Parking FAQ’s

General

• How do I find my meter/space number?

  In a single/duo ,meter set up your space number is on the side of the meter closest to your vehicle.

  In a multi space/kiosk set up your space number is displayed on a stick in the front or back of your vehicle, with an arrow pointing towards it.

• What does the blinking yellow, green and red light on the new meter/camstick mean?

  A blinking Yellow light indicates that you are now in a 5-minute grace period. You must pay for parking or move your vehicle within the 5 minute grace period otherwise your vehicle will be subject to a ticket.

  The Green light indicates you have an active paid parking session.

  The Red light indicates that you had violated the applicable parking rules and regulations and a ticket will be sent to your home address by mail.

• How do I know my parking session has started?

  You will know your parking session has successfully started once you see the Parking Session screen with a green session countdown on the meter screen. When paid with Sentry mobile App check Transactions Details to verify remaining time for your parking session. Meter light will change to green when your session is active.

• Can I move my vehicle (readjust) while I have an active session?

  You cannot move or readjust your vehicle once a session is started. Moving your vehicle will cause detection system to void your payment and start a new parking session. If you moved your vehicle after payment, you must pay for parking or move your vehicle within the 5 minute grace period otherwise your vehicle will be subject to a ticket.

• May I feed the parking meter after I exceeded maximum time allowed to park?

  The vehicle is subject to citation if it remains on the same side of the block beyond the maximum time allowed, regardless of additional payments.

• Can I park at a meter that’s broken?

  City policy allows vehicles to be parked up to the posted time limit if you park at a broken parking meter (unless posted otherwise on the meter). Vehicles parked longer than the time limit are subject to being ticketed for overtime parking, even if the meter is broken.

• I got a parking ticket while sitting in the car?

  No Standing is allowed at On Street Parking Meters. You must pay for parking within 5 minutes of your arrival or your vehicle will be subject to a ticket.

• How do I dispute a violation?

  At this time you cannot dispute a violation online.

Citations

• I received a citation - what can I do?

  Thank you for reaching out. We’re sorry to hear that happened! We will do our best to assist you. You can submit a dispute through this website or contact your local parking operator, listed on the citation, and they will be happy to assist you. If we can help with anything else, please let us know!

• Why I did not get a ticket on my windshield but it was sent to me by mail?

  The new meters allow for parking officers to enforce parking rules and regulations remotely. Evidence from your parking session is reviewed by an enforcement officer and in case of a violation ticket along with evidence form is mailed to the registered vehicle owner.

Sentry Mobile App

• How do I download the Sentry Mobile application?

  To download the Sentry Mobile application, navigate to your mobile device’s application store – App Store for iOS users and Google PlayStore for Android users – type “Sentry Mobile” in the search bar and click “Get” or “Install” to begin the download. Direct Sentry Mobile application download links are included below for convenience.

  iOS – https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sentry-mobile/id990517203?mt=8

  Android – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mpspark.consumer.mpsconsumer&hl=en

  If you have additional questions, please contact our Customer Support Team by email at assistance@mpspark.com.

• How do I register/create a Sentry Mobile account?

  To register for a Sentry Mobile app account, follow the instructions below:

  1. If you have not downloaded the Sentry Mobile app, begin by navigating to your mobile device’s app store and search for “Sentry Mobile.”
  2. Download the application onto your mobile device.
  3. Open the Sentry Mobile application and click the “Register” option on the login page.
  4. Fill in all of the required fields.
  5. Click the “Submit” button.
  6. Click “Allow” to give the Sentry Mobile application permission to use your location while using the app. *Please note that in order for the app to function properly, it will need permission to use your location. If you do not allow permission for the app to use your location, the app will not function as designed and you may experience issues.
  7. Click “Allow” to give the Sentry Mobile app permission to send you push notifications. *Please note if you do not give the app permission to send you push notifications, you will not receive reminders that your parking session is about to expire.
  8. Review the Sentry Mobile app’s End User License Agreement (Terms of Service) and press the blue “Accept” button at the bottom.

  You are now a registered user of the Sentry Mobile app!

  If you have additional questions, please contact our Customer Support Team by email at assistance@mpspark.com.

• How can I tell if I am running the latest version of the Sentry Mobile application on my iOS or Android device?

  You can confirm which version of the Sentry Mobile application you are running from the bottom of the application’s login page. The current version for iOS users is 4.5 and for Android users it is version 4.3.

  If you have additional questions, please contact our Customer Support Team by email at assistance@mpspark.com.

• How do I update to the current version of the Sentry Mobile application on my iOS or Android device?

  To update the Sentry Mobile app, navigate to your mobile device’s application store – App Store for iOS users and Google PlayStore for Android users – locate the Sentry Mobile application from your list of downloaded applications and click “Update” to update to the current version. Direct Sentry Mobile application download links are included below for convenience.

  iOS – https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sentry-mobile/id990517203?mt=8

  Android – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mpspark.consumer.mpsconsumer&hl=en

  If you have additional questions, please contact our Customer Support Team by email at assistance@mpspark.com.

• My Sentry Mobile account is locked. Why is this and how can I login?

  For security purposes, the Sentry Mobile interface will lock an account after 5 or more unsuccessful login attempts are made in short succession. To protect the security of all Sentry Mobile users, a Customer Support Representative will need to verify and unlock your account in the event it is locked. To do this, please email our Customer Support Team at assistance@mpspark.com.

  If you are having trouble logging in but your Sentry Mobile account is not locked, it is recommended that you follow the instructions to reset your password and email our Customer Support Team at assistance@mpspark.com for additional help, if needed.

• How do I change my email address?

  This feature is not currently available to users without administrative assistance, although it will be made available in a future release of the Sentry Mobile application (TBD). To change your registered Sentry Mobile account email address, send an email to assistance@mpspark.com with the desired changes.

• How do I change my password?

  You may refer to the instructions below on how to change your Sentry Mobile account password. Please ensure you meet all of the password requirements outlined below when creating a new password.

  Reset Password Instructions: 

  1. Click the “Forgot Password” option from the login screen of the Sentry Mobile application.
  2. Make sure the registered email address is entered correctly under the “Email ID” field at the top of the screen, then click the “Send Reset Instructions” button.
  3. Check your registered email for a password reset token and write down or copy the token from the email.
  4. Go back to the “Forgot Password” option of the Sentry Mobile app and fill in the password reset token within 60 seconds of receiving the email, then create your new password.

  **PLEASE NOTE – The new password you create must meet all of the following criteria:

  • Contain at least 8 characters
  • Contain at least 1 capital letter
  • Contain at least 1 lower case letter
  • Contain at least 1 number
  • Contain at least 1 of the following special characters ~ ` ! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) -_ + = { } | ; : ‘ “ , < . > / ?
  • Cannot repeat the same character three times in a row
  • Cannot be one of your previously used passwords

  5. Verify that all 4 of the required fields are populated (email address, password reset token, new password, and confirm password fields), and then click the “Reset Password” button.
  6. Return to the main Sentry Mobile login page, delete/remove the existing password in the password field, then login using your new password.

  If you encounter any issues while attempting to reset your password, it is recommended that you reach out to our Customer Support Team by email at assistance@mpspark.com.

• What are parking session notifications and what are the differences between the types of notifications I can subscribe to via the Sentry Mobile application?

  Parking session notifications notify you of information pertaining to your account or any active parking sessions you’re tracking at the time. There are three basic types of parking session notifications – Session Notifications, Warnings, and Informational Notifications. Session Notifications remind you 15 minutes and 5 minutes prior to the expiration of your parking session. Warnings and Informational Notifications pertain only to the Concierge Auto-Pay Program at this time, which is an automated payment subscription program that will soon be introduced via the Sentry Mobile application. Check back soon for more information on the Concierge Auto-Pay program following its release on a later date (TBD).

  For your convenience, the Sentry Mobile application can deliver up to three separate methods of communication for receipt of your parking session notifications – standard push notifications, SMS text messages, and emails. To learn how to subscribe to any combination of these notifications, review the instructions under the FAQ’s section pertaining to parking session notification subscriptions.

  **PLEASE NOTE – You must register a valid 10-digit mobile telephone number (no dashes or special characters included) capable of receiving SMS text messages to subscribe to notifications through SMS text. To do this, navigate to the Sentry Mobile Account page and enter your 10-digit mobile telephone number into the “Phone #” field and then click “Save Phone Number.”

  **IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION REMINDERS**

  The Sentry Mobile application must remain open and running in the background at all times during your active parking session(s) on your mobile device in order to properly track and send parking session notifications to you through your subscribed notification delivery methods. Please ensure the Sentry Mobile app is running in the background on your mobile device at all times during your active parking session(s).

  Please also ensure that you have no pending updates for the Sentry Mobile application or for your mobile device. You may refer to your mobile device’s application store to check for updates for the Sentry Mobile app and to your mobile device’s settings page to check for updates for your mobile device’s software.  For more information on how to do this, please refer to the FAQs section pertaining to downloading and updating the Sentry Mobile application.

  Please note, that as stated at the bottom of each payment confirmation prompt as well as in the application’s EULA, we cannot guarantee an 100% success rate on all push notification messages, SMS text messages, and email notifications. Parkers are responsible for tracking their active parking sessions for the duration of their parking stay.

  If you have additional questions, please contact our Customer Support Team by email at assistance@mpspark.com.

• How do I subscribe to receive parking session notifications via the Sentry Mobile application?

  There are currently three separate delivery method options for receiving parking session alerts through the Sentry Mobile application – standard push notifications, SMS text messages, and emails. To subscribe to any combination of these notifications, navigate to the Sentry Mobile Account page on the bottom right side of the app and click on the top right menu. Click the first option, “Notification Preferences.” Use the checkboxes provided to subscribe to any combination of notification options. Make sure to click “Save” when you are finished.

  **PLEASE NOTE – You must register a valid 10-digit mobile telephone number (no dashes or special characters included) capable of receiving SMS text messages to subscribe to notifications through SMS text. To do this, navigate to the Sentry Mobile Account page and enter your 10-digit mobile telephone number into the “Phone #” field and then click “Save Phone Number.”

  **IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION REMINDERS**

  The Sentry Mobile application must remain open and running in the background at all times during your active parking session(s) on your mobile device in order to properly track and send parking session notifications to you through your subscribed notification delivery methods. Please ensure the Sentry Mobile app is running in the background on your mobile device at all times during your active parking session(s).

  Please also ensure that you have no pending updates for the Sentry Mobile application or for your mobile device. You may refer to your mobile device’s application store to check for updates for the Sentry Mobile app and to your mobile device’s settings page to check for updates for your mobile device’s software. For more information on how to do this, please refer to the FAQs section pertaining to downloading and updating the Sentry Mobile application.

  Please note, that as stated at the bottom of each payment confirmation prompt as well as in the application’s EULA, we cannot guarantee an 100% success rate on all push notification messages, SMS text messages, and email notifications. Parkers are responsible for tracking their active parking sessions for the duration of their parking stay.

  Please be sure to familiarize yourself with the different types of parking session notifications offered via the Sentry Mobile application, as well as how to properly subscribe to the different types of parking session notifications and delivery methods. For additional related information, refer to the FAQ’s section pertaining to parking session notification types and subscription methods.

  If you have additional questions, please contact our Customer Support Team by email at assistance@mpspark.com.

• How do I register my phone number to receive SMS text notifications?

  To register your mobile phone number to receive SMS text notifications, navigate to the Account page of the Sentry Mobile application and click inside the white box next to the “Phone #” field. Use the number keyboard to enter your 10-digit mobile phone number and click “Save Phone Number” when you are finished.

  An additional prompt will appear that will ask you if you’d like to receive text messages when normal application notifications fail to be delivered due to connectivity issues. You may answer “Yes” or “No” at this time.

  Please be sure to familiarize yourself with the different types of parking session notifications offered via the Sentry Mobile application, as well as how to properly subscribe to the different types of parking session notifications and delivery methods. For additional related information, refer to the FAQ’s section pertaining to parking session notification types and subscription methods.

  If you have additional questions, please contact our Customer Support Team by email at assistance@mpspark.com.

• How do I change my phone number?

  To change the phone number associated with your Sentry Mobile account, navigate to the Account page of the Sentry Mobile application, and click inside the white box next to the “Phone #” field. Remove/delete the previous phone number, then use the number keyboard to enter the new 10-digit mobile phone number, and click “Save Phone Number” when you are finished.

  An additional prompt will appear that will ask you if you’d like to receive text messages when normal application notifications fail to be delivered due to connectivity issues. You may answer “Yes” or “No” at this time.

  Please be sure to familiarize yourself with the different types of parking session notifications offered via the Sentry Mobile application, as well as how to properly subscribe to the different types of parking session notifications and delivery methods. For additional related information, refer to the FAQ’s section pertaining to parking session notification types and subscription methods.

  If you have additional questions, please contact our Customer Support Team by email at assistance@mpspark.com.

• How do I add a license plate to my Sentry Mobile account?

  There are two ways to register your license plate with the Sentry Mobile application. Please refer to either method’s instructions below.

  Add a License Plate – Method 1

  1. Select the “Pay Meter” option at the bottom of the Sentry Mobile app.
  2. Select the “+” sign on the far right side of the “License Plate” field.
  3. Enter your license plate information, and select “Add.”
  4. It is highly recommended that you logout and log back into the Sentry Mobile app to ensure the changes you made were successfully updated.

  Add a License Plate – Method 2

  1. Navigate to the Account page (bottom right of the Sentry Mobile app).
  2. Select “Add” next to the License Plates field.
  3. Enter your license plate information, and select “Add.”
  4. It is highly recommended that you logout and log back into the Sentry Mobile app to ensure the changes you made were successfully updated.

  After completing the steps above, your license plate will show up on the “Account” page under the “License Plates” field. You can remove any of your registered license plates from the “Account” page of the Sentry Mobile app by clicking on the license plate number, then selecting the “Delete Plate” option.

  If you have additional questions, please contact our Customer Support Team by email at assistance@mpspark.com.

• How do I remove a license plate from my Sentry Mobile account?

  Remove a License Plate:

  1.  Select the “Account” page at the bottom right of the Sentry Mobile app.
  2. Under the “License Plates” section click on the desired license plate number.
  3. Select the “Delete Plate” option.
  4. Logout and log back into the Sentry Mobile app to ensure the changes you made were successfully updated.

  If you have additional questions, please contact our Customer Support Team by email at assistance@mpspark.com.

• How do I deposit funds to my Sentry Mobile account?

  Deposit Funds: 

  1. Select the “Account” page at the bottom right of the Sentry Mobile app.
  2. Click the blue “Add Money” button.
  3. Select how much money you’d like to deposit to your account. You may opt to deposit any of the pre-designated amounts ($10, $20, $30, $40, or $50) or you may designate an amount of your choosing (between $5 and $100) in the “Other” box provided. Please note – if you are designating an amount of your choosing in the “Other” box, the dollar amount must be rounded to the nearest whole number.
  4. When you are finished selecting how much money you’d like to deposit, click the green “Continue” button on the bottom right.
  5. Enter your credit card number and expiration date then click the blue “Submit” button.

  Your funds will be available for use immediately.

  If you have additional questions, please contact our Customer Support Team by email at assistance@mpspark.com.

• How do I pay for my parking session via the Sentry Mobile application?

  There are two methods you may use to pay for your parking session(s) via the Sentry Mobile application. Please refer to either method’s instructions below.

  Make a Sentry Mobile Payment – Parking Meter Method 1

  1. Select the “Pay Meter” option at the bottom of the Sentry Mobile app.
  2. Ensure the desired municipality is displayed up top. If it is incorrect, click on the municipality name, then select the desired municipality from the options listed.
  3. Click on the white box next to the “Select Spot” field and use the search bar provided to type in the exact spot number you’d like to pay.
  4. Click on the desired spot number. **Please note that there may be spots with identical numbers listed from different municipalities. If this is the case, be sure to select the spot number associated with the desired municipality. Municipality names are listed in parentheses to the right of each spot number listed. Spot numbers are provided on the meter screen, as well as on either side of the meter.
  5. Ensure the license plate designated is that of the vehicle currently parked in the spot you will be paying for. If it is incorrect, click on the white box next to the “License Plate” field and select the desired license plate from your registered list. If needed, you may register a new license plate number using the “+” symbol parallel with the “License Plate” field.
  6. Use the “+” and “-“ symbols displayed on either side of the time/minutes box to designate the amount/time desired. You may also click the blue “Buy Max Time” button to automatically purchase the maximum allowable time. **Please note, the Sentry Mobile application has limits on how much time is allowed for purchase based on the local parking regulations.
  7. Click the “Purchase Parking” button.
  8. Review and confirm the final details of your payment. If they are to your satisfaction, complete your purchase by clicking the green “Yes – Purchase” button. Your payment may take a few seconds to authorize. Please ensure to monitor your mobile device screen while your payment is authorizing to ensure it was applied successfully. If your payment was successful, you should automatically be re-directed to the “Active” page where you can monitor your active parking session(s). A parking session receipt will be emailed to you after your parking session has ended and you have departed from the meter.

  **Please note that once you begin a parking session with an associated license plate number, you must use the same license plate number to make any additional payments to that parking session until the session has ended.

  If you have additional questions, please contact our Customer Support Team by email at assistance@mpspark.com.

• Why is there a limit on how much money/time I can add to my parking session?

  The Sentry Mobile application is designed to work in cooperation with the applicable laws and parking regulations designated by the municipalities that support the use of the application. Therefore, payment exceeding the maximum allowable purchase time for any one parking session is prohibited by law and is enforceable by the local municipality’s parking authority.

  Parking limit regulations vary by location, however please note that the Sentry Mobile application will only allow you to pay for the maximum allowable time at the meter you are currently parked at, and will typically include a short grace period for your benefit.

  If you have additional questions, please contact our Customer Support Team by email at assistance@mpspark.com or your local parking authority.

• How do I know if my Sentry Mobile transaction was successful?

  Please ensure to monitor your mobile device screen while your payment is authorizing to ensure it was applied successfully. If your payment was successful, you should automatically be re-directed to the “Active” page where you can monitor your active parking session(s). A parking session receipt will be emailed to you after your parking session has ended and you have departed from the meter.

  If you have additional questions, please contact our Customer Support Team by email at assistance@mpspark.com.

• How do I know when I need to pay for parking?

  Parking regulations are typically displayed via signage on the street/sidewalk. Sentry Parking meters will also display the applicable rates and rate schedules designated by the local municipality, as well as display a “Free Parking” message during non-enforcement hours. The Sentry Mobile application will display when free parking begins and ends at the bottom of the “Pay Meter” option after you’ve populated the spot and license plate fields.

  You may also find parking information on your local municipality’s government website or by visiting or contacting your local parking enforcement office.

  If you have additional questions, please contact our Customer Support Team by email at assistance@mpspark.com or your local parking authority.

• Do I need to pay for parking on holidays?

  Holiday enforcement schedules will vary by municipality. To find out if your local parking authority will be enforcing parking on a holiday, it is recommended that you directly contact your local municipality’s designated parking enforcement office.

• Can I track more than one active parking session at a time?

  You may track more than one active parking session at a time via the “Active” page of the Sentry Mobile application, however please note that each active parking session may only be associated with one license plate number. In other words, if you begin a parking session at parking space 123 using license plate number ABC1234, you may only add additional time to the same parking session using the license plate number ABC1234. You may not begin a new parking session with the ABC1234 license plate number until your parking session has ended at parking space 123. You may use a different license plate number to pay for a different parking space and track multiple parking sessions at the same time, provided each parking session is associated with its own license plate number.

  If you have additional questions, please contact our Customer Support Team by email at assistance@mpspark.com.

• How do I know where I’ve parked my vehicle?

  If you’ve made a successful Sentry Mobile payment, your active parking session will be tracked via the “Active” page of the Sentry Mobile application. From the “Active” page, click on the “Where’s my Car” button and you with automatically be re-directed to your mobile device’s default navigation application, which will provide you with directions back to your vehicle.

  If you have additional questions, please contact our Customer Support Team by email at assistance@mpspark.com.

• Can I move my vehicle after I’ve paid for parking?

  Due to the nature of the Sentry parking technology, it is not recommended that you move your vehicle after you’ve paid for your parking session. The Sentry parking meters are designed to detect vehicle movement to determine parking session arrival and departure events. Moving your vehicle after you’ve completed your parking session payment may result in lost payment.

  If you have additional questions, please contact our Customer Support Team by email at assistance@mpspark.com.

• How do I obtain a copy of my transaction history?

  If you would like a copy of your transaction history, which will show you a detailed description of all funds withdrawn and deposited from your Sentry Mobile account, please navigate to the Account page of the Sentry Mobile application, click on the menu in the top right corner, and select the “Email Transaction History” option.

  If you have additional questions, please contact our Customer Support Team by email at assistance@mpspark.com.

• I have a discrepancy with my parking session receipt… What do I do?

  If you suspect an error is present on one or any of your emailed parking session receipts, please email our Customer Support Team at assistance@mpspark.com. Please be sure to provide as many specific details regarding the nature of your inquiry and include any screenshots/pictures you may have to assist with your case.

• I believe the meter I am parked at is out of order… What do I do?

  If you suspect an issue with a Sentry parking meter, please email our Customer Support Team at assistance@mpspark.com and/or notify your local parking enforcement office. Please be sure to provide as many specific details regarding the nature of your inquiry and include any screenshots/pictures you may have to assist with your case.

• How do I dispute a transaction?

  To dispute a Sentry Mobile transaction, please email our Customer Support Team at assistance@mpspark.com. Please be sure to provide as many specific details regarding the nature of your inquiry and include any screenshots/pictures you may have to assist with your case.

• How do I logout/close out of the Sentry Mobile application?

  To logout from anywhere in the Sentry Mobile application, click on the upper right-hand side menu and select the bottom “Logout” option. Exiting/closing the Sentry Mobile application will vary by mobile device. Refer to your mobile device’s instruction manual on how to exit/close out of your mobile device’s applications.

  **Please note – The Sentry Mobile application must remain open and running in the background at all times during your active parking session(s) on your mobile device in order to properly track and send parking session notifications to you through your subscribed notification delivery methods. Please ensure the Sentry Mobile app is running in the background on your mobile device at all times during your active parking session(s).

  If you have additional questions, please contact our Customer Support Team by email at assistance@mpspark.com.

• How do I deactivate my Sentry Mobile account and receive a refund?

  If you would like to deactivate your Sentry Mobile account and receive a refund of your remaining funds, please email our Customer Support Team at assistance@mpspark.com. Please note that refunds may only be issued back through the original payment method. No cash or check refunds will be given.