Security Camera That Can Capture License Plates?

License plate cameras (also called LPR cameras) are a type of surveillance camera that can capture video and extract numbers and letters from a license plate on a moving vehicle. LPR cameras can capture number plates during day or night with accuracy thanks to special features such as variable shutter speeds, high contrast video, and headlight compensation. ANPR cameras (Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras) go a step further by using optical character recognition to retrieve and store plate numbers. A regular security camera can only record clear video of license plates on parked vehicles during the day; it cannot filter the light reflected from a license plate at night, resulting in grainy, washed-out video that is unusable.

License plate cameras are cameras which can extract numbers and letters from a license plate using infrared illuminators or ambient lighting. Most cameras are able to catch license plates during the day. Some security cameras even come equipped with long distance lenses for capturing license plates which are far away. The difference between a traditional security camera and a license plate camera can be seen at night. A typical security camera is unable to process the reflecting light bouncing off a license plate.

Without infrared, a regular security camera will capture a poorly lit image with too much static. With infrared, it will be blinded by the infrared light being reflected off the license plate. License plates in most states are made with a reflective coating which allows law enforcement to easily identify a vehicle. A true license plate camera uses a high contrast image sensor and long distance infrared illuminators to extract sharp license video. Because it can capture images before or after a vehicle passes its field of view, LPR cameras are able to see through brake lights and headlights.

LPC vs. LPR vs. ANPR

It is important to distinguish between license plate capture (LPC) and license plate recognition (LPR). When most industry people say LPR, they mean automatic recognition. LPC refers to cameras that capture clear plate images for a human to read. ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) cameras go further by using optical character recognition to retrieve and store plate numbers automatically. True ANPR/ALPR systems are significantly more expensive, with professional-grade systems from vendors such as Dahua running $3,500–$5,000 or more.

The difference between license plate capture cameras and regular security cameras is that LPR cameras can process movement (vehicle speed), lighting (very bright lights or not bright enough), and distance (lens) faster and better than a regular camera. Some license plate cameras are made for short distances and slow movement. These types of cameras might work for a residential gate or a parking garage where a barrier is present. Other locations like toll roads require a more demanding camera. High speed license plate cameras use slow shutter speed image sensors like the ones used in motorsports to capture images of cars moving faster than 45mph.

Key Technical Factors for License Plate Capture

CMOS Sensor Size

Sensor size is more important than megapixels for capturing clear plate images in varying light conditions.

Lens Focal Length

The lens focal length determines how far away a plate can be captured clearly. A longer focal length (e.g., 9–50mm, 8–32mm) enables long-range capture, while a shorter focal length covers wider angles at closer ranges.

Shutter Speed

High shutter speeds freeze motion to prevent blur on moving vehicles. A setting such as 10ms max shutter has been used successfully on vehicles traveling at 45mph.

Wide Dynamic Range (WDR)

WDR allows the camera to handle both bright headlights and dark backgrounds simultaneously, preventing washout of the plate image.

Infrared (IR) Illumination

Built-in IR illuminators allow plate capture at night. Long-range IR cameras can achieve 164ft or more of night vision illumination. External IR illuminators such as Raytec units can be paired with cameras that lack built-in IR.

Headlight Compensation (HLC)

HLC suppresses bright light sources such as headlights to allow the plate to remain readable even when a vehicle is driving directly toward the camera.

Frames Per Second (FPS)

Higher FPS (e.g., 60fps, 90fps, 120fps) increases the chance of capturing a clear frame of a moving vehicle. 3fps was found insufficient; 12fps at 5MP improved capture rates significantly.

Pixel Density

High pixel density is important when plates are captured at an angle. At 45° the plate appears half its width, so letters must still be resolvable. A pixel density of 180ppf at 100ft has been used for parking lot exit lane capture.

Mounting Angle and Height

The camera needs to be mounted as close to parallel with the roadway as possible, and mounting height should be close to level with the plates for optimal LPR results.

Mounting and Installation Considerations

• The camera needs to be mounted as close to parallel with the roadway as possible, and mounting height needs to be close to level with the plates.
• A common mistake is attempting to view more than one lane width at a time or trying to capture cars turning rather than coming straight at the capture device.
• For vehicles traveling under 20mph, purpose-built LPC cameras with factory-set configurations simplify installation and reduce the need for manual gain and exposure adjustment.
• Capture at entry points where cars are at their slowest when turning in is recommended, as vehicles accelerate rapidly once on the roadway.
• Cameras for roadways running east-west must account for sun glare, which can bloom out the plate at certain times of day depending on time of year.
• POE (Power over Ethernet) technology simplifies installation by delivering both power and data over a single Cat5 cable.
• For outdoor use, cameras should be rated IP66 or IP67 for dustproof and waterproof protection.
• When covering two lanes with one camera, a 3MP wide-angle camera such as the Dahua IPC-HDBW3300 has been used successfully. The field of view must be wide enough to encompass both lanes.

Recommended Camera Models

Several purpose-built LPC and LPR IP camera models are available from established manufacturers. The following cameras have been specifically designed or cited for license plate capture applications:

1. Geovision GV-LPC2211 — 2MP license plate recognition bullet IP security camera, 9–22mm motorized lens.
2. Axis Q1700-LE — 2MP IR outdoor license plate capture camera.
3. LTS CMIP7923LPR-22 — 2MP IR license plate recognition camera.
4. Hanwha Vision PNV-A9081RLP — 8MP 4K night vision outdoor dome license plate recognition IP security camera.
5. Hanwha Vision PNO-A9081RLP — 8MP 4K night vision outdoor bullet license plate recognition IP security camera.
6. Hikvision IDS-2CD7186G0/P-IZHSY (8-32mm) — 8MP anti-corrosion 4K LPR varifocal dome IP security camera with built-in IR.
7. Hikvision IDS-2CD7A46G0/P-IZHSY (2.8-12mm) — DeepinView 4MP LPR motorized outdoor bullet IP security camera.
8. Hikvision DS-2XS6A47G1/P (8-32mm) — 4MP solar 4G ANPR outdoor bullet IP security camera with built-in IR.
9. Vivotek IP9165-LPRKit-S-V2 (50mm) — 2MP license plate recognition kit with 9-50mm lens and built-in IR.
10. Vivotek IB9387-LPR-V3 (7-22mm) — 5MP AI outdoor bullet IP security camera with built-in IR.
11. Vivotek IP9165-LPC-V2 (9-50mm) — 2MP license plate capture indoor box IP security camera, 60fps, H.265, WDR Pro II.
12. Digital Watchdog DWC-XSBA05LIP — 5MP outdoor bullet IP security camera with 6-50mm lens, 8x optical zoom, and built-in IR.
13. Digital Watchdog DWC-MB45IALPRTX — 5MP outdoor bullet IP security camera with 6-50mm lens, 8x optical zoom, and built-in IR.
14. Mobotix MX-VB1A-2-IR-D-ALPR — 2MP LPR outdoor bullet IP security camera with 9-22mm lens and built-in IR.
15. Oculur X2LPC — 2MP IR H.265 outdoor bullet IP security camera for license plate applications.
16. Montavue MTB4-ANPR-VF — 4MP 2K resolution, motorized zoom, up to 60ft ANPR detection, active deterrence with red/blue lights and siren, built-in mic and speaker, 200ft IR night vision.
17. CCTV Security Pros SV-LPR4-N — 4MP IP LPR camera with motorized zoom lens, ANPR feature, POE, and 164ft infrared night vision, NDAA compliant.
18. CCTV Security Pros SV-LPR2-N (BS867) — 2MP 1080P IP POE infrared bullet LPR camera, 4.7–47mm motorized lens, up to 164ft IR, ANPR license plate recognition.

CCTV Analog LPC Camera Options

For users with existing coaxial infrastructure, CCTV-based license plate capture cameras connect easily to DVRs and HD-over-coax recorders, providing a direct upgrade path. These specialized cameras are engineered with specific shutter speeds, lens designs, and IR illumination that make license plates readable even at night, in low light, or with vehicle headlights shining directly at the camera. These solutions are widely used for parking management, gated entry systems, community access control, and traffic enforcement projects.

• A2Z AZ-HDAIRB2M-550LPC — 2MP HD analog LPC camera, 5–50mm motorized zoom lens, 100m IR night vision, IP66 housing, supports CVI/TVI/AHD/CVBS outputs.
• A2Z AZ-LPCH215-IR — 2MP HD CCTV LPC camera, 12–50mm manual varifocal, IR illumination, LPC-tuned imaging with high shutter speeds and wide dynamic range.
• A2Z AZ-LPCH415-W — 4MP HD CCTV LPC camera, 12–50mm manual varifocal, white light illumination, ideal for entrances and gated communities.
• Bosch Dinion 7000 — Top-tier CCTV LPC camera designed for vivid plate images in all conditions, 24/7 license plate capture with overview camera.
• Bosch Dinion 5000 — CCTV LPR camera for capturing vehicle plates in any lighting, high contrast imaging, 4CIF or 540TVL resolution.
• Bosch AN 4000 Traffic LPR — Compact IR bullet style, 960H (720TVL) high resolution CCTV video standard.
• KT&C KPC-LP500NH — B/W 600TVL LPC camera designed for any lighting condition, optimized for true LPR and ANPR systems.
• KT&C KPC-LP751NU — 700TVL high contrast LPC camera built on Sony Exview HAD CCD II sensor.
• Messoa SCR515PROHB-HN2 — Optimized ANPR LPC camera with Messoa CatchAll technology.
• Messoa SCR510HB-HN2 — High contrast B/W LPC camera with powerful infrared illumination.
• Messoa SCR505-HN5 — Compact B/W high performance camera for LPC and LPR systems.

Real-World Performance Notes

A high-quality license plate camera is a crucial tool for any business or residential community experiencing rampant crime because it helps identify culprits using their license plate numbers, resulting in swift justice and acting as a deterrent. With advances in technology and high quality sensors becoming more affordable, it is easier than ever to add a highly effective LPR camera to a security portfolio. It used to be that only government and law enforcement were able to own high quality license plate cameras, but that is no longer the case.

In one documented installation using a Dahua IPC-HDBW3300 3MP IR dome camera paired with a Raytec Raylux 50 HP POE white LED illuminator, the following camera settings were used successfully to capture a vehicle traveling at 45mph: shutter set to 10ms max, gain set to 1 (out of 0–100 scale), day and night mode forced to color to allow identification of the state the plate was issued from, and WDR set to strong. A note from that installation was that while white light illumination works well, many customers do not prefer white light pointing at vehicles entering and leaving due to light pollution.

In another documented installation using Axis P1347 cameras (5MP, 12fps) covering two parking lot exit lanes, the camera lens was set to an 8° field of view. Vehicles were 250ft from the camera at the farthest point and 100ft at the closest point, giving a pixel density of 180ppf at 100ft and 73ppf at the farthest point. Because vehicles turning into an exit lane sometimes presented a 45° angle of the plate, high pixel density was required to accurately capture the plate number. A separate installation using the same camera model with Theia SL940P telephoto lenses covered entry and exit roads three vehicles wide, with posted speed limits of 10mph but vehicles traveling at 30–40mph.