License Plate Recognition Overview & FAQ

Learn the License Plate Recognition functionality and use cases

Specially-placed cameras are designed to capture license plate images and provide users with a readable and searchable list of license plate numbers. These license plate captures can be linked to live or recorded video from a nearby camera for complete context surrounding vehicle events.

Verkada’s License Plate Recognition (LPR) allows real-time license plate monitoring and logging for later reference. Learn how to configure LPR for your cameras.

1

LPR mode is only available on the Bullet series cameras; however, any Verkada camera can be used as the optional context camera.

2

After you enable and configure LPR mode on a camera, it can take up to 5 minutes for results to populate.

Key features

Investigate License Plates of Interest

You can use LPR to quickly search for all historical appearances of a license plate, making it easier to complete investigations for suspect vehicles.

Receive License Plates of Interest alerts

With Verkada’s LPR solution, you can receive License Plate of Interest alerts when a specific license plate is detected at any of your locations. You can also send these notifications to third-party applications through the Verkada Webhooks API.

Export results via API integrations

Verkada’s LPR results can be systematically exported to third party systems leveraging our API integrations. This allows customers to run custom business reports or integrate with other critical parts of their security infrastructure.

FAQ

Will Gen 1 Bullet cameras provide the same level of LPR performance as the current, Gen 2 models?

No, the Gen 2 Bullet cameras (CB52-E | CB52-TE, CB62-E | CB62-TE) are equipped with a more advanced system on a chip (SOC) and a dedicated computer vision co-processor that supports an improved LPR algorithm, resulting in better license plate character detection.

The Gen 2 cameras can:

• Capture license plates from vehicles traveling at speeds of up to 80 mph (128 kph), compared to the 25 mph (40 kph) capability of first-generation models (CB51-E, CB51-TE, CB61-E, CB61-TE).

• Support LPR across up to 3 lanes, while the Gen 1 models can only support a single lane.

Is it possible to use cameras in LPR mode for video security beyond LPR mode?

Yes, cameras in LPR mode also operate as regular Verkada security cameras. Cameras in LPR mode are still recording footage 24/7 in adaptive quality. This allows you to review history, perform motion searches, and create archives. Both security footage and captured license plates are available for the retention period of the camera. However, it’s worth noting that Verkada’s people and vehicle analytics features are disabled when the camera is in LPR mode.

Is it necessary to use a Bullet camera as the context camera in a dual-camera LPR setup?

No, any Verkada camera that is not an LPR camera can be used as a context camera in a dual-camera LPR setup. You have the flexibility to choose the camera that best suits your needs and preferences.

What is the function of a context camera and when is it necessary to use one?

When using LPR, we recommend to focus on 1–3 lanes so that passing vehicles take up most of the frame as they pass through the scene. LPR cameras also operate in the infrared (IR) range of the light spectrum, instead of visible range. This is because license plates are highly reflective of IR light and are designed to be read in that spectrum.

You may also want to monitor the scene while using LPR cameras. In this case, you can use a context camera to provide a broader view without compromising the LPR’s performance. Context cameras are also useful for general security purposes and capturing balanced contrast color footage to better investigate observed vehicles.

When is it necessary to use an external IR illuminator for capturing license plates and what model should I choose?

If the location where license plates will be captured is in a low-light or distant area, we highly recommend that you use an external IR illuminator to enhance the visibility of the license plates. Contact a Verkada Sales representative for recommendations on which third-party product to use.

What is the camera’s behavior in the event of an internet outage?

In the case of an internet outage, the LPR camera continues to record license plate data and video using its onboard storage. Once the internet connection is restored, the stored data is sent to the cloud.

Is it possible to integrate a Verkada LPR camera into an external system, such as a tolling system?

Yes, Verkada offers APIs for accessing license plate data. To integrate a Verkada LPR camera with an external system, contact our Solutions Engineering team to see if we can support your specific use case.

What types of license plates are incompatible with Verkada’s LPR technology?

Our LPR system is only designed to recognize license plates with Latin characters and does not support license plates with 3 or fewer characters.

Why is my camera feed too dark at night?

The shutter speed is higher on LPR cameras because they need to get better shots of objects that are moving quickly. With higher shutter speeds less light can enter the camera’s image sensor resulting in a darker image than a camera that’s not configured for LPR. Consequently, LPR cameras may transition to night mode earlier in the day to compensate for these darker conditions.

We recommend pairing a context camera with your LPR camera for an optimal view of the surrounding area.

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Need more help? Contact Verkada Support.