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Illegal parking

Council's Parking Officers and Rangers are authorised to take regulatory action where a vehicle has been observed parking illegally. This action may be in the form of a penalty notice or in some instances a Warning Notice.

NSW Police have the same powers and may also issue penalty notices for illegally parked vehicles.
 

Parking officers general patrol

  • Monday to Friday: 6.00am to 6.00pm.
  • Saturdays: 8.00am to 4.00pm.
  • Other hours as may be required to investigate ongoing complaints.

Where Council has been made aware of after-hours parking issues, officers may conduct patrols after 6.00pm to investigate those issues. Similarly on Sundays between 7.00am & 3.00pm, requests for parking assistance may be phoned through to Council’s after-hours service on (02) 9330 6400 and a duty Ranger will attend. 

Parking restrictions may be of a statutory type (which apply without specific signage being in place) or sign-posted. In accordance with the Road Rules, all drivers are required to comply with statutory rules and sign-posted parking restrictions. These rules are intended to promote safe driving and parking practices, assist with traffic flow and encourage an equitable use of a limited number of parking spaces

Officers undertake proactive patrols of high traffic areas as well as responding to requests to investigate illegal parking. There are also regular patrols of school zones to provide a deterrent to drivers who may park illegally and create a safety risk to other drivers or school children.

Penalty Notices may either be place on a vehicle at the time or posted. Wherever possible an officer will try to place a penalty notice on a vehicle however in situations including where they are unable to locate legal parking nearby, there is a safety risk or the vehicle has driven off, the penalty notice may be posted.

It is a common misconception that councils are responsible for setting monetary penalty amounts on penalty notices however this is not the case. The amount attached to a penalty notice, and if the penalty notice attracts demerit points, is set by the NSW Government. Offences in school zones generally include higher monetary penalties, than for other offences and many attract demerit points. Some examples of Penalty Notices and associated penalties are listed below;

  • Disobey no parking sign = $116.00.
  • Stop in loading zone = $194.00
  • Disobey no stopping sign = $272.00
  • Disobey no stopping sign (school zone) = $349.00 & 2 demerit points
  • Stop in disabled parking area  = $581.00 & 1 demerit point

Note: These penalty amounts are accurate as at 1 July 2020 and may change after 1 July each year.
 

How to avoid parking penalty notices

Always check the area for signs and familiarise yourself with parking rules. Listed below are some tips to avoid being issued a penalty notice:

  • Check to see if there are time limits applicable to where you park or if the signposted parking zone changes at a certain time, such as Clearways and School Zones.
  • Pay particular attention around schools to help maintain children’s safety. Police often patrol school zones as well for speeding and other driving offences.  
  • No Stopping, Clearway or Bus Zone signposted areas mean you are not permitted to stop at those locations.
  • Only park in a Loading Zone if your vehicle is permitted. In NSW sedans are only permitted to stop briefly in Loading Zones if they are picking up or dropping off goods or passengers and only stay for as long as that takes.
  • Do not park in a Mobility Parking Scheme (MPS) space unless you are the holder of a valid permit or you are transporting a person with a MPS permit which is correctly displayed on the vehicle.
  • Do not park within 10 metres of an intersection unless parking signage advises otherwise.
 

Parking Infringement - Frequently Asked Questions

  • Why have I received a Penalty Notice (Fine)?

    Penalty Notices may be issued if a vehicle is observed parked or stopped contrary to Road Rules 2014. Many areas are signposted to show where parking is or is not permitted however in some circumstances such as Double Parking or Stopping within 10m of an intersection, signs are not required.

    Penalty Notices may be placed on a vehicle or posted.

    If you wish to report illegal parking during business hours please contact Council.

  • What should I do if I receive a Penalty Notice?

    The following options are available:

    1.  Pay the amount on the Penalty Notice – You may pay the fine online here.  Alternative methods of payment are listed on the reverse of the Penalty Notice.

    2.  Request a review of the Penalty Notice - Should you believe that the Penalty Notice has been issued incorrectly or there are extenuating circumstance, you must do so within 21 days of the date of issue.

    All representation must be made to Revenue NSW, Council does not conduct internal reviews of Penalty Notices.

    To make a representation, you may lodge an online request at www.revenue.nsw.gov.au or write to the address below, quoting your Penalty Notice number:

    The Director
    Revenue NSW
    PO Box 786
    Strawberry Hills NSW 2012

    Further details can be found at the Revenue NSW website: www.revenue.nsw.gov.au or by calling 1300 138 118 (Monday to Friday 7.30am to 8.00pm).
     

    3.  Have the matter heard in court – If you wish to have this matter decided in Court, please follow the instructions listed on the reverse of the Penalty Notice.

    If you have any other issues relating to parking, please contact Council.

  • Will Council review my Penalty Notice?

    Unfortunately for reasons of probity and to prevent any perception of bias or favouritism by Council or its employees, Council is does not review the Penalty Notices.

  • Can I apply for a parking permit to avoid future penalties?
    If your property is located within a resident parking scheme regulated area, you may be eligible to apply for a parking permit. Please review our fees and charges to learn more about purchasing a parking permit.
     
    View our Intramaps to see which areas require a permit to park a vehicle.
     
  • How are parking rules and restrictions established?
    Parking rules are consistent through NSW and legislated by the State Government through Road Rules 2014.
     
    Monetary values of Penalty Notices are standard throughout the state and are not set by each council.

    Council’s Traffic Committee determine where parking signage can be installed and review the need for new signage. The committee includes representatives from the Roads and Maritime Services, local Police, State Local Members offices, transport organisations and Council staff. Recommendations from the Committee are considered by Council prior to final approval.

    Contact us for issues relating to traffic and signage. 
     
  • I want to request a review of my Penalty Notice. How do I know if my case is eligible?
    You can request a review if:
    • you believe there has been a mistake in issuing the penalty notice
    • there are other reasons that contributed to the offence.
  • I have paid the fine but now I want to request a review. What is the deadline
    If you’ve already paid the fine you must make contact with Revenue NSW within 60 days from the date the penalty notice was issued.
     
    If you've not paid the fine, you must submit your request within 21 days of the date of issue as stated on the previous page.
     
    If you are unsure of the deadline contact Revenue NSW here.
     
  • What do I need to request a review?
    To request a review of your fine visit myPenalty, Revenue NSW’s secure online service. To login, you'll need to enter the penalty or infringement notice number and the date of the offence.
     
    If you've lost your notice, you may contact Revenue NSW or complete their enquiry form.
    To use these services, you must be the person named on the notice and you'll need to provide some proof of identification, such as your address, date of birth or driver's licence number.
     
  • What happens once I submit for request for review of my Penalty Notice?
    Once you have submitted a request you can track the progress of your claim through myPenalty.
     
    Once your request has been assessed, you will receive one of these three possible outcomes in written communication from Revenue NSW.
     
    1. Penalty to stand – The assessors believe that you committed the offence and the penalty was properly issued. You must pay the fine or alternatively you may go to court to contest the issue.
     
    1. Caution – The assessors believe you committed the offence and the fine was properly issued but they have decided to issue a caution instead of a penalty because of your circumstances. You won’t have to pay anything and won’t lose any applicable demerit points.
     
    1. Cancellation – The assessors believe that the penalty notice was not issued correctly, does not properly disclose the offence, or was issued by mistake. You will not have to pay the fine and will not face any related demerit points.
  • I am unhappy with the outcome of Revenue NSW’s review. What can I do to dispute it?
    If you disagree with the findings of the review, you have the right to go to court.
     
    If you ask for a review and include a request to go to court, Revenue NSW will conduct a review and only list your matter for court if the outcome is unsuccessful.
     


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