In Beta – Field Tested

Smart license plate lookup
built for real street work.

LicensePlate.id turns a license plate into full vehicle info and a scannable VIN barcode, helping parking and citation staff move faster in real-world field conditions.

Access Beta Portal
Built by John – Computer Science in progress
VIN barcode for any scanner Plate history & DB caching Designed for citation workflows
What a typical lookup looks like

Enter a plate and state, and the system returns full vehicle data plus a scannable VIN barcode:

Example Result Demo
Barcode for VIN: █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █
VIN: JHMZE2H59AS021583
LIC#: CA, 6JQB006
Color: Unknown (UNK)
Name: 2010 Honda Insight
Make: Honda
Trim: LX
Year: 2010
Model: Insight
Style: 4 Dr. Hatchback
Engine: 1.3 L 1339 CC L4 Hybrid
Fuel: Gas/Electric
DriveType: FWD
Transmission: N/A

Officers can quickly verify the VIN and scan the barcode using any device capable of reading barcodes, reducing manual typing and improving accuracy.

Demo access available upon request

Key features

LicensePlate.id is tuned for real-world use by people in the field.

VIN barcode for fast entry

Generates a barcode for every VIN, allowing any barcode-capable device to capture vehicle data quickly. This is especially useful when the windshield VIN is hard to read due to glare, tint, or low light.

Smart database & history

Every lookup is saved. If a plate has been seen before, it loads instantly from the database. A history section keeps prior vehicle details organized and easy to review for repeat encounters.

Multiple APIs, manual control

Supports two different lookup APIs for reliability. Users can manually switch between them depending on accuracy or response consistency. Currently, API 2 is the most reliable choice in daily use.

Built for real field workflows

Designed around the day-to-day needs of parking and enforcement teams who need fast, accurate vehicle information while on the move.

Stay organized and ahead of your route

Officers can collect and verify plates as they move through their route, so vehicle information and VIN barcodes are ready the moment they’re needed. This streamlines citation processing and reduces manual entry.

Instead of rushing at the last minute, the workflow stays structured and predictable from start to finish.

Designed for real field conditions

Field conditions aren’t always ideal — sunlight, tinted glass, and nighttime visibility can all make VINs hard to read. By generating a clean, scannable VIN barcode, the system ensures fast, accurate entry using any barcode-capable device.

California is set as the default state to match common use, but the dropdown supports other states whenever needed.

Built by someone who actually uses it

This isn’t a generic app — it was built from real, on-route experience.

My name is John, and I'm currently enrolled in a Computer Science program. I started this project after realizing how much time could be saved by collecting accurate plate and vehicle information in advance, rather than relying on manual entry in difficult conditions.

This site helps pre-collect plates, verify VINs more easily, and take some of the pressure off when it’s time to issue citations. It’s still in beta, but it’s already improving the workflow for me and my coworkers.

Ongoing feedback from real field use is what will guide future improvements.

Want to try it?

You can access the live beta portal anytime:

Open Beta Portal