Quick Summary:
- Stop at the barrier, take photos of the lane screen and signs.
- Use the intercom to request manual entry or a temporary ticket.
- At payment, match the session to your plate, not the bay number.
- On exit, log the time, keep receipts, and request a manual release.
Ticketless garages in San Francisco often use ANPR, automatic number plate recognition, to start and end your parking session. It is convenient when it works: drive in, your plate is read, pay at a kiosk or in an app, and the barrier opens on the way out. The problem is that car hire plates can fail to scan. Plates may be temporary, dirty, reflective, slightly bent, mounted behind tinted covers, or simply misread in low light or rain. When the system fails, you can be exposed to overstay charges, escalating daily rates, or a parking operator sending a notice that later reaches the rental company.
This playbook is designed for car hire drivers in San Francisco who need a calm, repeatable process for entry and exit when ANPR does not recognise the plate. It focuses on three things: getting into the garage without creating a ghost session, paying correctly even when your plate does not appear, and leaving with evidence that protects you if charges appear later.
If you are picking up at the airport, it helps to know your hire agreement details and who to contact for admin charges. Hola Car Rentals pages like San Francisco Airport car hire and Avis car hire at SFO typically outline what documents you will have at hand, which is useful when a garage attendant asks for vehicle details.
How ticketless ANPR garages usually work
Most ticketless garages use one of these models:
Barriered entry and exit: A camera reads the plate at entry and creates a session. At exit, the system checks if the session is paid, then lifts the barrier.
Pay-on-foot kiosk: You enter, park, then pay at a machine by typing your plate. The machine calculates time and charges accordingly.
App-based validation: Some garages require you to enter your plate in an app or web portal shortly after parking. If your plate is misread, the session can be created under the wrong characters.
Gateless (less common in the US): Cameras create a session and invoices are sent based on plate capture. If the plate is wrong, disputes rely heavily on your proof.
With car hire, the key risk is that any unpaid parking charge may be routed to the registered keeper, which is often the rental company. Even if you ultimately pay, admin fees can arise if notices are processed. The goal is to prevent a mismatch between what you did and what the system thinks happened.
Before you reach the barrier: 60-second setup
Do these quick checks before pulling into the entry lane:
Confirm the plate is readable: If safe, wipe dirt from the plate. Do not remove or adjust any rental stickers or registration items.
Disable confusing glare: If you have headlights on high beam and the sign suggests otherwise, switch to low beam to reduce reflections that can confuse cameras.
Know your vehicle details: Have the plate number, make, model, and colour accessible. A valet or attendant may ask to locate your session.
Note the location: Take a quick screenshot of your map showing the garage name and address, plus the time. This helps later if your photos lack context.
Entry playbook when the plate will not scan
Signs that ANPR has failed include the barrier not lifting, a screen message like “plate not recognised”, or the system prompting for a ticket in a ticketless lane. Follow these steps in order.
1) Stop safely and do not reverse without guidance
In busy San Francisco garages, reversing creates risk and can make your entry timestamp ambiguous. Stay in the lane, put the car in park, and activate hazard lights if appropriate.
2) Document the moment
Take clear photos, ideally without leaving the car if safe:
Photo A: The entry screen or barrier display showing an error or prompt.
Photo B: The signboard with the garage name and rates, including any “ticketless” wording.
Photo C: The barrier arm and lane number marker if visible.
Photo D: Your dashboard clock or phone time screen.
This set of photos becomes your evidence that you attempted a normal entry and the system failed.
3) Use the intercom, ask for a manual session, and confirm what to do at payment
Press the help button and keep your wording precise. Here are scripts that work well.
Intercom script for entry (short): “Hi, this is a ticketless lane. My number plate is not being recognised. Can you open the barrier and start a manual parking session for plate [ABC123], entry time is [time]?”
Intercom script if they suggest taking a ticket: “I can take a ticket if required. Please confirm whether I should pay by ticket or by plate at the kiosk, so I do not get double-charged.”
Intercom script if you are in a rental car: “This is a hire car. Please note the plate exactly as [ABC123], and confirm the session is linked to that plate.”
Try to capture the attendant name or operator ID if they provide it. If the intercom has a recorded message, photograph the intercom panel with the help number visible.
4) If given a ticket, treat it as your primary key
Sometimes the safest outcome is that the attendant issues a paper ticket even in a ticketless garage. If you accept one, that ticket becomes your proof of entry. Photograph the ticket immediately and keep it separate from other receipts. From then on, use the ticket at the pay station and exit, even if the garage advertises ANPR.
5) If they wave you in without a ticket, ask how you will be charged
“Ticketless” can mean either plate-based or a temporary session created by the attendant. Ask one direct question: “At payment, should I enter my plate, a space number, or will the session appear automatically?”
Parking and payment: avoid the common mismatch
The most common cause of overstay charges is not the error at the barrier. It is paying for the wrong session, or not being able to find the session and leaving without a recorded payment.
1) Photograph your bay marker and the nearest zone sign
Before walking away, take a photo of the bay number and any zone identifier. This helps attendants locate your vehicle in their system and can demonstrate you stayed within the paid facility.
2) Try the pay-on-foot kiosk using plate first
If the kiosk offers plate lookup, enter your plate carefully, including any leading zeros. If nothing appears, try common misreads: O versus 0, I versus 1, S versus 5. Do not pay for a plate that is clearly not yours. If you see multiple sessions, match on entry time and lane if shown.
3) If plate lookup fails, switch to staffed payment or intercom immediately
Do not wait until exit. Call the help line from the kiosk, or use a staffed booth if present. Use this script:
Payment script: “I entered earlier but my plate was not recognised. I need to pay before exit. Can you locate the session for plate [ABC123] and confirm the amount due, then tell me the correct payment method?”
If they take payment by card over intercom or redirect you to a pay window, ask for a confirmation number or receipt.
4) Keep proof of payment that includes time, amount, and location
Save receipts and take photos of on-screen confirmations. If you pay in an app, screenshot the completed payment page showing the plate (or session ID), garage name, and time range.
5) Consider how this interacts with your wider trip
If you are doing airport transfers and regional driving, you may be juggling different receipts and tolls. Keeping parking proof organised reduces stress if a notice arrives later. Hola Car Rentals also has relevant pages for nearby pickups like car rental San Jose SJC and car rental airport San Jose, which is helpful if your trip includes both Bay Area airports and multiple garages.
Exit playbook when the barrier will not open
Exit failures usually happen for one of three reasons: the system did not create the session at entry, the system cannot match payment to your plate, or your plate is read differently at exit than at entry.
1) Stop at the barrier and document first
Take two photos: the barrier screen message and the time. If your passengers can safely do it, also capture a short video showing the barrier not lifting and the surrounding signage.
2) Use the intercom with a “paid but not recognised” script
“Hi, I have paid for parking, but the barrier is not opening. My plate is [ABC123]. I paid at [time] for [duration/amount]. Can you check the session and release the gate manually?”
If you have a receipt number, read it out. If you paid by app, mention the session ID.
3) If they offer to charge again, pause and verify
Double-charging is a known risk when ANPR is inconsistent. Ask: “Before charging again, can you confirm whether there is an unpaid session under a misread plate, and whether my payment has been applied?” If they insist, request a supervisor or ask for written confirmation that a second charge will be refunded.
4) If you must pay at the exit machine
Some exits have a card reader and a screen. If you pay there, photograph the payment screen and receipt. Note the lane number. This is strong evidence if your earlier payment later posts but the operator still alleges non-payment.
5) If you are trapped behind another car
Do not tailgate through a lifting barrier. It can lead to a recorded exit without a matching payment and may be treated as misuse. Wait for your own release, even if it takes longer.
What evidence to keep to prevent overstay charges
Overstay fees often appear because the system thinks your session started earlier, ended later, or never ended. Keep a simple evidence pack for any problematic garage visit:
Entry: photos of the entry screen, signage, lane, and time.
During stay: bay marker photo, plus any payment kiosk screen if it shows your plate.
Payment: receipt, app screenshot, card transaction notification, and any confirmation number.
Exit: photo or video of the barrier, the time, and the intercom panel.
Notes: attendant name, the exact wording they gave (for example, “manual session created”), and the help line phone number if shown.
If you later need to dispute, you can show you attempted to comply and that equipment failure caused the mismatch.
If a parking notice reaches the rental company
Even if you did everything right, a notice can still be sent to the registered keeper. With car hire, that is often the rental company, which may pass on the charge plus an administration fee. If this happens:
1) Act quickly: Disputes are time-limited. Respond as soon as you receive any email or letter.
2) Provide your evidence pack: Send entry and exit photos, payment proof, and a short timeline.
3) Ask the parking operator to correct the plate read: Many disputes succeed when you point out a likely misread character pair, supported by your rental agreement showing the correct plate.
4) Keep your language factual: Focus on device failure and your attempted compliance, not assumptions about intent.
5) Track card transactions: Sometimes an earlier payment is pending and later settles, which supports your case.
Preventive habits for San Francisco ticketless garages
ANPR failure is often random, but these habits reduce the chance of trouble:
Choose well-lit lanes: If there are multiple entry lanes, pick the one with brighter lighting and clearer signage.
Avoid plate obstructions: Do not cover plates with frames or novelty covers. In a rental, leave the vehicle as supplied.
Pay early: If the garage uses pay-on-foot, pay before you return to the car. That leaves time to fix lookup issues without exit pressure.
Validate plate in apps: If an app asks you to confirm the plate, double-check each character and screenshot the confirmation.
Keep records grouped by day: One folder in your phone called “SF Parking” with receipts and photos prevents lost evidence.
FAQ
What should I say on the intercom if my plate will not scan on entry? Say you are in a ticketless lane, your plate is not recognised, then provide the plate, entry time, and ask them to start a manual session or issue a ticket. Also ask how you should pay so you avoid double-charging.
If the kiosk cannot find my plate, should I try nearby plates that look similar? You can try common character swaps when searching, but do not pay for a plate that is not clearly yours. Instead, use the kiosk help button or staffed booth and ask them to locate your session by entry time and vehicle details.
What photos are most useful to challenge an overstay charge later? Entry error screen and signage, time-stamped payment receipt or app screenshot, bay marker, and exit barrier message with time. A short video at exit can be very persuasive if safe to record.
Can I drive out closely behind another car if the barrier opens? Do not. Tailgating can create a recorded exit mismatch and may be treated as a violation. Wait for your own manual release or validated payment.
Will a parking charge automatically become a rental company fee? Not automatically, but notices may be sent to the registered keeper, which is often the rental company for car hire vehicles. If processed, administration fees can apply, so keeping proof and disputing promptly is important.
