California Drivers Owed $2,500 for Unauthorized License Plate Tracking

Parking garages that record and store driver license plate data without consent can be sued for damages, court rules.

Feb. 5, 2026 at 9:07pm by Ben Kaplan

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A California appeals court ruled that parking garages which collect and store drivers' license plate information without consent can be sued for at least $2,500 in damages per driver. The ruling came in a case brought by a San Francisco driver who accused a parking lot operator of violating state law by recording his license plate data and storing it in a searchable database.

Why it matters

This ruling establishes important privacy protections for California drivers, limiting the ability of private companies to collect and store sensitive personal data without permission. It also highlights the ongoing debate over the use of automated license plate readers (ALPRs) and how to balance public safety needs with individual privacy rights.

The details

The appeals court ruled that the parking lot operator, Parking Concepts Inc., violated a 2015 California law requiring ALPR operators to maintain reasonable security procedures to protect the data. The court said the display of the driver's license plate on his parking document and the entry kiosk was evidence of an automated ALPR system, and that drivers can show harm from such data collection policies without proving their information was shared externally.

  • The lawsuit was filed in 2022 and 2023 based on incidents during those years.
  • The appeals court ruling was issued on February 6, 2026.

The players

Brendan Bartholomew

A San Francisco driver who filed a lawsuit against Parking Concepts Inc. for recording and storing his license plate data without consent.

Parking Concepts Inc.

A parking garage operator in California that was sued for violating state law by collecting and storing driver license plate data without permission.

1st District Court of Appeal

The California state appeals court that issued the ruling in favor of the driver, Brendan Bartholomew.

Justice Mark Simons

The appeals court justice who wrote the 3-0 ruling reversing the lower court's dismissal of the driver's lawsuit.

Gavin Newsom

The Governor of California who vetoed a bill in 2025 that would have required police and other agencies to delete most license plate data after 60 days.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Collecting and maintaining individuals' ALPR information without implementing and making public the statutorily required policy harms these individuals.”

— Justice Mark Simons, Justice, 1st District Court of Appeal

“It is also a reasonable inference that Parking Concepts stores this computer-readable data — at least temporarily — in a searchable database.”

— Justice Mark Simons, Justice, 1st District Court of Appeal

What’s next

Parking Concepts Inc. could seek review of the ruling in the California Supreme Court.

The takeaway

This court decision strengthens privacy protections for California drivers by limiting the ability of private companies to collect and store sensitive license plate data without consent. It highlights the ongoing debate over balancing public safety needs with individual privacy rights when it comes to automated license plate readers.