Dealership Camera Placement Guide: Lot, Service, Showroom
Dealership placement is lot-coverage first. This guide walks through practical placement with mount heights, angles, and the positions most proposals get wrong.
Bottom Line
Dealership placement: lot bullets at 12-15 ft on light poles along drive aisles; multi-sensor at lot corners; LPR at 8-10 ft angled 30 degrees off vehicle path at entries; service bay cameras at 10-12 ft covering bay floor; showroom discreet at 10-12 ft; F&I office discreet.
Our team deploys dealership surveillance across franchise and independent operations.
Best For
- Dealership GMs
- Integrators
- Service managers
- Multi-rooftop operators
Not For
- Warehouse
- Commercial office
- Residential
In This Guide
Lot Placement
Light-pole mounts: 12-15 ft on existing light poles. Use ANO-L7012R outdoor bullets.
Angle along drive aisles: Not at individual parking stalls. Captures traffic flow across the lot.
Lot corners: PNM-9084RQZ multi-sensor covering 4 directions from a single mounting. Critical for eliminating blind spots.
Row-end cameras: One bullet at each row end facing down the row. Covers vehicle identification along the row.
Spacing: Every 150-200 feet of lot edge or every 3-4 rows of inventory.
Back lot and overnight parking: Dedicated coverage including thermal if catalytic converter theft is an issue.
LPR Placement
Main entry: XNO-6120R/LPR mounted 8-10 ft on a pole at the lot entry, angled 15-30 degrees off the vehicle path.
Service drive: Second LPR camera covering service-drive traffic.
Back gate (if applicable): LPR at any after-hours gate.
Capture distance: 15-45 ft for standard LPR cameras.
Speed range: 5-35 MPH for most dealership scenarios. Use TNO-7180RLP high-speed for gates with faster vehicle flow.
Service Bay and Service Drive Placement
Per-bay camera: XND-6081RV vandal-rated dome at 10-12 ft covering bay floor and customer vehicle position.
Service drive write-up area: One camera covering customer vehicle intake. Documents vehicle condition at intake for damage-claim prevention.
Parts department: QND-6010R budget dome covering parts storage.
Mechanic work areas: Cameras facing the work zone; not blocked by lifts or equipment.
Auto body shop (if on-site): Vandal-rated outdoor dome for the body shop drive.
Showroom and F&I Placement
Showroom general: QND-7082R discreet indoor domes at 10-12 ft, spaced to cover the showroom floor with no blind spots.
Main entry to showroom: One camera covering the pedestrian entry from the lot.
F&I office: Discreet camera covering the F&I manager desk and customer side. 9-10 ft mount.
Sales manager office / desk: Optional but common for accountability.
Customer waiting area: One camera covering the waiting area.
Parts and accessories display: One camera covering the parts-showroom.
Common Dealership Placement Mistakes
Single-lens cameras at lot corners. Miss 25-30 percent of lot area. Use multi-sensor.
LPR at wrong angle. Head-on capture is harder than 15-30 degree off-axis.
Service bay cameras blocked by lifts. Position cameras so lifts and equipment do not block the view.
No F&I coverage. F&I transactions are high-dispute situations; coverage supports both parties.
Missing back-lot coverage. Overnight parking is where catalytic converter theft happens.
No LPR at service drive. Customer vehicle flow through service is as important as sales lot entries.
Cable runs exceeding 100m on lot without extenders. Use PoE extenders or fiber for far-lot cameras.
Recommended Cameras by Dealership Position
Cameras matched to placement scenarios.
Hanwha
Hanwha ANO-L7012R 4MP Wide-Angle Low Light Outdoor Bullet IP Camera
ANO-L7012R
12-15 ft on light poles.
Hanwha
Hanwha PNM-9084RQZ 8MP 2MP x 4 Multi-Sensor, Multi-Directional PTRZ IP Camera
PNM-9084RQZ
4 directions from one mount.
Hanwha
Hanwha XNO-6120R/LPR 2MP License Plate Recognition Camera
XNO-6120R/LPR
8-10 ft, 15-30 deg off-axis.
Hanwha
Hanwha XND-6081RV 2MP Vandal-Resistant Dome Camera
XND-6081RV
Per-bay at 10-12 ft.
Also Consider
Thermal and premium LPR for specific use cases.
Hanwha
Hanwha PNB-A9091RLPH 4K Outdoor AI IR LPR Box IP Camera Kit
PNB-A9091RLPH
Premium LPR for hard conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the right mount height for lot cameras?
12-15 feet on light poles. Angle along drive aisles, not at individual stalls.
Where should LPR be placed?
8-10 feet at the entry, angled 15-30 degrees off the vehicle path. Captures plates at 5-35 MPH.
How should service bays be covered?
One vandal-rated dome per bay at 10-12 feet. Position to cover bay floor and customer vehicle, not blocked by lifts.
Do we need cameras in the F&I office?
Recommended. Discreet camera covering F&I manager desk and customer side. Supports accountability and transaction documentation.
What's the single biggest dealership placement mistake?
Using single-lens cameras at lot corners. Multi-sensor eliminates the 25-30 percent blind-spot problem.
No Bots, Just Experts
No bots, just experts. Free pre-sales support for every customer — product questions, BOM quotes, compatibility checks, price confirmation — typically answered within one business day. Paid services available like full system design, remote installation, and more. Know what you need? Send us your BOM, free quote. Need camera placement designed from a floor plan? That is engineering work — $175 per hour, qty 1 = 1 hour. Typical single-site placement runs 3 to 4 hours. We scope the hours with you before you purchase. Hardware buyers get up to one hour ($175) credited back against their order as a thank-you.