What Are the Most Common LPR Configurations?

Q&A with Senior Proposal Writer Cynthia Bruce

License plate recognition technology can be configured in various ways to provide customers with instant and frictionless access to a parking facility. 

But what LPR configuration is best suited for your facility and customer’s needs? Precise ParkLink’s Senior Proposal Writers – Cynthia Bruce – shares the 4 most common LPR configurations and what they mean.

Q. What are the most common licence plate recognition configurations?

A. When it comes to LPR technology for transient parking scenarios, there are four configurations that suit most parking operations.

In a ticketless gated parking mode, the license plate is read at the entry gate. At exit, the license plate is read again, the fee due is calculated based on the car’s entry and exit times, and payment is made at exit

In a frictionless non-gated parking mode, LPR devices are situated at the parking lot entry and exit. With a post-pay model, transient parkers are sent an invoice for their parking session (or are automatically deducted from their card if the plate and cared are registered in the app).

Similar to the frictionless configuration, there is also a pre-pay model, where parkers enter their license plate and pay for their transaction in advance either at a meter or on an app. The LPR system here now becomes an operational tool, as it can alert your facility’s enforcement team if a payment isn’t registered within a pre-defined time threshold.

In gated parking environments, a license plate is read at the entry terminal, where the parker typically obtains an entry ticket. At the end of the stay, payment is made either with a mobile payment offering or at a pay station. When the vehicle approaches the exit, the LPR technology will read the plate, check the database for payment of the ticket associated to the license plate, and send a signal to raise the gate.

Parking operators can leverage their LPR system for other operational efficiencies like verification of valid parking sessions, notification of arrivals of specific VIP guests, and can even tie into the Ministry’s hot list and BOLO lists.

Want to learn more? Watch the full Q&A below!