Do I have to replace my Mercury LP controllers now?

No. Mercury lists the LP series as end of sales with a last ship date of 12/31/2024 and an end-of-life date of 12/31/2028, so existing controllers remain supported until then. Plan the change; don't panic-buy.

What replaces the LP series?

Mercury's lifecycle page maps each LP model to an MP model: LP1501 to MP1501, LP1502 to MP1502, LP2500 to MP2500 and LP4502 to MP4502.

Does a controller change mean replacing my whole access control system?

Not necessarily. LP and MP controllers are sold through access-control software vendors, so the usual path is a controller swap within the same software, done by your integrator, rather than a new platform. Ask your integrator what your software supports.

End-of-life tracker / Mercury LP controllers

Mercury LP controllers are end of sale. Here is what it means for your office.

Mercury’s LP series — the LP1501, LP1502, LP2500 and LP4502 — sit inside a large share of office access-control systems installed in recent years, often under another brand’s software. They stopped shipping at the end of 2024 and reach end of life at the end of 2028. That is not an emergency, but it is a decision coming your way, and it is easy to be sold more than you need.

By Tom Jin · Last reviewed October 2026

Dates from Mercury Security’s product lifecycle page, checked October 2026.

What exactly is ending

Mercury lists the LP series as end of sales, with a last ship date of 12/31/2024 and an end-of-life date of 12/31/2028. Its lifecycle page maps each model to a successor in the current MP series: LP1501 to MP1501, LP1502 to MP1502, LP2500 to MP2500 and LP4502 to MP4502. The older EP series already reached end of life on 1/1/2019. Mercury also states that future firmware development, Merc OS 2.0, is supported on all LP and MP controllers.

In plain terms: you can no longer buy new LP controllers, existing ones remain supported until the end of 2028, and the like-for-like replacement is the MP model with the same number.

Why it matters even if you have never heard of Mercury

Mercury sells its controllers through access-control software companies rather than directly to buildings, so the name on your software or your badge screen is often a different brand. Many well-known platforms run on Mercury hardware. If your system was installed in recent years, there is a fair chance one of these boards is in your comms room — and that a proposal to replace “the whole system” will cite it.

How to check whether you have LP controllers

Find the access-control enclosure in your comms or IT room (our identify-your-system guide shows where).
Ask your integrator to confirm the controller models — or, if the label is visible without opening anything, look for a model starting with LP, EP or MP.
Note the software name and version. Whether an LP-to-MP swap is a simple controller change depends on what your software supports.

Do not open the enclosure yourself; it may contain mains power, a battery and a tamper switch. This page is general information, not electrical or life-safety advice.

Your options, from least to most disruptive

1. Keep running until you plan the change. Supported until 12/31/2028 means there is time to budget properly. Ask your integrator for spare-part availability and a written migration plan.

2. Swap controllers within the same software. If your access-control software supports MP controllers, the change can be a board-for-board replacement in the comms room. Your readers, locks, wiring and the software your team already knows stay in place.

3. Replace the whole platform. Sometimes the right answer — if the software itself is unsupported or the business needs something it cannot do. It is also the most expensive route: new readers, controllers, labour and often new per-door licences. Before agreeing, ask what exactly is failing, and compare the costs over three years with our savings calculator.

Where GateStride fits

A controller change is a hardware question; the features people usually want from a replacement — phone unlock and knowing who has left — are a software question. GateStride adds those on top of the access-control software you keep. Today our verified integration is Kantech EntraPass; integrations with LenelS2 OnGuard and Brivo are in development, and more are planned. If you are facing an LP decision, it is worth separating the two questions before signing a rip-and-replace quote.

Questions

Do I have to replace my Mercury LP controllers now?: No. Mercury lists the LP series as end of sales with a last ship date of 12/31/2024 and an end-of-life date of 12/31/2028, so existing controllers remain supported until then. Plan the change; don’t panic-buy.
What replaces the LP series?: Mercury’s lifecycle page maps each LP model to an MP model: LP1501 to MP1501, LP1502 to MP1502, LP2500 to MP2500 and LP4502 to MP4502.
Does a controller change mean replacing my whole access control system?: Not necessarily. LP and MP controllers are sold through access-control software vendors, so the usual path is a controller swap within the same software, done by your integrator, rather than a new platform. Ask your integrator what your software supports.

Sources

Mercury Security is a trademark of its owner. GateStride is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by Mercury Security or HID.