diff --git a/frigate/util.py b/frigate/util.py
index 17489ee00..d531527b4 100755
--- a/frigate/util.py
+++ b/frigate/util.py
@@ -19,6 +19,79 @@ import numpy as np
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
+def draw_timestamp(
+    frame,
+    timestamp,
+    timestamp_format,
+    font_effect=None,
+    font_scale=1.0,
+    font_thickness=2,
+    font_color=(255, 255, 255),
+    position="ul",
+    ):
+    time_to_show = datetime.datetime.fromtimestamp(
+        timestamp
+    ).strftime(timestamp_format)
+    size = cv2.getTextSize(
+        time_to_show, 
+        cv2.FONT_HERSHEY_SIMPLEX, 
+        fontScale = font_scale, 
+        thickness = font_thickness
+    )
+    image_width = frame.shape[1]
+    image_height = frame.shape[0]
+    text_width = size[0][0]
+    text_height = size[0][1]
+    line_height = text_height + size[1]
+
+    if position == "ul":
+        text_offset_x = 0
+        text_offset_y = 0 if 0 < line_height else 0 - (line_height + 8)
+    elif position == "ur":
+        text_offset_x = image_width - text_width
+        text_offset_y = 0 if 0 < line_height else 0 - (line_height + 8)
+    elif position == "bl":
+        text_offset_x = 0
+        text_offset_y = image_height - (line_height + 8)
+    elif position == "br":
+        text_offset_x = image_width - text_width
+        text_offset_y = image_height - (line_height + 8)
+
+    if font_effect == "solid":
+        # make the coords of the box with a small padding of two pixels
+        timestamp_box_coords = np.array([
+            [text_offset_x, text_offset_y],
+            [text_offset_x+text_width, text_offset_y],
+            [text_offset_x+text_width, text_offset_y + line_height+ 8],
+            [text_offset_x, text_offset_y + line_height+ 8],
+        ])
+
+        cv2.fillPoly(
+            frame, 
+            [timestamp_box_coords],
+            # inverse color of text for background for max. contrast
+            (255-font_color[0], 255-font_color[1], 255-font_color[2]),
+        )
+    elif font_effect == "shadow":
+        cv2.putText(
+            frame,
+            time_to_show,
+            (text_offset_x + 3, text_offset_y + line_height),
+            cv2.FONT_HERSHEY_SIMPLEX,
+            fontScale = font_scale,
+            color = (255-font_color[0], 255-font_color[1], 255-font_color[2]),
+            thickness = font_thickness,
+        )
+
+    cv2.putText(
+        frame,
+        time_to_show,
+        (text_offset_x, text_offset_y + line_height - 3),
+        cv2.FONT_HERSHEY_SIMPLEX,
+        fontScale = font_scale,
+        color = font_color,
+        thickness = font_thickness,
+    )
 
 def draw_box_with_label(
     frame,