How parking is regulated
Unlawful parking should be reported Council. If it’s considered to pose a risk to pedestrians or motorists we ask that you contact Queensland Police Service through their Policelink website or on 131 444.
One of Council’s Local Laws Officers will then investigate and take appropriate action as quickly as possible.
Monitoring and Compliance
Council’s Local Laws Officers undertake regular patrols to monitor compliance with parking restrictions across Noosa.
They will generally concentrate on high risk and congested areas and respond to specific complaints.
If the officers identify a non-compliance depending on the situation a caution notice or penalty infringement notice will be isued. This usually occurs where the driver is present and has made a simple error which poses little or no risk. In other situations the officer will record the offence and issue a penalty infringement notice.
Council’s adoption of number plate recognition technology allows highly accurate images and records which confirm parking offences.
A copy of the image and the information is provided on the Penalty Infringement Notice issued to the registered owner of the vehicle.
Penalty Infringement Notice types and amounts
The penalty units applicable to each offence are set in the State Parking laws.
Demerit points
Parking offences enforced by Council do not attract demerit points.
Penalty Units
The value of a penalty unit is reviewed annually on 1 July. The current value of a penalty unit is published by the Queensland government.
Parking offences
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Offence Description
Section of the Act
Penalty units
Angle parking – parking not as the sign indicates
210(1)
0.75
Double parking
189(1)
0.75
No parking sign - Stop contrary to
168(1)
0.75
No stopping (yellow line)
169
0.75
No stopping – signage
167
0.75
Obstructing access to a driveway or access point
198(2)
0.75
Obstructing access to footpath
198(1)
0.75
Parallel parking in a median strip
209(2)
0.75
Parallel parking against the direction of travel
208(1A)
0.75
Parallel parking on a road (incorrect)
208(1)
0.75
Longer than allowed
205(1)
0.50
Parking bays – within the outline
211(2)
0.75
Parking in parking bays oversize vehicles
211(3)
0.75
Stopping in or near a safety zone
190(1)
0.75
Stopping at or near a bus stop (20m before and 10m after)
195(1)
0.75
Stopping in a bus zone
183(1)
0.75
Stopping in a loading zone
179(1)
0.75
Stopping in a loading zone (bus, commercial vehicle - max 30 mins or as signed)
179(2)
0.75
Stopping in a loading zone - (non commercial 20 mins max
179(2A)
0.75
Stopping in a loading zone (non commercial max 2 mins
179(2)
0.75
Stopping in a parking area for people with disabilities
203(1)
2.00
Stopping in a permit zone
185(1)
0.75
Stopping in a shared zone
188
0.75
Stopping in a taxi zone
182(1)
0.75
Stopping in or near an intersection
170(1)
0.75
Stopping in or near an intersection (within 10 metres)
170(4)
0.75
Stopping in or near an intersection (within 20 metres)
170(2)
0.75
Stopping near a fire hydrant
194(1)
0.75
Stopping near a post box
199
0.75
Stopping near an obstruction
191
0.75
Stopping on a bridge or near a tunnel (causeway, ramp)
192(1)
0.75
Stopping on a crest or curve outside a built-up area
193(1)
0.75
Stopping on a painted island
197(1A)
0.75
Stopping on a path, dividing strip or nature strip
197(1)
0.75
Stopping on a road with a motorbike parking sign
202
0.75
Stopping on a traffic island
197(1)
0.75
Stopping on or near a children's crossing
171(1)
0.75
Stopping on or near a pedestrian crossing
172(1)
0.75
Stopping on roads - heavy and long vehicles
200(1)
0.75
Stopping on roads - heavy and long vehicles (1 hrs or longer)
200(2)
0.75
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Offence Description
Section of the Act
Penalty units
Contravention of an indication given by an official traffic sign
74
0.50
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Offence Description
Section of the Act
Penalty units
Park, stand or leave an unregistered vehicle on a local government controlled area.
5(4)
2
Park, stand or leave a vehicle where the primary purpose is to display an advertising device.
5(4)
2
Drive a vehicle on areas other than those set aside for driving or parking a vehicle
5(4)
2
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Provision of Penalty Infringement Amounts
Section of the Local Law
Penalty units
Parking and stopping offences provided for in part 12 (Restrictions on stopping and parking) of the Transport Operations (Road Use Management — Road Rules) Regulation 2009 except for—
- Section 179 (Stopping in a loading zone)
- Section 203 (Stopping in a parking area for people with disabilities); and
- Section 205 (Parking for longer than indicated)
Sch. 3 (S.9)
0.75
The offence provided for in section 179 (Stopping in a loading zone – which also includes a commercial loading zone as described in section 4 of this Subordinate Local Law) of the Transport Operations (Road Use Management — Road Rules) Regulation 2009
Sch. 3 (S.9)
0.75
The offence provided for in section 203 (Stopping in a parking area for people with disabilities) of the Transport Operations (Road Use Management — Road Rules) Regulation 2009
Sch. 3 (S.9)
2
The offence provided for in section 205 (Parking for longer than indicated) of the Transport Operations (Road Use Management — Road Rules) Regulation 2009
Sch. 3 (S.9)
0.5
All other offences which relate to the parking or stopping of a vehicle as provided for in section 74 (Contravention of official traffic sign an offence) of the Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995
Sch. 3 (S.9)
0.5
Infringement Notices and Payments
If you park contrary to the parking restrictions or unsafely you may receive a Penalty Infringement notice from Noosa Council. You will only receive an infringement notice when you have not complied with the parking regulations.
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Council issues Penalty Infringement Notices where it is satisfied that a person has breached a restriction for stopping and parking under the Transport Operations(Road Use Management—Road Rules) Regulations 2009 or Noosa Shire Council Local Law No.5 (Parking) 2015.
In Noosa, most parking infringements are detected electronically and validated by an Officer before being issued to the registered owner by post.
The PIN will provide details of the offence and a photograph of the infringing vehicle. It will also provide details of how to pay and additional options.
Do not ignore the Infringement.
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You must pay the infringement amount in full by the time stated or make contact with Noosa Council.
If the infringement is not paid by the due date and no contact is made, Council may issue a reminder notice or refer the outstanding amount for recovery.
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Council will refer all unpaid fines to the State Penalties Enforcement Registry (SPER) for collection and additional fees will be applied.
SPER have a range of options for collecting outstanding infringements including instalment plans, vehicle immobilisation, direct collection from wages and driver licence suspension.
If your infringement is referred to SPER, you must contact SPER on 1300 365 635 for all enquiries.
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If you are unable to pay the infringement, you can arrange a payment plan with Noosa Council. This option is only available for infringements over $200.
To enter a payment plan, you will need to contact Noosa Council and arrange to pay an initial instalment of $60. You will also need to complete and return the back section of your infringement notice. The payment plan will then be referred to SPER.
Once lodged, SPER will contact you to arrange future payments.
How to appeal an infringement
If there are genuine reasons why you were unable to comply with the parking restrictions there are a number of ways to seek a review or appeal.
Council manages requests for reviews and appeals in accordance with its Penalty Infringement Notice Review Policy.
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You can request for infringement withdrawal of the infringement by providing a written, reasonable excuse together with your substantiating proof.To ensure that Council can complete the review and make a decision as quickly as possible, it is important that you provide factual supporting evidence with your request.
This could include for example;
- A statement of the facts explain the reasons why the infringement should be withdrawn.
- Photographs or diagrams to support your submission.
- A vehicle repair or towing receipt.
- A statutory declaration stating that you were not the driver of the vehicle and nominating another person.
- A copy of the registration transfer papers showing that you have sold the vehicle.
- A statutory declaration advising that the vehicles was being used illegally without your knowledge or permission for example a Crime report from the Queensland Police Service
- An image of a permits or Disability Parking Permit.
- A medical certificates or statement from a medical practitioner to confirm your medical emergency.
Requests for withdrawal must be made in writing. This is to ensure that both the driver and Council have a clear record of the submission, the review and the decision.
Council can assist you with this if you have difficulties with reading and writing.
Grounds for Council withdrawing an Infringement can include;
- Serious medical emergencies
- The infringement was issued unlawfully/incorrectly
- A vehicle breakdown
- Serious mitigating circumstances leading to the issuing of the notice were unavoidable.
Grounds for Council for not granting a withdraw Infringements include;
- Insufficient proof to substantiate the claims made in the request.
- Financial hardship.
- Foreseeable circumstances, such as running out of fuel or needing to use the toilet
- A lack of vigilance – didn’t see the parking signage.
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If you were not the driver at the time of the offence, you may provide a valid signed statutory declaration identifying the full name and address of the driver of the vehicle at the time the offence was committed. Please send the completed Statutory Declaration to mail@Noosa.qld.gov.au or hand over the counter at Council customer service located in Tewantin. Failure to do so will indicate that you are responsible for the offence and Council will proceed with legal action against you.
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The back page of the infringement notice provides details of how to contest the infringement and have the matter heard by the Magistrate’s Court.
If you are not sure what is involved in contesting your infringement in Court please seek advice from a suitably qualified practitioner.
Council respects the individuals right to have their case heard before the Magistrates Court and will support those wishing to do so by arranging the hearing.
For further information on Council’s approach to managing infringement reviews see Penalty Infringement Notice Review Policy