A vehicle type recognition method based on a laser scanner is provided, the method includes detecting that a vehicle to be checked has entered into a recognition area; causing a laser scanner to move relative to the vehicle to be checked; scanning the vehicle to be checked using the laser scanner on a basis of columns, and storing and splicing data of each column obtained by scanning to form a three-dimensional image of the vehicle to be checked, wherein a lateral width value is specified for each single column of data; specifying a height difference threshold; and determining a height difference between the height at the lowest position of the vehicle to be checked in data of column N and the height at the lowest position of the vehicle to be checked in data of specified number of columns preceding and/or succeeding to the column N.