Gate Access Control Systems

Control who opens your gate. Browse 800+ keypads, intercoms, RFID readers, telephone entry systems, and card readers from DoorKing, LiftMaster, Linear, BFT, and Viking — the brands installed on most commercial and residential automated gates in the U.S.

How Gate Access Control Works

A gate access control system is the input layer that tells your gate operator when to open. The operator does the physical work; access control decides who gets through. Most installations combine one or more of:

Keypads — code-based entry, the most common residential setup
Telephone entry — visitors call from the gate, you press 9 to open from your phone (DoorKing 1812, 1834 series)
RFID / proximity readers — long-range tag readers for fleet vehicles, employee parking, tenant entry
Card readers — HID Prox, MIFARE, magstripe for property management and gated communities
Wired intercoms and wireless intercoms — audio-only or video, used in apartments, HOAs, commercial entrances
Cellular / IP-based systems — DoorKing 1835, LiftMaster Smart Video Intercom — controlled via app, no phone line required

Commercial vs Residential Access Control

Residential gate access control is usually a single keypad or telephone entry box wired to a residential gate operator. One or two users, simple permission management.

Commercial gate access control gets more complex. A gated apartment community might run 200+ tenant credentials, visitor codes that expire, fleet RFID tags, and a delivery driver intercom — all routed through one telephone entry or networked controller. Self-storage facilities use unique entry codes per tenant tied to billing status. HOAs often layer keypad + RFID + intercom on the same gate. Most commercial installations also pair access control with photo sensors and loop detectors for UL 325 safety compliance.

Top Access Control Brands

DoorKing - The most-installed brand for telephone entry and apartment access control. 1812, 1834, 1835 series, 1838 elevator control. 1,900+ DoorKing products in stock.
LiftMaster - CAPXL, Smart Video Intercom, residential keypads. Pairs cleanly with LiftMaster gate operators (LA400, LA500, SL3000).
Linear / Nortek - AM3 series, AP-5, AK-21 keypads. Strong in residential and light commercial.
Viking Access - K2, K3 keypads and integrated control modules.
BFT - Italian-made keypads and prox readers for European-spec gate operators.

Looking for the gate operator itself? Browse our gate openers and operators collection. Need access control plus operator as a complete system? See gate automation kits.

Need help speccing a system? Call (800) 730-8382, Mon-Fri 8:30am-7pm EST.