Vehicle access control

Vehicle access control that identifies every vehicle at the gate, whether fleet, contractor or visitor, without drivers stopping and without ripping out the system you already run.

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What vehicle access control does for perimeter security

Vehicle access control is the first line of perimeter security. Fences, gates and barriers set the boundary of a site; vehicle access control systems decide who passes through it, identifying every vehicle and opening the barrier before the driver needs to stop.

Long-range RFID readers recognise a windscreen tag at up to 15 metres, so fleets, staff and regular contractors drive straight in. ANPR cameras read number plates with nothing fitted to the vehicle, covering visitors, hauliers and one-off deliveries. Most sites run both, and every movement is logged in the access control platform you already use, from Paxton Net2 to our own NorPass3.

Nortech has supplied automatic vehicle identification from Cwmbran since 1992, as Nedap's certified UK partner, supporting installers and end users from design through commissioning.

HGV waiting at a rising barrier at a distribution depot gate ANPR Lumo cameras in stainless bollards at a staff car park entrance Barrier and ANPR camera at a school entrance at drop-off Parking barrier securing the North West Ambulance Service headquarters

Automatic vehicle identification: long-range RFID and ANPR

Most sites need both: tags for known vehicles, plate reading for everyone else, often in the same lane.

UHF windscreen tag on an HGV approaching a depot gate

Long-range RFID

Best for Fleets, staff and regular contractors

Windscreen tags are read at up to 15 metres and at full approach speed, so known vehicles never stop at the gate. Tags carry AES encryption, and dual-factor mode pairs the vehicle tag with a driver credential for higher-security sites.

Access rights live in your access control platform, so issuing a tag takes minutes and revoking one takes seconds when a vehicle leaves the fleet.

Long range readers →
Nedap ANPR Lumo camera controlling an automated gate

ANPR

Best for Visitors, hauliers and one-off deliveries

ANPR Lumo reads number plates from 2 to 10 metres, day and night, with nothing fitted to the vehicle. Camera and analyser are one unit, so it feeds the same access decision as any reader.

Pre-authorised plates drive straight in. Unknown vehicles are read, logged and held at the barrier for your normal sign-in process. For the full picture, see our ANPR vehicle access control solution.

ANPR camera →
Access control lane with an ANPR camera and RFID reader at a site entrance

Hybrid lanes

Best for Mixed traffic in a single lane

One approach lane reads tags and plates simultaneously. Your fleet gets tag-speed priority; every other vehicle is identified by plate and logged, with nothing waved through unaccounted for.

Which system does your site need?

Only known vehicles, moving fast Long-range RFID
Anyone could turn up at the gate ANPR
Both kinds of traffic in one lane Hybrid RFID + ANPR

Works with your existing access control

Open protocols connect Nortech readers and ANPR cameras to the platform you already run, from Paxton Net2 to our own NorPass3. IP65/IP66 rated, −30°C to +66°C.

Wiegand 26/34 OSDP v2 RS485 Ethernet REST APIs Net2 & NorPass3

Vehicle access control solutions

Licence plate identification

ANPR vehicle access control

Plate-based access for sites where issuing tags isn't practical.

Explore ANPR access control →
Car park counting

Parking space management

Occupancy counting, guidance signs, permits and parking revenue.

Explore parking management →
Hospital car park

Vehicle access with counting

ANPR access control with live occupancy counting and full-signs.

Explore access with counting →

Gate access control systems for your industry

Every application below is grounded in real UK deployments.

HGV at a rising barrier entering a distribution centre yard

Logistics & distribution

Explore →
Car at a barrier gate on a university campus entrance

Education & campuses

Explore →
Ambulance passing a security barrier at a hospital entrance

Healthcare & emergency

Industrial access control barrier at a factory entrance

Manufacturing & industrial

Buses parked at a depot behind an access barrier

Bus & rail depots

Data centre physical security gate and perimeter fence

Data centres

Refuse lorry on a weighbridge at a recycling centre

Waste & weighbridges

Road blocker at a high-security site entrance

Defence & high security

Substation security gate with palisade fencing

CNI & utilities

Container lorries queuing at a port terminal gate

Ports & terminals

Service vehicle at an airport perimeter access gate

Airports

Something else? Talk to an engineer about your site →

Very fast, ticks all the boxes.
North West Ambulance Service On ANPR Lumo securing their regional headquarters perimeter Read the case study →

Vehicle access systems deployed across the UK & Ireland

Hi-bar vehicle barriers at Express Parcel Services in Greater Manchester
Logistics

Express Parcels, Manchester

Read case study
Vehicle barrier at North West Ambulance Service regional headquarters
Healthcare

North West Ambulance Service

Read case study
Nedap Transit long-range reader controlling sliding gates at Heron Bros
Construction

Heron Bros., Northern Ireland

Read case study
uPASS long-range reader controlling vehicle access at Exeter Science Park
Science park

Exeter Science Park

Read the story

View all case studies →

Why choose Nortech for perimeter security

Open architecture

Wiegand, OSDP v2, RS485, Ethernet, REST APIs. Works with the access control software you already run, including our own NorPass3 if you need it.

UK engineers

Pre-sales spec through commissioning and beyond, from Cwmbran. No call centre. No script. Just engineers.

Proven at scale

Nedap Certified Partner. 30+ years of Nedap AVI in 50+ countries; Nortech independent and British since 1992.

Vehicle access, solved.

Browse the full Nortech product range, from long-range readers and ANPR cameras to controllers and counting systems, with specifications for each.

Get the product catalogue (PDF)

Common questions about vehicle access control

What is vehicle access control?

Vehicle access control is the automated identification of vehicles at a site entrance, deciding which vehicles can enter and when. Systems use long-range RFID tags, ANPR cameras or both to open barriers and gates for authorised vehicles without the driver stopping, and to log every movement.

What's the difference between long-range RFID and ANPR?

Long-range RFID reads a windscreen tag at up to 15 metres, at full approach speed, which suits fleets, staff and regular contractors. ANPR reads the number plate at 2 to 10 metres with nothing fitted to the vehicle, which suits visitors, hauliers and one-off deliveries. Most sites combine both. Read our RFID vs ANPR comparison for a full breakdown.

How does ANPR vehicle access work?

An ANPR camera reads a vehicle's number plate as it approaches, checks it against an authorised list, and triggers the barrier or gate on a match. Every read is logged with a timestamp. See our guide to ANPR for gates and barriers.

How much does an ANPR system cost?

Costs scale with the number of lanes and cameras and the integration required. Our ANPR system cost guide breaks down typical prices for cameras, installation and software, or talk to one of our engineers for a budget figure based on your site.

Will it work with our existing access control system?

Yes. Nortech readers and ANPR cameras use open protocols such as Wiegand 26/34, OSDP v2, RS485, Ethernet and REST APIs, so they connect to the access control platform you already run, or to our own NorPass3 if you need one.

Do you supply direct or through installers?

Nortech works with security installers and integrators across the UK and Ireland, and our engineers support every project from pre-sales specification through commissioning and beyond. If you already have an installer, we'll work alongside them.

Message an engineer

Every site is different. Tell us about your gates and traffic, and one of our engineers will come back to you. No call centre, no script.

Talk to an engineer

Prefer to talk?

Call the team in Cwmbran, Monday to Friday. Pre-sales questions are exactly what the engineers are there for.

+44 (0)1633 485 533

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