Frequently asked questions
Does Spotlert reserve parking spots? +
No. Public street parking cannot be reserved by anyone. Spotlert only shares community reports that a spot looked open. Holds are informal favors between neighbors, never a guarantee.
Who can see my group's activity? +
Only approved members of your group. Groups are private, invite-only, and not searchable.
How do people join a group? +
With an invite code shared by a member. If the group requires approval, a group admin reviews each request before the person can see anything.
Do reports expire? +
By default, a mark stays until a neighbor updates the spot. Group admins can optionally turn on auto-expiry so open-spot marks fade after a set number of minutes. Occupied marks never expire on their own.
Do I need to enter my address? +
No. Availability is tied to your group's block map — never to your own address.
What does it cost? +
Spotlert is free during early access.
What about parking laws? +
You are always responsible for obeying signs, meters, hydrants, driveways, and every local regulation. Spotlert never advises you where it is legal to park.
Can Spotlert remember where I parked? +
Yes. Add your car under My Vehicles and tap Park Here to save the spot. Confirm the pin before saving, and optionally add a note like "Level 3, near the elevator".
Can my family see where our shared car is parked? +
Yes — that is what a household is for. Everyone in the household sees the same saved location and can get directions to it. A household is invitation-only and separate from your parking groups.
Can other Spotlert users see my vehicle location? +
No. Only current members of that household. Your parked car never appears on a group map, in community parking reports, or anywhere public. Removing someone from the household ends their access immediately.
Does Spotlert continuously track my car? +
No. Spotlert never follows your car or you in the background. A location is saved only when someone in your household deliberately taps Park Here, and it is cleared when someone taps I'm Taking It.
Does the vehicle need to be inside a Spotlert parking group? +
No. Group boundaries apply to community parking reports only. You can save where you parked anywhere — another neighborhood, a parking garage, another city.
What if the displayed address is inaccurate? +
The saved pin is what counts, and directions always use it rather than the address text. Phone GPS can be off by a few metres, so adjust the pin before saving, and add a note if the spot is hard to describe.
What does "I'm Taking It" mean? +
It tells your household you are driving the shared car. The saved parking location clears, so nobody walks out to a car that is not there. Tap Park Here again when you park.
Can I create oil-change or inspection reminders? +
Yes. A household can keep shared vehicle reminders due by date, by mileage, or whichever comes first, and they can repeat. Anyone in the household can mark one complete, and everyone sees who did. They are a shared checklist, not a maintenance record — Spotlert does not inspect your vehicle.
Does Spotlert automatically know my mileage? +
No. Mileage is typed in by hand and is completely optional. Spotlert never reads your odometer and never estimates it — until someone records a reading, mileage reminders simply say the mileage is not recorded.
Can I turn vehicle or reminder notifications off? +
Yes. Your household page has two separate switches: Vehicle updates (when someone parks or takes the car) and Vehicle reminders (when something is due). Turning one off leaves the other on. Quiet hours live in Notification Settings.