Access Control

In most cases, you can reuse existing hardware. Verkada's door controllers (AC12 for single doors, AC42 for multi-door installations) speak OSDP and legacy Wiegand, so they're compatible with most existing card readers, electric strikes, magnetic locks, panic bars, gate controllers, and elevator interfaces. The cloud management, mobile credentials, video integration, and audit trails are what you're adding — not necessarily a hardware tear-out. We'll audit your current door hardware during a free site assessment and tell you exactly what carries over.

Pretty much any credential you want. RFID cards and fobs work like a traditional system. Mobile credentials in the Verkada Pass app turn smartphones into badges — tap to enter, no app to open. Apple Watch and other wearables are supported. PIN code entry on touch keypads works for shared spaces. QR codes can be generated for visitors and contractors with time-limited access. Biometric options (fingerprint and facial recognition) are available where compliance and security requirements demand them. You can mix and match — different doors can use different credential types.

Doors keep working. Verkada controllers store a local copy of your access policies and continue authorizing badges, mobile credentials, and PIN codes even when disconnected from the cloud. Door events queue locally and sync to Verkada Command once connectivity returns, so you don't lose audit history. If you have a 5G cellular gateway or backup ISP, the controllers fall back to those automatically. The cloud is the brain — but the doors don't go offline if the brain takes a nap.

Every door event automatically links to camera footage from cameras covering that door. When someone badges in, the system attaches the video clip — so you can see who actually walked through, not just whose credential was used. Tailgating alerts fire when more people enter than badges scanned. Forced-door and door-held-open events trigger camera clips and Command alerts in real time. Access control also integrates natively with Verkada alarms and environmental sensors, so a door opening after-hours can arm or disarm the alarm panel automatically.

Yes. The AC12 controls a single door; the AC42 controls four. Both are PoE-powered (no separate power supply), tamper-detected, and managed through the same Verkada Command dashboard as your other doors and cameras. You can start with the front entrance, add server room and exterior doors next quarter, then layer in elevator control or gate controllers later — all under one license model and one dashboard. There's no rip-and-replace when you expand.