Parking control

Municipality of Purmerend

Parking control with scanning car

Last change on 30th of March 2026, at 12:38 (CET) | Publication Standard 1.0

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

General information

Theme

• Traffic
• Space and Infrastructure

Begin date

2025-05

Contact information

[e-mail]

Link to publication website

https://purmerend.nl/omgeving/parkeren/boetes-en-bekeuringen/parkeercontrole-met-scanauto

Responsible use

Goal and impact

The purpose of the scan car is to ensure efficient and effective parking control in areas with paid parking within the Purmerend municipality. The scan car scans the vehicle registration number and compares it with data in the database. If the license plate number is in the system, the enforcer immediately knows whether (1) the vehicle has a parking permit, (2) is registered as a visitor via 'visitor parking' or (3) has paid via a parking meter or parking app. This helps enforce parking rules and increase compliance. The scan car improves parking compliance through regular and accurate checks, leading to fairer use of parking spaces. The system is more efficient than manual checks and saves time and resources.

Considerations

Efficient and effective parking enforcement. The need for a scan car for parking stems from the desire of municipalities to reduce parking nuisance and improve compliance with parking rules and enforce them fairly. Especially in increasingly larger areas with paid parking, a scan car effectively contributes to this. Scanning license plates while driving a car is less labour-intensive than manually scanning license plates. A car can check a large number of cars faster than enforcers on foot.

Human intervention

If the number plate is not in the system, it is forwarded by the scan car to an enforcer at City Hall. This enforcer checks if payment has been made, if a disabled parking card is present and if the license plate is correct. The parking fine is not issued until all the facts are correct.

Risk management

The scan car takes pictures of the license plate and the immediate surroundings of the car. These photos are only used for verification of parking status and are deleted within hours if no fine is issued.

If a parking fine does follow, the photos are stored securely. Data from scanned license plates and photos are stored securely. Only authorised staff have access. Photos that do not result in a fine are stored for a maximum of 48 hours. In case of an objection to a parking fine, the photos can be used as evidence.

Legal basis

Art 225 Gemeentewet has been implemented in the Purmerend Parking Ordinance and Purmerend Parking Implementation Decree, both revised and entering into force on 1-1-2025.

Links to legal bases

Traffic law: art 225

Link to Processing Index

https://purmerend.nl/home/register-verwerkingsactiviteiten

Impact assessment

Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA)

Operations

Data

Registration number, parking right(NPR), parking box (location), time, date

Technical design

The scan car uses Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras on the car that recognise license plates and check whether parking has been paid for through the National Parking Register (NPR). Within 24 hours, all license plates are anonymised in the control centre (Back Office system of the scanning car). License plates without parking fees are forwarded to the control system. In this system, the license plates are supplemented with vehicle data to collect parking tax.

External provider

ARVOO/Sigmax