Depends on which program you are using.
If you are using Plate Recognizer with
Blue Iris, then it takes some trial and error to get the image right, or you run it with DeepStack and a custom model to only take a pic if there is a plate in the camera view. On a cul-de-sac, you could probably stay under the 2500 images per month.
If you are using OpenALPR, they use the video stream. Plate Recognizer has video stream option as well, but it is expensive.
Or you use the custom model that a member here wrote to read it for free:
I took a break from my DeepStack Custom Model project and started work on a DeepStackALPR solution. I made a lot of progress on the DeepStackALPR. The solution is API that crops and rotates (if needed) the license plate. Then the API reads all of the characters in the plate and logs the license...
ipcamtalk.com