Night plates
After dark, what you need from the footage is detail, and above all a readable number plate. A night clip can look clear and still leave the plate unreadable. Our night grades are based on the published sensor and resolution.
Choosing a UK dash cam for night number plates and parking mode
Short answer: for most UK cars we'd start with a dual front-and-rear kit like the VIOFO A229 Pro, because it has STARVIS 2 sensors at both ends for night plates. Plan on a hardwire kit if you want parking mode for your car parked on the street overnight.
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Updated September 2026.
Illustrative imageParking mode
Parking mode only works if your camera still has power once you've locked up. Lots of cameras come with a cigarette-lighter lead that goes dead with the ignition, so parking mode stops too. A hardwire kit or the maker's battery pack is what keeps it going after you walk away, and we only count parking mode when the maker documents that kind of setup.
How we grade
Grades use maker specs; we don't road-test cameras. If you'd like the detail, it's all on /method.
Dual-camera recommendation
Illustrative imageDual front and rear kit
VIOFO A229 Pro 2CH
Start with the VIOFO A229 Pro 2CH if you want front and rear footage. VIOFO lists STARVIS 2 sensors on both, with 4K at the front and 2K at the rear, and buffered parking once you've fitted a hardwire kit. If built-in radar parking or LTE live view is the big reason you're shopping, though, we'd point you to another model.
Spec grades
- Spec · Evidence
- A
- Spec · Parking
- B+
- Spec · Night
- A
Best 5 at a glance
Whatever's got you looking for a dash cam, one of these five probably covers it. Compare them here, or open a review if you'd like the detail.
- 1VIOFO A229 Pro 2CH
4K at the front and 2K at the rear, with STARVIS 2 sensors on both. Buffered parking's there once you've hardwired the kit.
E A · P B+ · N ASee on Amazon - 2Nextbase 622GW Front + Rear
If you'd like a screen in the car, this 4K Nextbase has a 3-inch one, plus a built-in polarising filter and UK extras such as What3Words. Worth knowing: the rear camera and hardwire kit are sold separately on this listing.
E B · P C+ · N BSee on Amazon - 3BlackVue DR970X-2CH LTE
If you'd like cloud alerts and live view on your phone, this one does both once a SIM's fitted. It records front and rear, and parking needs a hardwire kit or battery pack.
E A- · P A- · N B+See on Amazon - 470mai A810S Front + Rear
If you'd like 4K-class STARVIS 2 cameras front and rear without paying Thinkware money, this one's worth a look. Just budget for a hardwire kit too.
E A- · P B · N A-See on Amazon - 5VIOFO A119 Mini 2
If a small front camera is all you need, this one uses a STARVIS 2 sensor. You'll just need to hardwire it for parking.
E B+ · P B · N B+See on Amazon
Which dash cam is best for front and rear?
For front and rear footage, we'd start with the VIOFO A229 Pro 2CH, because it's got STARVIS 2 sensors on both cameras and a 2K rear. If you'd like the same class of front sensor for less, the 70mai A810S is the value dual. And if your car's parked on the street overnight, we'd look at the Thinkware U3000 PRO, which has radar built into both cameras.
Compare
Nextbase 622GW or VIOFO A229 Pro
If you're torn between easy to live with and the stronger published sensors, this one's for you: a Nextbase with a screen and polariser, next to a VIOFO dual kit with STARVIS 2 sensors on both cameras.
Compare
Thinkware U3000 PRO or BlackVue DR970X LTE
If keeping an eye on your car overnight is the big decision, this puts built-in radar parking next to a camera that uses a SIM for phone alerts.