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Street parking rules and signs

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Know how to park legally and safely. Understand common street signs that illustrate parking rules.

What you need to know

Park safely and legally (and avoid getting a fine) by understanding common parking signs and road markings.  

  • Green parking signs tell you when you’re allowed to park with certain conditions, such as time limits or days the restrictions apply.
  • Red parking signs tell you when you’re not allowed to park unless you’re driving a certain type of vehicle or performing a specific action as signed, such as dropping off or picking up passengers. 
  • Unless otherwise signed, you can’t park on or across footpaths, driveways, medians and kerb ramps.
  • You can’t park within 20 metres of traffic lights, or within 10 metres of an unsignalised intersection, unless signed otherwise.

Street parking signs and road markings

Signs on individual streets will indicate where you can park, for how long and if you have to pay.

Regulated free parking

Green parking signs show when you are allowed to park with certain conditions, such as time limits or days the restrictions apply.  

  • On this sign: Vehicles can be parked for one hour between 9am-4pm, Monday to Friday.

Regulated parking permit areas

On-street parking restrictions apply to all vehicles during the times shown on the sign.

Vehicles with a valid parking permit can park in areas signed ‘Resident Permit Excepted’.

Disability parking

Conditions apply.

You can only park if you are displaying a valid Australian Disability Parking Scheme permit on your vehicle.

Restricted parking zones

Red parking signs show when you can’t stop or park.

  • On this sign: Vehicles can’t stop or park from 7-9am and 2-4pm on school days.

 

No stopping

You can’t park or stop in this area.

No restrictions apply outside of signed times, unless otherwise indicated by another sign. 

No parking

You can’t park in this area.

No restrictions apply outside of signed times, unless otherwise indicated by another sign. 

You may stop to pick up/drop passengers or goods for up to 2 minutes, unless a longer time is indicated.

Clearway and solid yellow lines

You can’t park or stop in this area. 

Some clearways only operate during peak times. If there are no times indicated on the sign, the clearway applies 24 hours a day. 

Buses, taxis and limousines can stop to pick up or drop off passengers.

Illegally parked vehicles may be towed.

Bus and transit lanes

You can’t park or stop in this area

Buses and taxis can stop to pick up or drop off passengers.

Who can use loading zones?

Different types of loading zones operate across Brisbane. 

Some loading zones only operate during peak times. If there are no times indicated on the sign, the loading zone applies 24 hours a day.

Loading zone

Non-commercial vehicles can:

  • stop for up to 20 minutes to pick up or drop off goods
  • stop for up to 2 minutes to pick up or drop off passengers
  • stop for up to 5 minutes if you have passengers with disability. Make sure you display a valid Australian Disability Parking Scheme permit.

Commercial vehicles can stop for up to 30 minutes to load or unload goods. 

Passenger loading zone (2-min passenger zone)

Non-commercial vehicles can:  

  • stop for up to 2 minutes to pick up or drop off passengers
  • stop for up to 5 minutes if you have passengers with disability. Make sure you display a valid Australian Disability Parking Scheme permit.

Find passenger loading zone locations in Brisbane City.

Shared loading zone

Non-commercial vehicles can  

  • stop for up to 2 minutes to pick up or drop off passengers

  • stop for up to 5 minutes if you have passengers with disability. Make sure you display a valid Australian Disability Parking Scheme permit.

Commercial vehicles can stop for up to 20 minutes to load or unload goods.

Commercial vehicle loading zone

Conditions apply.

Commercial vehicles can stop for up to 20 minutes to load or unload goods.

Special-use zones

Special-use zones provide access for specific uses.

Bus zone 

Bus zones allow buses to easily pick up and drop off passengers in a safe location.

Do not stop or park within: 

  • 20 metres of the approach to the bus stop sign 

  • 10 metres of the departure side of the bus stop sign.

Taxi zone

This zone is for the exclusive use of taxis. 

information outline

Rideshare vehicles

Rideshare drivers are subject to the same parking rules as private vehicle owners and can be fined for the same infringements, including stopping in a taxi zone to pick up or drop off passengers.

Work zone

This zone is for loading/unloading equipment at a construction site.

Mail zone

For authorised postal vehicles only.

All other motorists are not permitted to stop in these zones, even when using post boxes or visiting Australia Post.

Traffic Area and Parking Area signage

Traffic Areas and Parking Areas are locations where area-wide parking conditions apply.

The conditions are displayed on signs installed at the area’s boundaries. 

Vehicles with valid parking permits are exempt from the area-wide conditions and any signed restrictions.

Traffic Area and Parking Area boundary sign

Installed on all entries to an area, these signs indicate the area-wide parking conditions that apply. 

Signed on-street parking restrictions on individual streets override these area-wide conditions.

                                                    

End of Traffic Area or Parking Area boundary sign

Located on all exits from traffic and parking control areas, these signs indicate the end of area-wide parking conditions.

Enforcement

Parking regulations are enforced by Council through proactive patrols and responding to complaints.

Parking meters and fees

Learn about Brisbane’s metered parking zones, their fees and how to use a parking meter.
Car parking meter in Brisbane.

Parking tickets and fines

Find out how to pay a parking fine, review your infringement notice or lodge a dispute.
A Council parking inspector in uniform standing at a parking meter. Officer has a smartphone in his hand.

Towed and seized vehicles

Claim a vehicle that’s been towed and impounded by Council. Find out what happens to unclaimed vehicles.
Car being loaded onto a tow truck.

Frequently asked questions

The 2P parking sign indicates that you can park in this zone for up to 2 hours. Some 2P zones only operate at certain times, as signed. No restrictions apply outside of these times, unless otherwise indicated by another sign.

Parking in a 2P zone is free unless otherwise signed – for example, ‘2P Metered’.

Yes, you can request ‘No stopping’ restrictions outside of your property to address parking problems. For example, where parked vehicles restrict visibility when exiting your driveway, creating a safety issue or where the distance between 2 driveways is too small for parking, and parked vehicles unreasonably block access to a driveway. To request new line markings, complete the online form or phone Council on 07 3403 8888.