Embodiments detailed herein can include performing an initial calibration that maps each optical character of the plurality of optical characters visible in a field-of-view of a digital camera of a wide-area parking space monitoring system with corresponding parking spaces. The digital camera of the system may capture an image facing downward toward the parking spaces. The system may identify one or more optical characters that are visible within the image. The system may determine one or more parking spaces of the plurality of parking spaces that are mapped to the identified one or more optical characters, The system may output an indication of the determined one or more parking spaces that indicates the one or more parking spaces are available.