An ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) camera is a CCTV camera that captures and reads vehicle number plates. The main benefits of ANPR cameras are:
- Vehicle identification – recognises the number plate, not just the vehicle.
- Faster search and playback – find footage by number plate instead of manual review.
- Gate and barrier integration – link vehicle identification to access control.
- Focused vehicle monitoring – ideal for car parks, warehouses, schools, hotels and commercial sites.
- Built-in AI analytics – many models add line crossing, intrusion detection and counting.
Automatic Number Plate Recognition has become an increasingly useful part of modern CCTV installations where vehicle identification is important.
Rather than simply recording a vehicle entering or leaving a site, an ANPR camera is designed to recognise its number plate. This gives installers and end users additional ways to monitor vehicles, search recorded footage and integrate CCTV with wider security systems.
For professional installers, G-TEC supplies dedicated ANPR cameras from SERAGE and Hikvision, alongside compatible CCTV recorders and other surveillance equipment. G-TEC’s current SERAGE ANPR range includes 5MP cameras with motorised lenses, number plate recognition and additional AI video analytics.
This guide looks at how ANPR cameras work, their main benefits, the types of sites where they can be used, and the options available to installers when specifying ANPR CCTV equipment.
Explore our range of ANPR cameras →
What Is an ANPR Camera?
ANPR stands for Automatic Number Plate Recognition. An ANPR camera is designed to capture and recognise vehicle number plates as part of a CCTV system, providing more specific vehicle information than standard video surveillance alone.
G-TEC supplies dedicated ANPR cameras as part of both its SERAGE and Hikvision CCTV offering. The SERAGE range includes cameras specifically designed for automatic number plate recognition, while G-TEC’s Hikvision offering also includes ANPR-compatible surveillance equipment.
ANPR can therefore be used as part of a wider CCTV installation rather than as a completely separate security system. Depending on the equipment selected, ANPR functionality can be combined with recording, searching, analytics and vehicle access-control applications.
What Are the Benefits of ANPR Cameras?
The main advantage of an ANPR camera is its ability to provide more useful information about the vehicles being monitored.
1. Vehicle Identification
A standard CCTV camera can provide footage of a vehicle entering or moving through a site. ANPR adds the ability to recognise the vehicle’s number plate.
Within G-TEC’s SERAGE offering, ANPR functionality includes plate recognition together with plate database management and the ability to search and play back footage using number-plate information. For sites with regular vehicle movement, this makes finding relevant events far more practical than manually reviewing recorded footage.
2. Faster Search and Playback
Associating CCTV events with number-plate information improves how recorded footage is searched. SERAGE’s ANPR functionality includes search and playback by plate, allowing vehicle-related footage to be located using recognised number-plate data.
This is especially useful where operators need to find the arrival or movement of a particular vehicle.
3. Gate and Barrier Integration
ANPR can also form part of a wider vehicle access-control system. G-TEC lists gate and barrier integration among the ANPR capabilities available through the SERAGE CCTV range.
This gives installers the option of combining vehicle identification with controlled entrances, rather than treating CCTV and vehicle access as completely separate systems. The requirements of each project still determine how the system should be configured and what compatible equipment is needed.
4. More Focused Vehicle Monitoring
ANPR is particularly useful when the purpose of the CCTV installation includes identifying vehicles rather than only monitoring general activity. This makes the technology different from simply choosing a higher-resolution standard camera.
The installer needs to consider whether number plate recognition is actually required for the site, then select a camera suited to that application.
Where Can ANPR Cameras Be Used?
ANPR is suitable for a wide variety of professional security installations where vehicles need to be monitored. G-TEC’s specification for the SERAGE SRPBNC5VFLAIW ANPR camera lists applications including:
- Car parks
- Intersections
- Hotels
- Schools
- Large public spaces
- Commercial buildings
- Warehouses
The same model is recommended for number plate reading at distances of up to 30 metres.
This shows why site requirements matter when selecting ANPR equipment. A camera monitoring a controlled vehicle entrance may need a different lens and viewing distance from one covering vehicles across a larger commercial site.
ANPR and Intelligent Video Analytics
Modern ANPR cameras can do more than licence plate recognition alone. For example, G-TEC’s SERAGE SRPBNC5VFAIW 5MP ANPR bullet camera includes a range of AI features alongside number plate recognition:
- Pedestrian and vehicle detection
- Perimeter intrusion
- Line crossing
- Object detection
- Crossing counting
- Heat maps
- Crowd density
- Queue length
- Face recognition
- Licence plate recognition
The camera combines ANPR with a broader set of intelligent video analytics within the same surveillance device.
Installer tip: Choose analytics based on what the installation actually needs, not the longest feature list. For some projects number plate recognition is the main requirement; for others, vehicle identification forms part of a wider intelligent CCTV system.
Choosing the Right ANPR Camera
Selecting an ANPR camera involves more than checking whether a product supports number plate recognition. Installers should consider the practical requirements of the site and the specifications of each camera.
Viewing Distance
The expected distance between the camera and the vehicles being monitored is critical. G-TEC supplies SERAGE ANPR cameras with different motorised lens ranges:
- SRPBNC5VFAIW – 2.8–12mm motorised lens.
- SRPBNC5VFLAIW – 5–50mm motorised lens, recommended by SERAGE for number plate reading at up to 30 metres.
Installers can therefore select the camera according to the viewing requirements of the project, rather than treating all ANPR cameras as interchangeable.
Lighting Conditions
Lighting is another key consideration for vehicle surveillance. The SERAGE SRPBNC5VFLAIW provides infrared illumination up to 80 metres and warm-light illumination up to 30 metres, with hybrid IR and colour operation. These features help maintain usable images as lighting conditions change.
Outdoor Installation
ANPR cameras are commonly positioned around external vehicle routes and entrances, so environmental protection matters. Both of G-TEC’s current SERAGE ANPR bullet models have an IP67 rating. The 5–50mm model also carries an IK10 rating, adding impact resistance where required.
Power and Network Requirements
G-TEC’s SERAGE ANPR cameras support both 12V DC and PoE power options. PoE allows compatible cameras to receive power and network connectivity through a single Ethernet cable, which simplifies IP CCTV design. The exact network and power arrangement should still be planned around the equipment being installed.
SERAGE ANPR Cameras
SERAGE provides dedicated ANPR equipment within G-TEC’s current IP CCTV range. The table below compares the two current models.
| Specification | SERAGE SRPBNC5VFAIW | SERAGE SRPBNC5VFLAIW |
|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 5MP | 5MP |
| Lens | 2.8–12mm motorised | 5–50mm motorised |
| Infrared range | Up to 35m | Up to 80m |
| Warm light | Up to 30m | Up to 30m |
| Recommended plate reading | Check manufacturer spec | Up to 30m |
| Protection | IP67 | IP67, IK10 |
| Power | 12V DC / PoE | 12V DC / PoE |
| AI analytics | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Shorter-range entrances and gates | Longer focal range and larger sites |
SERAGE SRPBNC5VFAIW (2.8–12mm)
A 5MP hybrid ANPR bullet camera with a 2.8–12mm motorised lens, up to 35m infrared, up to 30m warm light, IP67 protection, PoE support and additional AI video analytics.
SERAGE SRPBNC5VFLAIW (5–50mm)
For installations requiring a longer focal range, this model uses a 5–50mm motorised lens and provides up to 80m IR illumination. SERAGE recommends it for number plate reading at distances of up to 30m.
The difference between these cameras highlights why installers should consider the actual viewing distance and site layout before choosing an ANPR model.
Hikvision ANPR Solutions
Hikvision also provides ANPR capability within the CCTV equipment available through G-TEC. G-TEC’s comparison of Hikvision and SERAGE confirms that Hikvision offers a dedicated ANPR camera range alongside its wider CCTV portfolio.
Compatible Hikvision recording equipment can also support ANPR cameras. For example, the Hikvision DS-9632NI-M8 NVR lists support for specialist cameras including ANPR, people-counting and fisheye cameras.
G-TEC therefore gives installers ANPR options across both the SERAGE and Hikvision ecosystems, rather than restricting projects to one CCTV platform.
How Should Installers Choose an ANPR Solution?
There is no single ANPR camera that is right for every installation. A useful starting point is to consider the practical requirements of the project.
Required Viewing Area
Where will vehicles be positioned when their number plates need to be captured? The required focal length and camera position depend on the site layout and the expected distance from the target vehicle.
Lighting
Will the camera need to operate in low-light or night-time conditions? Consider the available infrared distance, warm-light capability and any lighting already present at the site.
Number Plate Recognition Distance
Check the manufacturer’s recommended recognition distance rather than assuming the maximum infrared distance is also the maximum ANPR distance.
Important: The SERAGE SRPBNC5VFLAIW provides up to 80m IR illumination, but it is recommended for number plate reading up to 30m. IR range and ANPR range are not the same thing.
Additional Analytics
Does the project require only number plate recognition, or are other analytics useful too? Compatible SERAGE cameras can combine ANPR with pedestrian and vehicle detection, line crossing, perimeter intrusion and counting. Identify the required features before selecting the final camera.
System Compatibility
ANPR equipment should be considered as part of the wider CCTV system. Cameras, recorders, networking equipment and any access-control or barrier integration need to work together. G-TEC supplies CCTV equipment from both SERAGE and Hikvision, allowing installers to select cameras and compatible components according to the installation.
Choosing ANPR Equipment from G-TEC
G-TEC supplies professional CCTV and security equipment to installers across the UK, including CCTV systems, access control, networking, video intercoms, intruder alarms, fire detection and installation accessories.
For projects requiring Automatic Number Plate Recognition, G-TEC’s offering includes dedicated ANPR solutions from SERAGE alongside ANPR equipment and compatible recording solutions from Hikvision.
ANPR Specification Checklist
Rather than choosing an ANPR camera on resolution alone, start with the site requirements and then consider:
- Number plate recognition distance
- Lens range
- Lighting conditions
- Camera location
- Required analytics
- Network and power requirements
- Recorder compatibility
- Gate or barrier integration
Whether the project involves a car park, warehouse, commercial building or another vehicle-focused security installation, G-TEC can provide ANPR CCTV equipment and compatible system components to suit different project requirements.
Specifying ANPR for your next project?
Explore our ANPR camera range or speak to the G-TEC team for help selecting the right equipment.