License Plate Recognition (LPR) FAQ

License Plate Recognition (LPR) is a technology used on campus for paperless permitting (or "virtual" permits) by means of license plate readers and a software that links the permits to the plate. This technology replaces physical paper permits, stickers, and plastic hangtags along with a large amount of waste in producing them.

LPR improves parking efficiency, provides technological conveniences to the user, and greatly reduces the paper and plastic waste on campus.

Individuals input their vehicle information into our Online Parking Portal when purchasing their permits. The LPR software then combines this information with the individual’s payment to generate a virtual permit linked to that license plate number.

When a vehicle parks on campus, the license plate can be read by cameras mounted on enforcement vehicles. LPR works similar to a supermarket scanner with your license plate functioning as a barcode. When read, the numbers of your plate are automatically referenced against our parking database to verify a valid permit and the proper parking privileges for that parking location. If the license plate and vehicle information are not associated with a valid virtual permit or if the vehicle is parked in an inappropriate location (i.e., Employee Lot vs. General Lot), then the enforcement vehicle will receive an alert and the vehicle in question will be subject to citation.

The benefits of LPR to the campus include:

• Eliminates the need to display physical permits and the need to move permits from vehicle-to-vehicle in the event of a rental car or loaner vehicle.
• Upgraded paperless pay stations.
• Returning to your vehicle from the pay station to display a paper permit will no longer be necessary.
• Lost or stolen permits and the associated replacement fees, police reports, and processing times have been eliminated.
• No more forgetting your permit, permits falling from rearview mirrors or being displayed improperly (i.e., covered by sunshades).
• Options for adding credits to your parking purchase remotely via the Parkmobile app
• Reduced waste in support of CSULB’s commitment to zero waste and campus sustainability including reduced paper, plastic, envelopes and postage used in permit production and distribution along with a reduction of litter in campus parking lots.

The license plate information collected in this process of enforcement will be used solely for verifying CSULB parking permits on campus. Your information is protected and will never be used for any outside purpose. 

The enforcement rules will not change due to this technology, including the process to appeal a citation.

Parking pay stations are still available on campus. Each pay station has been integrated with LPR software to receive license plate information and immediately send permit verification to our enforcement vehicles. 

Pay stations will not dispense paper permits, but instead will allow you to use your license plate number to immediately generate a virtual permit for Daily or Short-Term parking.

Individuals may purchase their permits via the Online Parking Portal. These include monthly, semester, or academic year or resident permits.

Daily and Short-Term parking permits may be purchased via the ParkMobile app or at the nearest parking pay station.

A small grace period is provided to all non-permitted vehicles when arriving on campus to allow time to complete your permit purchase.

Parking pay stations are available along the direct paths of travel away from each parking lot and on the 1st floors of each parking structure in order to facilitate parking purchases without access to a smartphone or computer. 

The Visitor Information Center (VIC) is also available to provide additional assistance as needed.

LPR automatically verifies Employee or Student status via the permit associated with the license plate. Vehicles parked in areas on campus not associated with their permit type will be subject to citation.

Emeriti virtual permits are available via the Online Parking Portal.

E sticker (or Exempt) permits are valid in all state vehicle spaces on campus.

CSULB has detailed instructions for parking on multiple campuses while concurrently employed. Please visit Concurrent Employment Parking for more information.

If you are simply attending an event or activity at another CSU campus, please contact the coordinator of that event for specific visitor parking instructions. 

Please call at 562.985.4146 or email ParkingGeneral@csulb.edu with additional questions.

CSULB honors all valid CSU Employee hangtag permits from other CSU campuses. Please ensure the hangtag is visibly displayed when parking on our campus.

The LPR system can read motorcycle license plates as well. Please ensure your motorcycle information is listed correctly in the Online Parking Portal.

It is vital that your license plate and vehicle information be correct and current on your permit to avoid an unnecessary citation. 

Please visit your Online Parking Portal to update your information immediately after any change in license plate number or vehicle. Please delete old or unused vehicle listings from your account to avoid possible errors in which vehicle is attached to the permit itself.

If you have a vanity plate with less than 7 characters, or if you have a special character within your plate (heart, star, etc.), please skip the special character when entering your license plate number into the system and type out the remaining characters without spaces. For example:

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This plate would be entered as “ICSULB” at a pay station or during the online registration process. The heart would be omitted and no space would be added.

If your vehicle is registered in the State of California, the California Vehicle Code (CVC 5200) requires two plates, a permanently attached, front-facing license plate and rear-facing license plate.

Vehicles failing to comply with the California Vehicle Code are subject to citation on campus for safety reasons.

As long as your plates are legal for driving, our system will be able to read them.

There have been recent upgrades to temporary license plates that allow our LPR system to read them. Please ensure the plates are visible and that your license plate number is correctly listed in your Online Parking Portal.

Once your permanent DMV-issued license plates arrive and are mounted on your vehicle, you must immediately update your information in the Online Parking Portal. Failure to update your vehicle license plate information may result in an unnecessary citation.

Your information can be viewed and updated at any time via the Online Parking Portal. You will be asked to login with your Beach ID and password and then simply click on "Vehicles" to view your current vehicle information.

Please delete any old or unused vehicles to minimize mistakes of which vehicle is currently attached to the active permit.

Previously, two vehicles were allowed on each permit for driver convenience; however, this feature was discontinued on August 1, 2025. Vehicles may still be swapped out at any time (i.e. rental car, loaner vehicle), but only one primary vehicle will be allowed at a time.

Note: Vehicles removed from a permit will also be removed from the account. Please simply add a new vehicle when this occurs.

Individuals are allowed to add/remove vehicles to their parking permit at any time via the Online Parking Portal; this includes loaner vehicles and rental cars. 

Please delete any old or unused vehicles to minimize mistakes of which vehicle is currently attached to the active permit.

The LPR system has difficulty recognizing vehicles listed on multiple virtual permits. To avoid being cited in error, we recommend only listing your vehicle on your own virtual permit. 

If a vehicle already has a valid permit, listing the vehicle on another individual's permit is unnecessary. 

All permits are non-transferable and can only be used by the individual who purchased it. 

Permit privileges will be revoked for any individuals found sharing virtual permits or in violation of CSULB Parking Regulations.