Checked 26 September 2026 · number plate recognition
ANPR Camera Locations in the UK
1,384 automatic number plate recognition cameras mapped across the UK. Zoom in or press Near me to find the ANPR cameras closest to you.
- ANPR cameras mapped
- 1,384
- On the road network
- 1,145
- Council enforcement
- 148
- Average speed systems
- 14
Interactive camera map
The map loads when it scrolls into view.
Explained
What is an ANPR camera?
Reads number plates
An infrared camera captures every passing plate, day and night, and turns it into text in a fraction of a second.
Checks police databases
Plates are matched against lists of uninsured, untaxed, un-MOT’d, stolen and wanted vehicles.
Times average speed
SPECS and VECTOR average speed systems are pairs of ANPR cameras timing you between two points.
Enforces zones
Councils use ANPR for clean air zones, ULEZ, the congestion charge, bus lanes and some car parks.
Where they are
Towns with the most mapped ANPR cameras
Counts are for cameras mapped in OpenStreetMap near each town, so busy areas with active mappers show more. The real police network is larger and is not published.
ANPR and speeding fines
Most ANPR cameras only read number plates — they do not measure speed and cannot issue a speeding ticket on their own. The exception is average speed cameras, which use ANPR at two or more points to work out how long you took between them.
Where ANPR does lead to penalties is vehicle checks and charging zones: a flag for no insurance, tax or MOT can prompt a police stop, and council ANPR issues penalty charge notices for unpaid clean air zone or congestion charges and bus lane contraventions.
If a speed camera does catch you, you will get a Notice of Intended Prosecution within 14 days — estimate your fine and points.
Frequently asked questions
Where are ANPR cameras located in the UK?
ANPR cameras sit on motorways and major A-roads, at the entrances to towns and cities, in clean air and low emission zones, on bus lanes, and at car parks and petrol stations. Police do not publish their network, so this map shows the cameras that volunteers have mapped in OpenStreetMap.
Do ANPR cameras catch speeding?
A single ANPR camera does not measure speed. Average speed camera systems (such as SPECS and VECTOR) use ANPR cameras in pairs: they read your plate at two points and calculate your average speed between them, so those can lead to a speeding fine.
What do ANPR cameras check?
Each plate read is checked against databases for vehicles with no insurance, no road tax or no valid MOT, stolen vehicles and vehicles of interest to the police. Councils and TfL use ANPR to enforce clean air zones, the London congestion charge and ULEZ, and bus lanes.
Can an ANPR camera give me a fine?
Yes, indirectly. Driving without insurance can lead to a fixed penalty and 6 points, and councils send penalty charge notices for unpaid zone charges or bus lane contraventions detected by ANPR. Police may also stop a vehicle flagged by ANPR.
How can I find ANPR cameras near me?
Use the map on this page: zoom into your area or press “Near me” to list the mapped ANPR cameras closest to your location.
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