Search by Plate

This article describes the Search by Plate feature, a powerful tool for locating vehicles within the system. It allows administrators to quickly identify a vehicle's owner, review its permit and violation history, and perform related actions, all from a single interface. This guide is intended for OPSCOM administrators and enforcement personnel.

Using this Feature

This feature is a standard part of the vehicle management module and does not require any special configuration. Its results are drawn from existing user, vehicle, permit, and violation data in the system.

Performing a Vehicle Search

1. Go to User Management, then Vehicles, and click Search by Plate.

2. Enter your criteria into one or more of the following search fields:

   • Plate: The full or partial license plate number.

   • Make: The manufacturer of the vehicle (e.g., Honda, Ford).

   • Type: The body style of the vehicle (e.g., Sedan, SUV).

   • Colour: The primary color of the vehicle.

3. Use the following options to refine your search:

   • Enable the Fuzzy Search checkbox if you are using a partial plate number.

   • Enable the Electric Vehicle checkbox to filter results for electric vehicles only.

   • Select a Date Range to filter for LPR events or pay station permits within a specific timeframe. Leave this blank to search the vehicle's entire history.

4. Click the Search button to execute the search.

Interpreting Search Results and Available Actions

The search results will appear in a list below the search form. Each row provides information and quick-access icons for a specific vehicle.

• History Icon: Click to view the vehicle's complete history, including LPR scans and past permit associations.

• User Profile Icon: Click to navigate directly to the owner's user profile page.

• Vehicle Details Icon: Click to view detailed information about the vehicle itself, such as make, model, and year.

• Username: The linked username of the vehicle's registered owner. Clicking it also navigates to the user's profile.

• Email Icon: Click to open a new email composition window addressed to the vehicle owner.

• Violations Count: A number indicating how many violations are associated with this vehicle. Click the number to view the list of violations.

• Incidents Count: A number indicating how many incidents are associated with this vehicle. Click the number to view the list of incidents.

• Add Violation Icon: Click to immediately open the violation issuance screen for this vehicle.

• Pay Station Status: Displays information about temporary permits purchased from a pay station for this license plate.

Warning: Be cautious when using the Add Violation button. Ensure you have identified the correct vehicle and user from the results list before issuing a new ticket to prevent errors.

 A single license plate may appear in multiple rows if it is registered to different users (e.g., a family) or has a separate pay station history not linked to a registered user. Review all results carefully to ensure you are acting on the correct record.

Best Practices & Considerations

• Use Fuzzy Search for partial plates. If you are unsure of the full plate number or its exact sequence, enabling this option will perform a broader search and significantly improve your chances of finding the vehicle.

• Use the Date Range filter primarily when investigating recent LPR sightings or temporary pay station activity. For a complete history of a vehicle's permits and violations, leave the date range fields blank.