eBook – Parking Glossary Terms, Acronyms & Abbreviations

Nov 8, 2022

Zatpark Parking glossary - question mark

What is a CEA? What does ANPR stand for? What is a CPZ? There are so many terms used in the parking industry, and we can help you understand their meanings.

New to parking management and technology? No idea what all the terms, acronyms, and abbreviations mean?

Here at Unity5, we use acronyms all the time, and sometimes we take it for granted that our team know what they mean. Like some of our new team members, you may be new to the parking industry and need to understand the terminology you hear. So we’ve put together this A to Z parking glossary of commonly used parking technology terms to help you get up-to-speed.

Download Full A-Z Glossary
Acronym / Phrase Meaning Category Location Usage Description
Account Delegation Delegated Access framework Technology Global What is account delegation?
Delegated Access is a framework that enables a user to authorise another user to perform a task on their behalf.
ACS Access Control System Technology Global What does ACS mean?
Access control systems are electronic systems that automate the approval of authorised people or vehicles to access a site or system.
ANPR Automatic Number Plate Recognition Technology Global What is ANPR?
An ANPR system combines cameras with other technology to identify a vehicle, its location, and other data.
API Application Programming Interface Technology Global What is an API?
An API is a method of two or more computer programs communicating with each other and is a type of software interface. See more A terms
B Corp B Corporation Compliance Global What does B Corp mean?
Certified B Corporations demonstrate high social and environmental performance by showing that the business is meeting high standards of verified performance, accountability, and transparency on factors from employee benefits and charitable giving to supply chain practices and input materials.
BPA British Parking Association Parking UK What is the BPA?
The BPA represent the UK parking and traffic management profession. They are a not-for-profit organisation and also supports communities, improves compliance, and encourages fairness.
BSI The British Standards Institution Compliance UK What does BPI stand for?
The British Standards Institution provides business improvement and best practice services to help organisations build competence and capability. See more B terms
CEA Civil Enforcement Areas Government UK What is a CEA?
CEAs are designated areas of England defined for the purposes of enforcing parking contraventions, these areas do not have the same boundaries as towns, cities, or counties.
CEO Civil Enforcement Officer Government UK What does CEO mean in the parking industry?CEOs are employed by UK local authorities to ensure that parking and traffic rules are followed and enforced.
CPZ Controlled Parking Zone Parking UK What does CPZ stand for?
A Controlled Parking Zone is a specific type of parking restriction that applies to a group of roads within a parking zone.
See more C terms
DfT Department for Transport Government UK What is the DfT?
A UK Government department responsible for the English transport network and non-devolved transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
DMUK Disabled Motoring UK Parking UK What does DMUK stand for?
Disabled Motoring UK is a charity which supports disabled drivers, passengers and Blue Badge holders.
DMV Driver and Motor Vehicle Lookup Parking USA What does DMV stand for?
Driver and Motor Vehicle agencies are the USA government state-run agencies that manage vehicle registrations and driver licences. A DMV is used to describe a vehicle registration check against the DMV vehicle databases.
See more D terms
ECN Excess Charge Notice Parking UK What is an ECN?
An Excess Charge Notice can be issued when a motorist has not adhered to the conditions of use of the car park, for example for not displaying a valid parking ticket.
EPM Evidence Pack Manager Technology Global What is an EPM?
When a motorist appeals against a parking ticket the parking operator will provide an evidence pack addressing the appeal. An Evidence Pack Manager is a technology solution that collects and manages this evidence.
ESPO Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation Government UK What is ESPO?
ESPO is a public sector-owned professional buying organisation with a large product catalogue and procurement frameworks.See more E terms
Fleet Groups of vehicles owned by an organisation Parking UK What does Fleet mean?
Fleet vehicles are groups of motor vehicles owned or leased by a business, government agency, or other organisation rather than by an individual or family such as rental vehicles, taxis, and public buses.
FCN Fixed Charge Notice Parking UK What is an FCN?
A Parking Charge Notice (FPN) is a parking ticket issued by a private parking company in private car parks, also known as a Fixed Penalty Charge.
FCN Final Charge Notice Legal UK What does FCN mean?
A final charging order (FCN) is granted by a court to a debt creditor if a parking fine is not paid within the defined periods. This means that if the debtor sells their property, they must pay the creditor back out of the proceeds. A charging order does not require the debtor to sell their property unless they receive an Order for Sale from the court.
See more F terms
Gatekeepers Software development team product leader Technology Global What is a development gatekeeper?
A development team gatekeeper ensures there is someone in the team with a clear understanding of what the piece of software is and what it is going to evolve into.
GCP Google Cloud Platform Technology Global What does GCP stand for?
Google Cloud Platform (GCP) is a Google suite of cloud computing services that runs on its own infrastructure.
Geolocation Location identification Technology Global What is Geolocation?
Geolocation refers to the use of location technologies such as GPS or IP addresses to identify and track the whereabouts of connected electronic devices.
See more G terms
IAS Independent Appeals Service Parking UK What does IAS stand for?
The Independent Appeals Service (IAS) provides the ability for people who have received a Parking Charge Notice from an IPC parking operator to appeal against it.
ICN Interim Charge Notice Parking UK What does ICN stand for?
An interim charging order (ICN) is usually made by a court officer without a hearing.
IVR Interactive Voice Response Technology Global What is IVR?
A technology that allows humans to interact with a computer-operated phone system through the use of voice.
See more I terms
LA Local Authority Parking UK What does LA stand for?
Local Authorities (LAs) are regional Government organisations.
LEA Law Enforcement Agency Parking UK What does LEA stand for?
A Government organisation that is responsible for law enforcement, such as the Police or security services. These are referred to as Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs).
See more L terms
MNPR Mobile Number Plate Recognition Technology Global What is MNPR?MNPR is a method of identifying vehicle number plates using a mobile device.
MMS Merchant Management System Technology Global What is an MMS?
An MMS is a web-based environment used by card merchants to allow them to access transaction data from payment gateways in real time.
MVP Minimum Viable Product Technology Global What is an MVP?A term used by technology developers that describes the early stages of a new software system.
See more M terms
NAC National ANPR Capability Government UK What is the NAC?
The NAC is the UK Government’s network of ANPR systems.
NtH Notice to Hirer Parking UK What is an NtH?
An NtH is a notice that provides a vehicle hirer that their vehicle has contravened a regulation with an opportunity to either pay a penalty charge or make formal representations against its issue.
NZTA Waka Kotahi New Zealand Traffic Authority Government New Zealand What is the NZTA?The New Zealand Traffic Authority (NZTA) responsible for vehicle registrations and licencing, equivalent to the UK DVLA.
See more N terms
OBI Onboarding and Implementation Parking UK What does OBI mean?OBI is a process of technology providers configuring software and providing training for a new client.
Observations Parked vehicle observations Parking Global What are observations in parking?
Observations are a function of parking enforcement where parked vehicles are observed and monitored for potential contraventions.
OCR Optical Character Recognition Technology Global What is OCR?OCR is a method of automatically identifying text using software.
See more O terms
Passcode Method of entry Technology Global What is a passcode?
A passcode is an ID assigned to provide access, that is used for Passcode Entry systems.
Payment Integration Adding Software payment functionality Technology Global What is a payment integration?
A payment integration adds the ability to take payments within software.
PCI SSC PCI Security Standards Council Compliance Global What is PCI SSC?
PCI SSC is a global forum that brings together payments industry stakeholders to develop and drive adoption of data security standards and resources for safe payments worldwide.
See more P terms
QA Quality Assurance Technology Global What does QA mean?
QA is software development process that tests and approves software changes.
See more Q terms
READ ANPR read Technology Global What is an ANPR READ?
An ANPR Read is a record of a vehicle identity taken from an ANPR camera image.
RFID Radio Frequency Identification Technology Global What is RFID?
RFID is a method of using radio to confirm identity, used in payment cards and access control systems.
See more R terms
SaaS Software as a Service Technology Global What is a SaaS system?
SaaS is a method of delivering software via the internet and is often referred to as cloud-based services.
SAR Subject Access Request Compliance UK, Europe What is a SAR?
A SAR is a right of individuals to request access to all of their personal information held by an individual or organisation. It is defined in the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
SEA Special Enforcement Area Parking UK What is a parking SEA?
A SEA is a parking area that has specific enforcement rules.See more S terms
Tech Debt Technical Debt Technology Global What does Tech Debt mean?
Tech Debt is a technical term that describes parts of a technology system that is old and needs updating.
TMA Traffic Management Act Government UK What is the TMA?
The TMA is the UK Government’s legislation for traffic management.
TRO Traffic Regulation Order Government UK What is the TRO?
The TRO is a legal agreement which allows local authorities or the police to enforce regulations including speed limits, on-street parking and one-way street.
See more T terms
UI User Interface Technology Global What does UI mean?
UI refers to the User Interface (UI) is a technical term used to describe the visual elements of software that a user interacts with.
UX User Experience Technology Global What does UX mean?
UX refers to the way that users interact with software, so their User Experience (UX).
See more U terms
VI Vehicle Immobilisation Parking Global What does VI mean?
Vehicle Immobilisation (VI) refers to stopping a vehicle from driving away such as wheel clamping.
VIC Vehicle Identity Check Parking UK What is a VIC?
VICs verify a vehicle’s number plate or identity number against a vehicle authority database.
VOI Vehicle Of Interest Legal UK What does VOI mean?
A VOI is a vehicle that has been flagged by an authority for traffic infringements, contraventions or criminal activity.

See more V terms
Widget Software functionality Technology Global What is a Widget?
A widget is a small element of functionality in a software application.
WIP Work in Progress Technology Global What does WIP mean?
WIP refers to software development tasks that are currently being worked on.
WO Work Order Technology Global What does WO stand for?
WO is a request for work to be undertaken such as a repair or an environmental cleaning task.
See more W terms
ZEBRA Ticket printer manufacturer Technology Global What does ZEBRA mean in parking?
ZEBRA are a manufacturer of mobile printers used for printing on-street parking tickets.

ZatPark parking management and enforcement technology is used across the traffic and parking enforcement industry by operators big and small. ZatPark helps you improve efficiency by enabling seamless integration and providing innovative tools that reduce your administration time and extend your enforcement hours without financial overheads.

We hope you found this glossary of parking technology acronyms, terms, and abbreviations helpful. You can download the full A-Z Glossary below.

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Download Full A-Z Glossary

References:

Vehicle Keeper vs. Owner

Vehicle Keeper vs. Owner

What's the difference between a vehicle keeper and an owner?In the UK, a vehicle registration document called a V5 is used to identify the person who is using (keeping) the vehicle. V5s are issued by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and are referred to...

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Parking Charge Transfer of Liability

Parking Charge Transfer of Liability

How Transfer of Liability WorksIf a car was driven by someone other than the keeper at the time a parking ticket was issued, the keeper can transfer the charge to the driver.If a vehicle contravenes parking rules the parking operator may issue a charge notice (PCN) to...

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