Parking enforcement

Municipality of Zwolle

The municipality of Zwolle monitors parking using a patrol car and an app (Citycontrol) on a mobile device (handheld). The cameras on the roof of the car and on the mobile device read number plates using a special system. This system checks whether a car is permitted to park there.

Last change on 29th of June 2026, at 10:03 (CET) | Publication Standard 1.0

• Publication category: Impactful algorithms
• Impact assessment: DPIA
• Status: In use

General information

Theme

Traffic

Begin date

2018-01

Contact information

https://www.zwolle.nl/stuur-ons-een-bericht

Responsible use

Goal and impact

The municipality of Zwolle checks for proof of parking authorisation, such as payment for parking or a parking permit. If this is not the case, the municipality may issue a fine.

For these checks, the council uses a scanning vehicle and mobile devices. These take photographs of parked cars, recording the number plate, the location and the time. The system checks whether a car is permitted to be parked there. If the check reveals that a car is not permitted to be parked there, enforcement officers receive an alert so that they can assess the situation. This enables enforcement officers to carry out checks quickly and effectively.

Considerations

Without the scanning vehicle, enforcement officers would have to check all cars one by one. This takes a lot of time and money, and mistakes are more likely to be made. The scanning vehicle makes the process quicker and more accurate. This ensures that Zwolle remains easily accessible and the roads stay safe.  

Human intervention

An enforcement officer always carries out a check. This takes place immediately after the scan. This ensures that errors are spotted in good time, corrections are made, and no fine is issued unless absolutely necessary.

Risk management

Sometimes things can go wrong. For example, a number plate might be read incorrectly. In some situations, it may also be difficult to determine the car’s exact location, for instance due to tall buildings or a tunnel. That is why an enforcement officer always carries out a second check. The photographs and data are used solely for the purpose of checking parking charges. Other parts of the photos are blurred if necessary.

Legal basis

The local authority is permitted to carry out these checks under the Local Government Act. This Act states that the local authority draws up rules governing the checks. Such rules are known as a ‘by-law’. Every year, the municipal council adopts the ‘By-law on the levying and collection of parking charges’, including the parking rates. The ‘Act on the Administrative Enforcement of Traffic Regulations (WAHV)’ sets out rules on traffic fines. 

Links to legal bases

• Regulation on the imposition and collection of parking tax,: https://lokaleregelgeving.overheid.nl/CVDR751055
• Local Government Act: https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0005416
• Act on the Administrative Enforcement of Traffic Regulations: https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0004581

Link to Processing Index

https://www.zwolle.nl/privacyverklaring-parkeren

Impact assessment

Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA)

Operations

Data

Vehicle registration number, parking permit, location.

Technical design

The scanning car drives through the city every day. There are cameras mounted on top of the car. The cameras on the car read the number plates of parked cars. A system then checks whether payment has been made or whether the driver has a parking permit.

1. Is everything in order? If so, the scan is anonymised. Personal data and photographs are deleted within 24 hours.
2. If there is no valid parking authorisation, an enforcement officer is alerted and assesses the situation on site. The officer checks the number plate, the location and the time. This may result in a fine or a warning. If something is incorrect, the report is deleted within 24 hours.

We refer to this as checking parking authorisation.

External provider

ACI SCANaCAR, Sigmax