Why does "Buffer Time Exclusion" appear when submitting a violation in the Patrol App?

Last updated: November 9, 2026

Context

While processing a violation in the ParkingPass Patrol App, patrollers may encounter a "Buffer Time Exclusion" message, which causes the violation type to appear crossed out on the Patrol screen. This can be confusing, especially when the patroller believes no prior violation has recently been issued for that vehicle or property.

Answer

The "Buffer Time Exclusion" message typically means that the violation type falls within a community's repeat-violation buffer window — a configured waiting period that prevents the same type of violation from being issued to the same vehicle too soon after a prior one.

However, there are cases where this message may appear unexpectedly. Known causes include:

  • A Do-Not-Tow (DNT) list entry using a placeholder plate value (such as NOTAG): If a property manager has added a vehicle to the Do-Not-Tow list using a generic placeholder as the license plate, the Patrol App may match that entry when a patroller attempts to submit a violation for a vehicle with no visible plate. This can block the violation submission entirely. The resolution is to remove the problematic DNT entry and, for vehicles with no plate, use the green "Missing Plate" option in the app instead.

  • Unexpected buffer behavior: In some cases, the buffer message may appear even when no buffer is configured for the property, or when the property has not been patrolled recently. If this occurs, it should be reported to ParkingPass Support immediately, ideally with a screenshot taken while the patroller is still at the vehicle.

If your patroller encounters this message, here are the recommended steps:

  1. Check whether the vehicle has a visible license plate. If not, use the **green "Missing Plate" option** in the Patrol App to submit the violation.

  2. Take a screenshot of the message, noting the license plate (if visible), the violation type, and the approximate time.

  3. Contact ParkingPass Support with the above details so the property's violation history and buffer settings can be reviewed.

If the issue persists after using the Missing Plate option, it may indicate a property configuration issue or a device/login-specific problem. In that case, please reach out to ParkingPass Support directly for further investigation.