Free Parking Lot CCTV Layout CCTV Design Tool
Parking lots fail in the dark, in the rain, and at the gate. This layout uses ANPR at every entry, IR bullets covering aisles, and weather-rated domes for the pedestrian zones — designed to give you a plate, a face and a timestamp.
6-16
Typical cameras
1,000-5,000 sqm
Typical area
Night coverage with poor street lighting
challenge
Recommended camera zones
| Zone | Camera type | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry / exit gate | Bullet / LPR | 2-4 | Dedicated ANPR bullet — 1/1.8" sensor, fast shutter, 50–100 m read range. |
| Aisles and rows | Bullet / IR | 2-6 | IR bullets at end-of-row poles, 6–8 mm lens, covering vehicles two-deep. |
| Pedestrian crossings / lifts | Dome | 1-2 | Wall-mounted dome at lift exit, weather-rated, face-readable at 4–5 m. |
| Perimeter / fence line | Bullet / Thermal | 2-4 | Thermal or long-range IR bullets covering 50–100 m of fence per camera. |
Key challenges for
Night coverage with poor street lighting
Sodium-vapour or sparse LED leaves blackout zones between fixtures. Use IR bullets with 30–60 m range, or supplemental smart-IR that adapts to local lighting.
Weather: rain, snow, glare
IP67 minimum, IK10 for ground-floor mounts. Sun glare at sunrise/sunset blinds anything pointing east-west — angle off-axis or use fixed louvres.
ANPR: not every camera reads plates
Plate-reading needs a 1/1.8" sensor, fast shutter (≥1/500s), and dedicated ANPR firmware. A generic 4 MP bullet at the gate will give you a vehicle silhouette, not a plate.
Pole height and theft
Cameras mounted at 4–5 m on parking-lot poles get knocked off by trucks or stolen for resale. Use locking arms, anti-vandal housings, and tamper-alarm-enabled cameras.
Pro tips for
Spend the budget on ANPR at the gate — without it, the rest is just shapes in the dark.
Don't trust visible-light cameras in unlit lots — IR or thermal is mandatory after sunset.
Mount cameras on the OUTSIDE of light poles, not inside — the pole base creates a 90° dead zone in the most-trafficked angle.
Use cameras with corridor mode (9:16) for narrow aisles — pixel density doubles where it matters.
Run a 90-day retention on parking lots — incident reports often surface 6–8 weeks later from insurance claims.
Frequently asked questions
Will a generic 4 MP bullet read license plates?
At 5–10 m yes, often. At 30+ m no — you need a true ANPR camera with fast shutter and the right sensor. Don't expect plate reads from off-the-shelf bullets at gate distances.
How many cameras for a 50-space parking lot?
Typically 6–10: 1–2 gate ANPR, 3–5 aisle IR bullets, 1–2 pedestrian/lift, 1–2 perimeter. Multi-storey adds 1–2 cameras per level for stairwell and lift.
Do I need thermal cameras?
Only for unlit perimeters or yards exceeding 100 m diagonal. Otherwise IR bullets at 30–60 m range cover surface lots fine. Thermal earns its keep at construction sites and remote yards, less so at urban parking.
Design your own layout in minutes
Drop cameras on a real map of your site, see real FOV cones, get a PDF site plan and BOM. Free forever, no credit card.