Sentry Mobile FAQs

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

Android

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 can confirm which version of the Sentry Mobile application you are running from the bottom of the application's login page while logged out. Check with your mobile device’s app store to confirm if any updates are available for the Sentry Mobile application.

Please ensure you have no pending updates, as the latest version will contain new bug fixes and the latest features which are critical to the functionality of the app.

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. Download links for iOS and Android are included below.

iOS

Android

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.

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. To change your registered Sentry Mobile account email address, please send an email to our Customer Support Team at assistance@mpspark.com with the desired changes.

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.

Password Reset 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. *Note - password reset tokens expire a short time after they have been sent.

5. Create a new password.

The new password you create must meet all of the following criteria:

- Contain at least 7 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

- Cannot contain the word "password"

6. Verify that all 4 of the required fields are populated (email address, password reset token, new password, and confirm password fields), then click the "Reset Password" button.

7. Return to the main Sentry Mobile login page, delete/remove the existing password in the password field, then login using your new password.

Parking session notifications alert you with important information pertaining to your Sentry Mobile account or any active parking sessions you’re tracking in real-time. We’ve included a brief description of each notification type below.

Visit the Sentry Mobile “Account” screen and click on “Notification Preferences” in the upper right-hand side menu to update your Notification Preferences at any time.

Session Notifications remind you 15 minutes and 5 minutes prior to the expiration of your Sentry metered on-street parking session.

Initial Purchase notifications communicate confirmation of your first purchase for a new Sentry parking session.

Subsequent Purchase notifications communicate confirmation of every subsequent Sentry purchase made after an initial Sentry purchase during an existing Sentry parking session.

Warnings and Informational Notifications pertain only to the Concierge Auto-Pay Program at this time, which is an automated payment subscription program, available in select locations through the Sentry Mobile app. These types of notifications will communicate when your account is low on funds and upon enrollment and de-enrollment from the program.

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.

**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.

Please note, that as stated at the bottom of each payment confirmation prompt as well as in the application's End User License Agreement, we cannot guarantee a 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 stay.

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 Notification Preferences and subscription methods.

Please follow the instructions below to register your license plate number/vehicle with the Sentry Mobile application.

1. Navigate to the Account page (bottom right) of the Sentry Mobile application.

2. Select "Add" next to the License Plates field.

3. A pop-up window will appear. Click inside the "Enter License Plate" field provided, and your QWERTY keyboard should appear... Type in your license plate number.

4. Next, click the "Select State" box and scroll through the drop down list until you have selected your license plate state/province.

5. When you are finished, select "Add."

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.

Please follow the instructions below to remove your license plate number/vehicle from your Sentry Mobile account.

1. Select the "Account" tab at the bottom right of the 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.

Please note, for your security and ours, we do not store debit or credit card information. Please refer to the instructions below on how to deposit funds to your Sentry Mobile account.

1. Select the "Account" tab at the bottom right of the 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 "Continue" or "Add" button on the bottom right.

5. Enter your credit card number and expiration date, then click the blue "Add Card" button.

Once you've completed your deposit, your funds will be available for use immediately. Each individual Sentry Mobile transaction you complete will be deducted from your total Sentry Mobile account balance in real-time. Additional deposits may be made to your Sentry Mobile account at any time, per your discretion.

If you would like a copy of your transaction history, which will show you an itemized list 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.

To pay for parking at an on-street Sentry parking meter…

Navigate to the "Pay Meter" screen, select your municipality at the top, type in/select your parking space number, designate your desired duration, and finalize your purchase by pressing the "Purchase Parking" button and following the prompts on screen until you receive confirmation of your successful purchase. You can track active on-street metered parking sessions from the "Active" screen of the Sentry Mobile app.

To pay for parking at a parking lot, garage, or general location…

Navigate to the "Pay Lot" screen, select your municipality at the top, choose your parking area from the list provided, designate your desired duration, and finalize your purchase by pressing the "Purchase Parking" button and following the prompts on screen until you receive confirmation of your successful purchase. You can track existing and future parking permits from the "Account" screen of the Sentry Mobile app under the "Click to view active parking permits" button.

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 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 enforced in the parking area and will typically include a short grace period for your benefit.

Please ensure to monitor your mobile device screen while your payment is authorized to ensure it was applied successfully. If your payment was successful, you should receive a confirmation prompt notifying you of your successful purchase. A parking session receipt will be emailed to you after your parking session has ended.

Parking regulations are typically displayed via signage on the street/sidewalk. Sentry Parking meters will also display the applicable parking rates and rate schedules designated by the municipality in which you are parking, as well as display a “Free Parking” message during non-enforcement hours or in cases where the Sentry parking meter is out of order. 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.

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 or local government office.

Yes, you may track more than one active on-street metered parking session and or lot/garage parking permit at a time.

On-Street Sentry Metered Parking Sessions.

You can track active on-street metered parking sessions in real-time from the "Active" screen of the Sentry Mobile app.

Lot/Garage/General Location Parking Permits.

Navigate to the "Account" screen of the Sentry Mobile app and select the "Click to view active parking permits" button to view your current and future parking permits.

Please note that each active parking session may only be associated with one license plate number. In other words, 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’ve made a successful Sentry Mobile payment to a Sentry on-street parking meter, then 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 will be automatically re-directed to your mobile device’s default navigation application, which will provide you with directions back to your vehicle.

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 at any Sentry on-street parking meter. Sentry parking meters are designed to detect vehicle movement/motion 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 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 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.

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.

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.

Please note that all parking ticket disputes and appeal requests must be handled on a local level. Municipal Parking Services, Inc. does not reserve the right or have the ability to alter or dismiss any parking tickets and appeal processes vary by location. To dispute your parking ticket, please refer to the instructions printed on your parking ticket or refer to the parking enforcement section on your local municipality’s government website. If there are none, please contact the municipality’s parking enforcement office where you received the parking ticket/notification.

To logout of the Sentry Mobile application, click on the upper right-hand side menu and select the bottom “Logout” option.

**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 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. Per Municipal Parking Services' Sentry Mobile End User License Agreement, refunds are only offered within 120 days of the completed transaction.

The Sentry Mobile application offers automatic parking session payments in select locations by registering through the Concierge AutoPay Program. As long as you are actively enrolled in the Concierge AutoPay Program through the Sentry Mobile application, parking payments will automatically deduct from your Sentry Mobile account balance to pay for on-street Sentry metered parking in increments of $0.25 at a time for as long as your vehicle is occupying a Sentry on-street metered parking space until the maximum parking time limit has been reached.

Please use the instructions below if you'd like to register for the Concierge AutoPay Program.

1. Login/Register to the Sentry Mobile application.

2. Navigate to the "Account" page (bottom right).

3. Register your mobile phone number in the field provided.

4. Ensure you have at least one registered license plate number in the "License Plates" field. Click "Add" to register any additional vehicles that you plan to park with.

5. Ensure you maintain a minimum balance of $5.00 deposited into your Sentry Mobile account at all times.

6. Enable "AutoPay" by clicking the "AutoPay" switch to the "ON" position.

7. Read through and accept the Concierge AutoPay User Agreement.

Please ensure the vehicle you are driving has a registered license plate on your Sentry Mobile account. As long as you are actively enrolled in the Concierge AutoPay program and the vehicle you are parking with has a registered license plate on your account, you do not have to make manual payments to your Sentry metered parking space.

Please be mindful of all other parking rules and regulations. You may not exceed the maximum parking time limit posted on signage in the parking area. Funds will automatically stop deduction from your Sentry Mobile account once you have reached the maximum parking time limit, at which point you will be subject to receive a parking ticket.

Please also keep in mind that you must always sustain a minimum Sentry Mobile account balance of $5.00 or more to continue your active enrollment in the Concierge AutoPay Program. You may be subject to de-enrollment from the program if your Sentry Mobile account balance falls before the minimum balance requirement or reaches $0.00. You should receive notifications via email and SMS text message when your account is low on funds. In the event you become de-enrolled from Concierge AutoPay, you may re-enroll by using the instructions above at any time. You can view your enrollment status any time by visiting the "Account" page of the Sentry Mobile app.

Please be sure to set your "Notification Preferences" in the top right menu while on the "Account" page.