What ANPR Cameras Actually Are

ANPR stands for Automatic Number Plate Recognition — the same technology Americans typically call ALPR (Automatic License Plate Recognition). These cameras capture an image of every passing vehicle, run optical character recognition on the plate, and log the plate number, timestamp, GPS location, and often a vehicle description. Some systems compare each scan against hotlists in real time; others simply store the data for days, weeks, or even years, depending on the agency's retention policy.

In the U.S., ANPR deployment exploded between 2020 and 2026, driven largely by municipalities signing contracts with private vendors. A single mid-size city can now operate 50 to 200 cameras, and a 10-minute drive across town can log your plate a dozen times.

A List of ANPR Cameras by Manufacturer

Not all ANPR cameras are the same. Below is a practical list of ANPR cameras and systems you're likely to encounter on American roads in 2026, grouped by vendor.

Flock Safety

Flock Safety is by far the dominant ANPR provider in the United States, with cameras in more than 5,000 communities across all 50 states. Their signature product is the Flock Falcon, a small solar-powered camera mounted on roadside poles. Flock also sells the Falcon Flex (portable), Raven (audio detection paired with ANPR), and Condor (PTZ live-view). Flock's network is unusual because participating agencies can share data with each other through a nationwide network search.

Motorola Vigilant

Motorola Solutions acquired Vigilant Solutions in 2019 and now sells both fixed and mobile ANPR under the Vigilant LPR brand. Vigilant also operates a massive commercial database called DRN (Digital Recognition Network), which uses repossession agents and private drivers to collect billions of plate reads sold back to law enforcement and insurers.

Rekor

Rekor Systems markets the Rekor Scout and Rekor Edge, often deployed on state highways and toll roads. Rekor powers plate recognition for several state DOTs and has contracts with agencies in Oklahoma, Virginia, and New York.

Genetec AutoVu

Genetec's AutoVu line includes the SharpV (fixed) and SharpZ3 (mobile) cameras, popular with parking enforcement and campus police. If your university or a hospital garage reads plates, there's a good chance it's AutoVu.

Leonardo ELSAG

ELSAG, owned by Italian defense contractor Leonardo, sells the MPH-900 mobile ANPR unit mounted on patrol cars. It's one of the oldest systems in the U.S. market and still widely used by state police.

Neology / PIPS

Neology (formerly PIPS Technology) offers the P372 and SpikeHD cameras, common on toll bridges and electronic tolling corridors.

Perceptics

Perceptics builds the ANPR systems used at most U.S. land border crossings for Customs and Border Protection.

Where You'll Find These Cameras

Fixed ANPR cameras are most commonly placed at:

  • Entrances and exits to residential neighborhoods and HOAs
  • Intersections with high crime or crash rates
  • Shopping center and apartment complex driveways
  • School zones and campus perimeters
  • Highway on-ramps and state borders
  • Toll gantries and bridges

Mobile ANPR runs on patrol vehicles, parking enforcement scooters, and tow trucks. The DRN commercial network alone collects over 2 billion plate reads per year from private vehicles roaming parking lots and city streets.

Who Operates These Cameras in Your State

Operators vary widely. In Georgia, Flock Safety is headquartered in Atlanta and blankets the state — the Atlanta Police Department operated more than 350 Flock cameras as of 2025. In California, SB 34 (Civil Code §§ 1798.90.5–1798.90.55) requires every public agency operating ALPR to publish a usage and privacy policy, so you can look up exactly which cameras your city runs on its official website. Virginia amended Code § 52-48 in 2023 to limit ANPR retention to 30 days unless tied to an active investigation. Maine, by contrast, caps retention at just 21 days under 29-A M.R.S. § 2117-A, one of the strictest limits in the country.

For federal operators, Customs and Border Protection publishes border crossing camera locations, and the DEA has acknowledged operating ANPR along major interstate corridors including I-5, I-10, and I-95.

How to Perform an ALPR Camera Lookup on a Specific Plate

Knowing a list of ANPR cameras is useful, but most people really want to answer a narrower question: which of those cameras actually scanned my plate, and when? That's what an ALPR camera lookup is for.

Because many agencies' ANPR data is subject to open-records laws, journalists and transparency groups have been filing FOIA requests to obtain scan logs. PlateQuery aggregates these publicly released records into a free lookup. On any plate's page you can see which agency's Flock Safety network recorded that plate, the approximate date, and the jurisdiction — all sourced from documents the agencies themselves released under public-records law.

To use it, search a plate on PlateQuery and scroll to the ALPR Lookup History section. If the plate appears in any released dataset, the scans are listed there. It's the closest thing available to a free, public ALPR camera lookup for the general public.

FAQ

Are ANPR cameras legal in the U.S.?

Yes, in all 50 states, though about a dozen states regulate retention, access, or usage policies. A handful of cities, including San Francisco and Oakland, require council approval before any new ANPR deployment.

Can I find out where every ANPR camera in my city is located?

Sometimes. In California, agencies must publish their ALPR policies and often include deployment maps. In most other states, you'd need to file a public-records request. Flock also publishes an unofficial transparency portal for participating agencies that choose to opt in.

Do ANPR cameras record video?

Most store only still images of the plate and vehicle, not continuous video. Flock Falcon captures a single image per vehicle; AutoVu and Vigilant mobile units often capture a short burst.

How long is my plate data kept?

Retention varies from 21 days (Maine) to 30 days (Virginia, many Flock agencies by default) to multiple years (DRN commercial database, some federal systems). Check your state statute or the agency's published policy.

Can private companies run ANPR?

Yes. HOAs, apartment complexes, parking operators, and repossession companies all operate ANPR legally in most states, though a few — like New Hampshire under RSA 236:130 — restrict private ANPR use.

Takeaway: Check Your Own Scan History

Knowing the list of ANPR cameras in use is one thing; knowing where your plate has been logged is far more actionable. If you've ever wondered whether your vehicle shows up in a released Flock Safety dataset — maybe because you drive through a city that made news for its surveillance program — look it up. Head to PlateQuery, search your plate, and review the ALPR Lookup History on its page. If you'd rather that history (and any messages people send you) stay private, you can claim your plate's page from that same page for about $1.99/month, and those sections will be hidden from the public while still visible to you.