Simple ways to avoid a parking fine

No one likes to get a parking fine, so here are some easy tips to help you avoid a fine.

Make sure you can pay before you park

The law gives you a 'reasonable amount of time' to set the meter running and it assumes that you have the necessary funds with you to pay. This means that going to obtain change is not an excuse.

When parking in areas that require a fee, you must ensure that you have sufficient money before you park. Cars parked at expired meters or without valid parking vouchers are liable to receive a parking fine. The parking meters now accept credit and debit cards, coins and the mobile phone payment app – EasyPark.

Visit the EasyPark website for further information regarding the app.

You can't 'feed' parking meters

Adding more money to a parking meter or purchasing another parking voucher in order to stay longer than the maximum time shown on the parking sign is prohibited in every Australian state.

The time you can legally occupy a parking bay is shown on the parking sign and starts as soon as your car stops in the bay.

Once you have parked and paid for the maximum time, as shown on the parking sign, you must move your vehicle away from that parking area.

Display your parking voucher properly

Every time you park in a voucher parking area, remember to check that your voucher is correctly displayed before leaving your vehicle.

If your parking voucher falls from view, flips over on the dashboard or is not displayed so that our officers can read it clearly you may receive a fine.

Be aware of Loading Zones

There are very strict rules in place about who can park in Loading Zones.

In Tasmania, Loading Zones are parking areas set aside for short-term use by vehicles when loading or unloading goods in the course of business. A bus may also use a Loading Zone to set down or pick-up passengers. Loading Zones are not provided for short-term parking (e.g. picking up a friend, buying a TV or dropping off luggage at a hotel before parking your hire car).

There are lots of vehicles which need to use loading zones each day, which is why the 30-minute time limit (unless otherwise signed) is strictly monitored.

Check the parking sign

Some parking signs can be up to 75 metres apart and you may not always be able to see the sign from where your car is parked. If you can't see a parking sign, don't assume that the area has unrestricted parking. As the driver, it is your responsibility to locate the sign along the road, and carefully read and obey it. In some cases, this involves walking closer to the sign to read it. Please be aware that the parking sign may also be behind your vehicle.

You still need to check the parking restrictions that apply to an area even if you're familiar with the restrictions (for example, if you live in the area or park there regularly). Parking signs can change without any notice.

Leave extra time for appointments and meetings

There are a large number of workplaces and specialist facilities located within Hobart.

While we appreciate that business meetings can run over time and medical practitioners can regularly run behind schedule, these delays can be reasonably anticipated so you need to allow extra time when visiting the city for these reasons.

Appointments or meetings that run over time are not considered by the City of Hobart to be a valid reason for the withdrawal of a parking infringement notice.

The three multi-storey car parks offer 60 minutes of free parking with no maximum time limit.

If you use the EasyPark app you can top up your parking session without having to go back to your car if you have not already paid for the maximum time allowed. Remember however, you can only stay for as long as the parking sign allows.

Go to the EasyPark website for more information or to register and sign up.