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Complete Guide to ANPR Parking Charges

By GetRighted Legal Research TeamLast updated July 2026

Summary

ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) cameras record your vehicle entering and exiting a car park. The system calculates your stay duration and triggers a charge if you exceed the permitted time. ANPR is used by most major private operators including ParkingEye, Smart Parking, and APCOA. Common errors include misreading plates (partial captures matching the wrong vehicle), failing to record exits (showing impossibly long stays), and clock synchronisation issues between entry and exit cameras. Under the BPA/IPC Code, ANPR systems must be regularly calibrated. If the timestamps are wrong, the charge fails.

How ANPR enforcement works

Entry and exit cameras photograph your number plate. Software reads the plate and calculates duration. If your stay exceeds the permitted time (minus the mandatory 10-minute grace period), the system flags a contravention. The operator obtains keeper details from DVLA and sends a Notice to Keeper. The entire process is automated — no human checks the images before the charge is issued.

How to challenge ANPR evidence

Key steps:

  • ✓Request the ANPR images — check if your plate was read correctly
  • ✓Calculate your actual stay from the timestamps — factor in the 10-minute grace period
  • ✓Check for exit camera failure — if no exit image, the stay duration is unreliable
  • ✓Compare ANPR times with independent evidence (dashcam, receipt timestamps, phone GPS)
  • ✓Check if the system was calibrated — request calibration records via your appeal

Partial plate reads

ANPR cameras sometimes capture only part of a plate and match it to the wrong vehicle. If the charge relates to a vehicle that was not yours, request the entry/exit photographs. A partial or incorrect plate read is grounds for cancellation.

ANPR scale

Private operators using ANPR issued over 14 million parking charges in 2023/24. ANPR is now the dominant enforcement method for private car parks. Source: RAC/BPA data.

Legal basis

BPA/IPC Single Code of Practice 2024 requires ANPR systems to be regularly calibrated and accurate. POFA 2012, Schedule 4 governs keeper liability — the operator must still serve a compliant Notice to Keeper within 14 days regardless of how the contravention was detected.

Sources

  1. BPA/IPC Single Code of Practice 2024
  2. POFA 2012, Schedule 4
  3. RAC/BPA data

Frequently Asked Questions

Can ANPR get my plate wrong?
Yes. Partial reads, dirty plates, and similar plate numbers on different vehicles are common ANPR errors. Always request the entry/exit photographs to verify.
What if the exit camera missed me?
If there is no exit record, the system cannot prove how long you stayed. This is a strong ground for appeal — the operator bears the burden of proving the contravention.
Does the 10-minute grace period apply to ANPR?
Yes. The BPA/IPC Code mandates a minimum 10-minute grace period. If your overstay falls within the grace period when correctly calculated from ANPR times, the charge should be cancelled.

Related

  • anpr-error
  • grace-period
  • inadequate-signage

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