Parking rules and fines

Leaving your vehicle

Before you open your car door, you must check that there is no one on the road, such as a bike rider, close enough to hit your door.
Secure your vehicle before you leave it unattended.

Parking fines

Parking fines are issued by the Queensland Police Service and authorised officers from local councils using a traffic infringement penalty notice. The notice will tell you what the fine amount is.

If a local council administers parking in its area, a different fine amount may apply.

Parking fine enforcement

The Queensland Police Service is responsible for enforcing Queensland’s parking rules. Also, some local councils are responsible for enforcing Queensland’s parking rules in their area and regulate fine amounts.

Look up and contact your local council to find out their parking fine fees.

Common parking fines

Parking and stopping rules apply at all times unless the signed area lets you know otherwise. You may receive a fine if you commit one of the following offences:

• Park or stop along the length of the road indicated by a no stopping sign.
• Park or stop where there is a no parking sign unless:
  • you are dropping off, or picking up, passengers
  • you are delivering or collecting goods
  • you do not leave the vehicle unattended.

  In these instances you can stop for a maximum time of 2 minutes unless the sign states otherwise. If you are dropping off or picking up passengers with a disability, the maximum stopping time is 5 minutes.

• Park or stop where there is a continuous yellow line painted along the edge of the road.


• Park or stop within 20m of any intersecting road where there are traffic lights at the intersection.


• Park or stop within 10m of any intersection without traffic lights unless:
  • there are road signs that tell you that you can
  • or it is a T-intersection and you are parking along the continuous side of the continuing road
• Park or stop on a children’s crossing or within 20m before, or 10m after, a children’s crossing (unless there are signs telling you different).


• Park or stop within 20m before, or 10m after, a pedestrian crossing (unless there are signs telling you different).


• Park or stop within 10m before the traffic lights of a marked foot crossing that is not at an intersection—or 3m after the crossing (unless there are signs telling you different).


• Park or stop on a bicycle crossing or within 10m before bicycle crossing—or within 3m after the bicycle crossing (unless there are signs telling you different).


• Park or stop on a level crossing—or on the road 20m before, or 20m after the tracks (unless there are signs telling you different).


• Park or stop on a clearway unless:
  • you are a bus, taxi or limousine and are dropping off, or picking up, passengers
  • there are clearway signs showing days and times on the sign telling you different.
• Parking or stopping on a freeway—unless you are stopping in the emergency stopping lane because it is necessary for your safety (you must not stay parked in the emergency stopping lane any longer than you have to).


• Parking or stopping in an emergency stopping lane—unless you are stopping for your safety or your passenger’s safety.


• Park or stop in a loading zone unless you:
• are a bus dropping off, or picking up, passengers—stopping no longer than 30 minutes
• are a truck dropping off, or picking up, passengers or goods—stopping no longer than 30 minutes
• have a commercial vehicle identification label issued by the local government for that area (stopping no longer than 30 minutes)
• are dropping off or picking up passengers (stopping no more than 2 minutes)
• are dropping off or picking up passengers with a disability (stopping no more than 5 minutes)
• are dropping off or picking up goods (stopping no more than 20 minutes)

The sign may show a different  length of time.

• Park or stop in a truck zone unless you are driving a truck and are dropping off, or picking up, passengers or goods.


• Park or stop in a works zone—unless you are driving a vehicle used in construction works.


• Park or stop in a taxi zone—unless you are driving a taxi.


• Park or stop in a bus zone—unless you are driving a bus.


• Park or stop in a permit zone—unless you have a permit to do so.


• Park or stop in mail zone.


• Park or stop in a bus lane, transit lane, or truck lane unless you are:
• driving a bus, taxi or limousine
• dropping off, or picking up passengers.
• Park or stop in a shared zone unless:
• there are parking bays to park in and you’re allowed to park there
• you are dropping off, or picking up, passengers or goods
• you collect waste or garbage.
• Double parking—parking between the centre of the road and another vehicle already parked on the side of the road (or between the far side of the road and another vehicle already parked on the side of the road, if it is a 1-way road or street).


• Park or stop in a safety zone or within 10m before and after the zone (unless there are signs telling you different).


• Park or stop on a bridge, ramp or causeway unless:
• the road is at least as wide on the bridge, ramp or causeway as the road is on the lead up to and exit from it
• there are signs telling you different.
• Park or stop in a tunnel or underpass unless:
• the road is at least as wide in the tunnel or underpass as the road on either end of it
• there are signs telling you different.
• Park or stop on or near a crest or curve of road that is not in a built-up area unless:
• you can be seen by other drivers approaching your vehicle from 100m away
• there are signs telling you different
• Park or stop within 20m before or 10m after a bus stop unless signs tell you otherwise.


• Park or stop on a bicycle path, footpath, shared path, dividing strip, nature strip, or painted island, unless signs tell you otherwise.


• Park or stop on a road in a way that blocks access to a path or driveway unless:
• you drive a bus and are dropping off or picking up passengers
• you are dropping off or picking up passengers within 2 minutes of stopping
• you park in a parking bay
• you do not leave the vehicle unattended.
• Park or stop on a road within 3m of a post box unless:
• you are dropping off, or picking up, passengers or mail
• there are signs telling you different.
• Heavy vehicles or long vehicles (7.5m or longer) must not park or stop along a length of road, outside a built-up area, unless it is the shoulder of the road. In a built-up area, the driver of a heavy or long vehicle must not stop along a length of road for more than 1 hour unless:
• permitted to stop as indicated by a sign
• to drop off or pick up goods
• local laws specify otherwise.
• Park or stop on a road where a bicycle parking sign applies unless:
  • you ride a bicycle
  • you are dropping off, or picking up, passengers.
• Park or stop on a road where a motorcycle parking sign applies unless:
• you ride a motorcycle
• you are dropping off, or picking up, passengers.
• Parking or stopping where there is a wheelchair sign or marking (unless you have a permit).


• Park or stop in a slip lane unless signs let you know otherwise.


• Failing to leave 1m of space in front of and behind your vehicle when you parallel park


• Failing to leave at least 3m between a vehicle and a continuous dividing line in the road. Also, failing to leave at least 3m between a vehicle and the opposite side of the road. Also, you must not obstruct the path of other vehicles or pedestrians.


• Leaving the keys in your vehicle or leaving the motor running and walking away (for example—into a shop). If you do leave your keys in the car with the motor switched off, someone 16 years or over must remain in the vehicle.