Downtown Parking has installed License Plate Recognition hardware which uses cameras to read your license plate as you enter and exit the parking lot and connects your plate to your entry and exit times.  One benefit of this technology is that it may be used in place of your physical permit card. 

LPR will only work on vehicles which display a front license plate.

Please keep your permit card available as back-up to the LPR Permit system as there may be times when the LPR system may not be operational and the physical permit will be needed.   

The City of Santa Barbara values your privacy.  For information about how the City uses LPR data in our parking system, please review our LPR policy.  View LPR Policies

Terms and Conditions of LPR Permit Use

• License Plate Recognition (LPR) is supplemental to your physical permit card. Please keep your permit card available for use as a backup in the event LPR does not read your plate to raise the entrance or exit gate.
• Only a Permit Holder may use an LPR linked permit to access the parking lot. You must opt-out of LPR for vehicles used by to multiple drivers.
• Your permit can be terminated if you allow non-permit holders to use your LPR registered license plate to gain access to the parking lot without paying hourly parking fees.
• A Permit Holder must notify the Parking Office within 5 business days if the holder will no longer be driving a vehicle authorized for LPR permit access.
• A front license plate is required to use LPR. If your vehicle is not required to display a front plate (CVC§ 5200), please opt-out of LPR.

• Please note that if you opt out of using a Licence Plate Operated Permit, your current licence plate and registration are still required to be filed with your permit application.  Your license plate will be read by the license plate recongnition software, but will not be linked to your permit or name.  

Each permit holder may register up to three vehicles.  When the permit is in use, the vehicle must be driven by the authorized permit holder.  Permits are non-transferrable.  Please enter the license plate for, and upload the current registration for, each vehicle you would like to add as a License Plate Operated Permit.

For LPR to work properly, your license plate must be up-to-date in our system.