Your guide to
parking laws
in Victoria
Parking,
the law
and you
Community
Your guide to
parking laws
in Victoria
www.
victorialaw
foundation.
org.au
Find out more at...
Parking laws make our
roads safer and the use
of our parking spaces
equitable so people can
access shops and services
when they need to. This
guide explains common
parking laws in Victoria
and what you can do if
you receive a ne. Keep
the guide in your car for
easy reference.
Find out more at
www.nexer.org.au
Victoria Law Foundation Parking, the law and you
Parking your car 4
Parking laws – the basics 4
Where can’t I stop or park? 6
How much space should I leave when I park? 9
Parking signs 10
Parking fines 14
Issuing parking fines – the basics 14
When might I not have to pay a parking fine? 16
What happens if I ignore a fine? 20
Getting more help 28
Legal services 28
Government agencies 29
Resources 29
Contents
4
Parking your car
This section explains some
common parking laws and how
to read parking signs so you can
park correctly and avoid a ne.
Parking laws – the basics
There are rules that you need to obey every time
you stop or park.
Obey relevant parking signs (see page 10).
Park within marked bays (if marked).
Don’t obstruct traffic or pedestrians.
Allow adequate space for cars to pass – if there
is a continuous dividing line, there must be at
least three metres between the side of your car
and the line.
Parallel parking
Keep your car’s left wheels close to the kerb.
Always park facing the same way as the
direction of the traffic on your side of the road.
If there are no marked parking bays, leave at
least one metre between you and any car in
front or behind you.
Ensure driveways and foot ramps aren’t
obstructed.
Angle parking
In some places you will need to park at an angle
(the signs or the markings will tell you this).
Park at the angle indicated by the marked bays
or by the parking sign.
If there are no markings or no parking sign
showing the angle, then park at 45 degrees.
Park with the rear of your car to the road
(unless the sign says otherwise).
Parking in the centre of the road
If signs allow parking in the centre of the road,
drive in and out forwards (unless the sign
says otherwise).
Remember,
always
read the
parking
signs
7Victoria Law Foundation Parking, the law and you
Where can’t I stop or park?
Generally parking signs will tell you whether you
can stop or park in a particular location. However,
here are some common situations where, even if
there are no signs, you can’t stop and/or park.
Double parking
Don’t double-park (this means parking on the
road way parallel to another parked car).
Road markings
Don’t park where a road marking says
‘Keep clear.’
Don’t park in a bus lane, tram lane or truck lane.
Don’t park next to a continuous yellow line on
the edge of the road.
Bridges and tunnels
Don’t park on a bridge, causeway or ramp, or
in a tunnel, that’s narrower than the rest of the
road. This is dangerous for passing cars.
Obstructions
Don’t park near something that’s obstructing
traffic, such as a work site or something that’s
fallen off a vehicle onto the road.
Specic exceptions for bicycles,
motorbikes and scooters
Bicycles
Unless a sign says otherwise, you can park your bicycle
anywhere as long as it’s safe and not in anyone’s way.
Motorbikes and scooters
Unless a sign says otherwise, you can park your motorbike
or scooter on the footpath or the nature strip as long as
it’s not obstructing pedestrians and drivers. It can also be
parked at an angle in parallel parking areas.
Specic locations
Don’t park with any part of your vehicle in a
place you are not allowed to park. Even if only
the front of your car is in a ‘No stopping’ area,
you are breaking the law.
Don’t park within 20 metres before a tram stop,
unless a sign says you can.
Don’t park on a bike path, footpath, shared
footpath or dividing strip.
Don’t park on a nature strip next to a road in a
built-up area like a suburb or town.
Don’t park in a slip lane (see image opposite
page), unless there are marked parking bays
or signs permitting parking, or stop on a
painted island.
Don’t park within 20 metres of an intersection
with traffic lights, or 10 metres of an intersection
with no traffic lights unless signs permit parking.
Don’t park on a freeway (except in an
emergency stopping lane during an emergency).
Don’t park across a lane or private driveway (you
can stop here for up to two minutes if you’re
dropping off or picking up passengers and don’t
leave your car).
Don’t park on the wrong side of the road.
Don’t park on the curve of a road or a hilltop
outside suburbs or towns, unless your car is
visible for 100 metres from behind.
Slip lane
8
Keeping the city moving
Greg is a parking enforcement ofcer with
the City of Melbourne. He enjoys his work
keeping the city moving.
When we walk around the city, we get all
kinds of questions from people. We get a lot
of questions about parking rules, and we’re
always happy to explain them or the signs.
Parking laws are all about giving everyone a
fair chance to park in the city.
If we see someone breaking a parking rule,
we prefer to explain the problem and ask them
to move their car. Our main aim is to keep the
city moving.
People often don’t realise that many parking
laws are there to keep people safe. For
example, “No stopping” signs are really
important – they are usually in places where
it’d be dangerous to park.
My advice to people tempted to try to get
away with parking in the wrong place
or overstaying their time limit is to think
of others.
9Victoria Law Foundation Parking, the law and you
How much space should I leave
when I park?
For safety reasons, you can’t stop close to the
following road features and signs, unless a sign
specically says you can. The table below shows
how many metres you need to leave before and
after some common road features.
Sign or
road feature
Metres
before
Metres
after
Australia Post mailbox 3 3
Bike crossing with lights 10 3
Bus stop 20 10
Children’s crossing 20 10
Fire hydrant 1 1
Intersection with
trafc lights
20 20
Intersection without
trafc lights
10 10
Level crossing 20 20
Pedestrian crossing
(not at intersection)
20 10
Safety zone 10 10
Tram stop 20 –
10
Parking signs
Common parking signs
A range of common parking signs tell you where
you can and can’t park. Read parking signs
carefully and pay attention to time restrictions.
Parking signs are designed to be read top down,
left to right. While the most important restrictions
are often at the top of the parking sign, it is
important to read the whole sign and determine
what restrictions apply to you, and the duration
of your parking session.
Time limits
The P stands for parking, and the large
number tells you how long you can park
here in hours. The times below tell you
when this sign applies. Your time starts
when your car stops in the parking bay,
not when you leave the car.
This sign says you can park for one
hour (1P), between 7:30 am and 6:30 pm
Monday to Friday, and between 7:30 am
and 12:30 pm Saturday. You may be able
to park for longer outside these times,
but check for other sign panels (such as
a clearway sign – see below).
Once you’ve reached one hour, you can’t
just buy another ticket or re-feed the
meter. You must move your car out of
the length of road or out of the area that
the sign applies to.
No parking
You can stop here for up to two minutes*
(or the time limit shown on the sign) to
pick up or drop off passengers or goods.
You must stay within three metres of
your car.
* Note: A permit holder of a parking
permit for people with disabilities can
stop for up to ve minutes.
11Victoria Law Foundation Parking, the law and you
No stopping
You can’t stop here, even briey for any
reason. The same applies if there’s a
continuous yellow line on the edge of
the road.
Clearways
You can’t stop in a clearway during
times on the sign unless you’re driving a
public bus, a minibus or a taxi dropping
off or picking up passengers.
Tow-away zones
If you park here during the times on
the sign, your car will be towed away.
You may have to pay a ne, and you’ll
have to pay extra (such as the cost of
towing and storing your car) to get your
car back.
Special zones
There are some zones where you may
not be able to park or where you need
to display a permit from your local
council. Make sure you read the sign
carefully from top to bottom to get all the
information you need.
Permit zones
This sign means that you need to
display a permit to park here. Local
residents can apply to the council for
a resident’s permit and usually pay an
annual fee. Your permit only lets you
park in a particular area; you can’t park
in other permit zones.
12
Safety zones
Safety zones around tram stops allow
passengers to get on and off safely. You
can’t stop within 10 metres before or
after a safety zone sign unless a sign
says you can.
Special vehicles
This sign means only public buses can
stop here. There are other signs that say
the same for taxis and trucks.
Works zones
This sign means you can’t stop here
during the times on the sign unless
you’re driving a vehicle used in
construction work in the works zone.
Parking Reserved for People
with Disabilities
You may only park here if you (or
your passenger) have a blue and
white parking permit for people with
disabilities. Councils issue two types
of parking permits: blue and white and
green and white. Both permit holders
may park in ordinary parking spaces
for twice as long. But if you park in an
area requiring payment, the driver must
pay the initial parking fee unless the
instructions on the parking machine
exempt permit holders from payment.
E.g. if parking in a 1P paid parking area,
the driver must pay for the full hour and
may park for up to two hours
13Victoria Law Foundation Parking, the law and you
All permits must be displayed at the left
side or centre of your front windscreen
with your permit number and expiry
date visible from the outside. Also, be
prepared to give your name and address,
and show your driver licence to the
police or a parking inspector if requested.
Mail zones
This sign means that only on-duty
Australia Post employees and
contractors can stop here.
Loading zones
You can’t stop or park unless you are
driving:
• a bus, taxi or other commercial
passenger vehicle
• a truck
• a courier or delivery vehicle
displaying the required sign
• a vehicle designed for carrying loads
which has special registration.
Even if you are driving one of these
vehicles, you can only stop while you are
dropping off or picking up passengers
or goods. For details, search for ‘loading
zones’ on the VicRoads website
(www.vicroads.vic.gov.au).
14
Parking nes
This section answers frequently
asked questions about parking
nes (also sometimes called
infringement notices) and tells
you what to do if you get one.
Issuing parking nes – the basics
Who is allowed to issue a parking ne?
Only authorised people can issue parking nes.
These include police ofcers, some council ofcers
and some VicRoads ofcers.
If you are issued with a parking ne and want
to know if the person is authorised, ask to view
their identity card. The card should show the
person’s photo, signature and the signature of the
authorising ofcer.
Can a private company issue a
parking ne?
Private companies operate some car parks, often
ones attached to shopping centres. A parking
‘ne’ from a private company is not the same as a
ne from a council or the police.
If you receive a notice from a private company that
looks like a ‘ne’, you should read the factsheet
from Consumer Affairs Victoria (www.consumer.
vic.gov.au/cars/parking-payment-notices-in-
private-car-parks) before paying it or contacting
the company.
How much are parking nes?
The amount of a parking ne will depend on a
number of factors. Fine amounts vary depending
on the council and how the law has been broken.
The parking ne notice will show exactly how
much you owe.
Parking ne amounts are set by the State
Government and change each year. For
information on current penalties go to
www.justice.vic.gov.au/home/justice+system/
nes+and+penalties/penalties+and+values/
or call Fines Victoria on 03 9200 8111.
16
When might I not have to pay
a parking ne?
If you weren’t driving the car
If the car is registered in your name, you may
receive the ne, which you’ll have to pay unless
you name the person who was driving at the
time. To name the driver, you must complete the
formal ‘nomination’ process as set out by the
relevant enforcement agency, e.g. Local council or
Fines Victoria. Visit the Fines Victoria website for
more information.
Special circumstances
If you have a mental or intellectual disability,
disorder, disease or illness or you are seriously
addicted to drugs or alcohol, you may also apply
to have the ne cancelled. These reasons are
considered ‘special circumstances’. You will
need to show that, because of your condition,
you couldn’t understand that your behaviour
was against the law or you couldn’t control
your conduct.
If you are homeless, special circumstances may
also apply. You will need to show that because you
were homeless, you couldn’t control your conduct
that lead to the ne.
If you have been a victim of family violence, special
circumstances may apply. You must be able to
show that at the time of the offence you were a
victim of family violence and that that resulted in
you being unable to control the behaviour that led
to the ne.
For example if you receive a ne for a driving
offence and you were the driver of the car, you
need to show a connection between the family
violence and the ne. Another example would be if
you received a parking ne for sleeping in your car
because it was unsafe to return home.
For more information on how to challenge
your ne using this ground, visit
www.nes.vic.gov.au/Request-a-review.
17Victoria Law Foundation Parking, the law and you
Family Violence Scheme
The Family Violence Scheme is a scheme to assist
victim survivors of family violence within the nes
system. You can apply under the Family Violence
Scheme if you are a victim of family violence
and either:
• the family violence substantially contributed to
your offence, or
• at the time of the offence you were the
registered operator of a vehicle but not the
driver, and the family violence substantially
contributed to you being unable to nominate
(name) the driver.
An application form is available at
www.nes.vic.gov.au/fvs.
Exceptional circumstances
You may also apply for a review if you can show
there were exceptional circumstances that led to
the ne. It is up to the issuing agency to decide
whether your situation counts as ‘exceptional’ or
not. You will need to show that the circumstances
were serious, beyond your control and you
must have good written evidence to rely on this
ground. Running late for an appointment is not an
‘exceptional’ circumstance.
You may be able to rely on exceptional
circumstances if you have parked illegally for
reasons beyond your control. Your ne may
be withdrawn, for example, if you can show
you stopped:
• to avoid a collision
• because your car or someone else’s broke down
• due to a medical emergency
• because it would be unsafe not to stop
• to comply with another road rule.
18
If the ticket machine or meter
was broken
You may not have to pay the ne if the ticket
machine or meter was broken. However, even if a
ticket machine or meter is broken, you still have
to obey the signs. So for example, if you’re parked
in a restricted time area with a 2P sign, you must
move your car when two hours are up. If you stay
longer than the sign allows, you can be issued with
a parking ne for overstaying the time limit.
If you were unaware of the notice
You may also apply for a review if you were
unaware of the ne and it was not given to you
personally. You may make a review application
on this ground if you apply within 14 days of
becoming aware of the ne. An example is if you
were hospitalised and unable to check your mail.
It is important to remember that failing to update
your address within 14 days of the move/change
with VicRoads or the council is not a valid excuse.
It’s a good idea to get legal help if any of these
circumstances apply to you. Contact Victoria
Legal Aid or your nearest community legal centre.
See page 28 for contact details.
How can I prove that I shouldn’t
have to pay?
If you receive a parking ne and you believe it was issued
incorrectly, or that you have a valid reason not to pay,
you’ll need to prove why you shouldn’t have to pay.
When you receive the ticket, it is a good idea to record
as much information as possible to prove that the ticket
was issued incorrectly. The type of information you might
collect includes: your location, the parking meter number
where you were parked, a photograph of your car parked
there and the sign showing the parking restrictions.
More detailed information on what to do if you think that
you may have been issued a ticket incorrectly can be
found on pages 16 to 18.
19Victoria Law Foundation Parking, the law and you
20
What happens if I ignore a ne?
When you receive a parking ne you have at least 21 days to
pay or contact the council or issuing body. For information on
who to contact if you need help challenging a ne (known as
requesting a review), see page 28.
Stage What happens Options
Parking ne issued
21 days to respond
$
You have been issued with a ne
and need to decide whether to pay
it or challenge it.
• Pay the fine.
• Ask for more time to pay or to pay
by instalments.
• Challenge the fine (request a
review) – see page 16.
• Apply for a Work and
Development Permit – see
page 26.
• Apply under the Family Violence
Scheme – see page 17.
• Choose to have the matter heard
in court.
• Nominate the responsible driver
Penalty reminder notice issued
14 days to respond
$$
If you did not pay the ne or
respond to it within the rst
21 days, you will be issued with
a penalty reminder notice.
The amount of your ne
will increase.
• Pay the fine and any extra costs.
• Ask for more time to pay or to pay
by instalments – see page 25.
• Challenge the fine (request a
review) – see page 16.
• Apply for a Work and
Development Permit – see
page 26.
• Apply under the Family Violence
Scheme – see page 17.
• Choose to have the matter heard
in court.
• Nominate the responsible driver
1
2
There are a number of
organisations that can help
you deal with your nes. Go to
pages 28 to 29 for the full list.
21Victoria Law Foundation Parking, the law and you
22 23Victoria Law Foundation Parking, the law and you
Stage What happens Options
Notice of nal demand issued You can no longer contact the council –
you need to contact Fines Victoria
21 days to respond
$$$
If you did not pay or challenge the
ne after receiving the penalty
reminder notice, you will receive a
notice of nal demand.
The amount you need to pay will
increase again
Power to enforce
If no payment is made after
21 days, enforcement action may
be taken. The Director of Fines
Victoria may:
• suspend or prevent you from
renewing your driver licence
• suspend or prevent you
from renewing your vehicle
registration
• make deductions from your
bank account, wages or money
owed to you
• place a charge on your land, or
sell your charged land.
• Pay the fine and any extra costs.
• Apply for more time to pay or to
pay by instalments – see page 25
• Apply to have the fine reviewed –
see page 16.
• Apply for a Work and
Development Permit – see
page 26.
• Apply under the Family Violence
Scheme – see page 17.
Enforcement warrant issued
7 days to respond after being served
with a seven-day notice.
$$$$
or property seized
If you ignore the notice of nal
demand and don’t pay your ne, or
you stop making payments under
a payment plan/arrangement,
an enforcement warrant may be
issued against you.
The amount of your ne will
increase again.
If an enforcement warrant is
issued against you, the sheriff can
wheel clamp or seize your vehicle,
sell your vehicle (after giving
14 days’ notice), or remove your
licence plates.
The sheriff can also demand
payment from you and give you
a seven-day notice. If you do not
pay the ne after seven days,
the sheriff can sell your personal
property. If you do not have enough
property to cover the outstanding
ne, you could be arrested and
offered community work or bailed
to attend court.
• Pay the fine and any extra costs.
• Before the seven-day notice
period expires, you can:
– Apply for more time to pay or
to pay by instalments – see
page 25.
– Apply to have the fine
reviewed.
– Apply for a Work and
Development Permit – see
page 26.
– Apply under the Family
Violence Scheme – see
page 17.
• When the seven-day notice period
expires, these options are no
longer available to you.
• If you are arrested, seek legal
advice immediately
You can nd more information about
nes at www.nes.vic.gov.au.
However if you are facing arrest or your
belongings are being taken away, you
need to get legal help immediately.
3
4
24
More detail on your options
Challenging a parking ne
– council (stages
1
and
2
)
If you think you have been issued with a parking
ne incorrectly, you may want to challenge it.
In order to challenge a parking ne, you will need to
show why you think you shouldn’t have to pay it.
You will need to show that you fall under one of the
categories on pages 16 to 18.
Details on how to contact the issuing body will be
included on the parking ne notice. Alternatively,
you may choose to have the matter heard in the
Magistrates’ Court.
– Fines Victoria stages
3
and
4
If a notice of nal demand or an enforcement
warrant has been issued and you still believe that
you shouldn’t have to pay the ne, you can only
apply to the Director of Fines Victoria to have the
enforcement of the ne cancelled - the issuing
council or agency can no longer consider your
request for review.
If an enforcement warrant has been issued against
you and you have been served with a 7-day
notice, it is important to apply for a review before
the seven-day notice period expires because
afterwards you will not be able to apply.
If the Director cancels the enforcement of the
ne that doesn’t mean the infringement itself
is cancelled. It just means that they have sent
it back to the council. The council will decide
whether to withdraw the infringement notice,
give you a warning or send the matter to the
Magistrates’ Court.
To apply to have a ne reviewed, you will need to
submit a review form. For more information, and to
download the form, go to https://online.nes.vic.
gov.au/Request-a-review. For your application
you will need to supply supporting information.
If you have had a notice of nal demand
or enforcement warrant issued against
you, it is a good idea to get legal advice.
See page 28 for contact details.
25Victoria Law Foundation Parking, the law and you
Apply for more time to pay or
to pay by instalments
– stages
1
,
2
.
3
and
4
If you are having difculty paying your ne, you
should contact the council that issued the ne
(or Fines Victoria if you have received a notice
of nal demand or an enforcement warrant), to
discuss your situation. Do this before the due date
to prevent further costs. You may need to provide
details of your nancial situation.
You can apply for extra time to pay or to pay by
instalments. These options may apply if you have a:
• Centrelink pensioner concession card
• Veterans’ Affairs concession card or gold card
• Centrelink health care card.
If you don’t have one of these cards, you may
still qualify for alternative payment options.
You’ll need to provide details about your
nancial circumstances.
26
Apply for a Work and
Development Permit
The Work and Development Permit (WDP) scheme
provides disadvantaged and vulnerable people the
opportunity to ‘work off’ their ne debt through an
approved WDP treatment or program. The WDP
scheme allows an eligible person to undertake
activities and treatment under the supervision of
a sponsor. A sponsor is an organisation or a health
practitioner accredited by Fines Victoria. The time
it takes to work off the debt depends on the kind of
activity or program that is undertaken.
Approved WDP treatments or programs include:
• unpaid work
• educational, vocational or life skills courses
• medical or health treatment
• counselling and therapy
• financial counselling
• drug and alcohol treatment
• mentoring for eligible people under 25 years old.
How do you apply for a WDP?
To apply for a WDP, contact the community agency or
health practitioner that is providing you with treatment
or services. They must be an accredited WDP sponsor
to be able to help you. To nd out more about WDPs you
can contact the Department of Justice and Regulation on
1300 323 483.
27Victoria Law Foundation Parking, the law and you
28
Getting more help
Parking nes can be complicated.
Contact any of these
organisations if you need help.
If you are facing arrest or your
belongings are being taken away
because of unpaid nes, you need
to get help quickly.
Legal services
Victoria Legal Aid
Victoria Legal Aid helps people with their legal
problems, focusing on helping people on low
incomes and those experiencing disadvantage.
You can call the Legal Help phone service for free
information, legal advice or other help over the
phone. You can speak to someone in English or in
your own language.
[
1300 792 387
0
www.legalaid.vic.gov.au
Youthlaw
Youthlaw is Victoria’s free community legal centre
for people under 25.
[
9611 2412
0
youthlaw.asn.au
Community legal centres
Community legal centres provide legal information,
initial advice and, in some cases, ongoing help. The
Federation of Community Legal Centres can help
you nd the best centre for your situation.
[
03 9652 1500
0
www.communitylaw.org.au
29Victoria Law Foundation Parking, the law and you
Private lawyers
Hiring a private lawyer can be the best option
in some circumstances. A good place to start is
the Law Institute of Victoria. It provides referrals
to lawyers across Victoria. Law rms included
in the referral service provide a free 30-minute
inquiry interview.
[
03 9607 9550
0
www.liv.asn.au/Referral
Government agencies
Local Government Victoria
If you don’t know which local council to speak
to about your parking ne, Local Government
Victoria’s website may help you identify the
right council.
0
www.knowyourcouncil.vic.gov.au
Fines Victoria
For helpful information about a registered ne or
a warrant, contact Fines Victoria.
[
03 9200 8111
0
www.nes.vic.gov.au
Resources
Everyday-Law
Everyday-Law is a free legal information website.
It has easy-to-understand resources on common
legal topics and an online directory of free or low-
cost legal services. Go to Everyday-Law to get the
legal information and help you need.
0
www.everyday-law.org.au
Finexer
Finexer is a free online tool provided by the Moonee
Valley Legal Service that can help you understand
what to do when you get a ne in Victoria.
0
www.nexer.org.au
Translating and
Interpreting Service (TIS)
[
131 450
0
www.tisnational.gov.au
30
Notes
31Victoria Law Foundation Parking, the law and you
Disclaimer: This publication is a guide only. While due
care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the material
contained in this publication, Victoria Law Foundation
cannot take responsibility for any errors, nor do the references
and web links to products and services of other organisations
constitute endorsement.
Photographs: Cover, Corbis Images; p5, Jill Mitchell /
Newspix; p6, Jessica Terrill / Victoria Law Foundation;
p8, Eddie Jim / Fairfax; p15, Craig Borrow / Newspix;
p19, Tony Miller; p25, Illustration Forest/Shutterstock;
p27, Konstantin Sutyagin / Shutterstock
Accurate at March 2018
© Victoria Law Foundation, 2018
ISBN 978 1 876045 55 5
PUB18-05
First published 1998
Tenth edition 2016
Eleventh edition 2018
Victoria Law Foundation helps Victorians understand
the law and their legal system. We are a not-for-prot
organisation funded by the Victorian Legal Services
Board Public Purpose Fund.
Victoria Law Foundation
Level 5, 43 Hardware Lane
Melbourne Vic 3000 Australia
T 03 9604 8100 F 03 9602 2449
See our website at
www.victorialawfoundation.org.au
‘Victoria Law
Foundation supports
investment in the next
generation of legal
tools to improve access
to justice. FineFixer,
a web tool designed
by RMIT students
and developed by
Moonee Valley Legal
Service to help people
understand their nes
and take action, is a
shining example.’
Brendan Lacota
Principal Lawyer
Moonee Valley Legal Service
