- Death certificate
- Court documentation of authority over the estate: Letters testamentary or letters of administration, or other documentation showing the requester is the authorized representative.
- Documents for a linked Amazon account: for a linked Amazon account only; they go to Amazon Bereavement support, not Ring. Amazon asks for a copy of the death certificate, proof of being the legal representative of the estate, a valid photographic ID and the email or phone number on the Amazon account.
Timeline
After a Request Ownership claim, the device stays on the previous owner's account for up to 15 days while Ring sends that account three emails about the request.
What Ring LLC (Amazon.com, Inc.)'s terms say at death
- 2(e) Access And Use
“Subject to your compliance with this Agreement, Ring grants you a limited, non-transferable, non-exclusive right to access and make personal and non-commercial use of the Ring Offerings.”1
What Ring LLC (Amazon.com, Inc.) says happens6
- Transfer at death
If the previous owner does not respond, doorbells, cameras and chimes are removed from that account automatically; Ring Alarm, Ring Smart Light, Echo Bridge and Sidewalk devices are not, and need Ring Customer Support.2
Ring states that "Ring Customer Support cannot expedite requests to release devices."2
- Deletion and data retention
Recorded video is held only while a Ring subscription is active, for the storage time set on each device, and Ring states that videos "will be permanently lost if they are deleted, if your plan subscription lapses or if the video storage time expires."3
Deactivating a device frees it for a new owner, and its Event History can still be viewed and downloaded until the videos expire, with a Ring subscription required to view recordings. Deleting a device frees it and ends access to its Event History.4
- Who owns the asset
Only account owners can remove devices; a Shared User can remove only their own access, and devices cannot be removed on ring.com.4
- Subscriptions and billing
Deleting a device does not cancel the attached Ring subscription.4
A cancelled plan stops at the end of the billing period and does not renew, with benefits continuing until then, and "Refunds are not available for Ring subscription cancellations unless required by applicable law."5
Cancelling a plan ends access to all recorded videos, and Ring says videos to be saved must be downloaded before the plan is cancelled.5
Ring's Terms of Service direct requests for cancellation or refund of a subscription plan, and other requests or questions, to Ring Customer Support or by post.1
- Closing the account
Deleting a Ring account is permanent, takes effect within 30 days of the request, requires every device to be removed first, and ends all videos, subscriptions and device functionality.5
- Disclosure of account content
Ring's route for producing video content is for law enforcement, through the Amazon Law Enforcement Request Tracker. Ring has access only to videos not protected by End-to-End Encryption or Throw Away the Key Encryption and recorded while a subscription was in place.6
Other companies and product lines involved1
- Amazon Bereavement support
A linked Amazon account; Ring device ownership does not go through it7
Not in Ring's published guidance6
- A complete list of the documents to send
- Whether a certified death certificate is required
- An estates-specific address, email, fax or upload portal
- An estate preservation hold
- A route that releases a deceased user's video to an executor
- Ring Customer Support processing time for releasing devices
A written request to Ring can ask it to transfer the devices to a named family member, preserve the account while the estate is opened and close the account.
Digital Assets Recovery Letter for Ring drafts that request from the estate's details.
Sources
Data sourced from Ring LLC (Amazon.com, Inc.) primary sources (11 pages reviewed). How we research.
Ring estate claims
Customer Service (Ring LLC)
Phone
Hours
Mailing address
Website
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