A must read when driving in New Zealand! There are too many tickets, and many people are falling victim to these parking pits!

This article is reproduced from the public account: Kate Travel New Zealand KateTravel

The number of parking tickets in New Zealand has increased significantly in the past two years. The main reason is that electronic law enforcement has become more and more popular. Many cities have begun to use automatic license plate recognition systems for patrols, which has improved the efficiency of catching violations. At the same time, parking spaces in the city centers are tight (such as Queenstown and Christchurch). In order to increase the turnover rate, the government has tightened the management of limited-time parking.

In addition, a large number of private parking lots use the method of “entering the license plate + automatic comparison by the system”. As long as the input is incorrect, missed or timed out, a breach notice will be issued. Technology is more precise and rules are more detailed, which naturally makes violations easier to detect.

I received a fine after I mistakenly violated the rules.Today we will talk about the “pitfalls” that you should not step on when parking in New Zealand.

Parking signs in New Zealand are usually white on a blue background. In addition to the 5-minute stops, stops are spaced in 10-minute increments up to a maximum of 60 minutes, and then in 60-minute intervals up to a maximum of 240 minutes. At the edge of each parking area there will be a sign with the time and an arrow pointing in the direction of parking.

This picture indicates free parking for up to 30 minutes from Monday to Friday

No limit on Saturdays and Sundays

If there is a $ sign, it indicates paid parking.you need to pay at a nearby machine. Then place the printed receipt in front of the windshield. (If you forget to put it away and the staff checks it, a ticket will be posted)

There are also those who only need to enter the license plate number to pay. The machine will not provide a printed receipt, so you only need to complete the payment.

[Parking area for people with reduced mobility] Disabled mobility parking areas are provided to allow holders of mobility impairment cards to easily access other public facilities such as supermarkets, libraries, community centers and museums. Only vehicles with a “disabled parking certificate” placed on the windscreen can use it. Other vehicles parked here will be subject to a heavy fine (NZ$750).

【Loading zones】 Loading areas are designed for loading and unloading cargo or loading and unloading passengers. If there is no designation for commercial trucks, you can stop here at any time to pick up or drop off passengers, but not for more than 5 minutes.

some parking signs

In addition, special attention needs to be paid to the different regulations in different regions.

Queenstown Queenstown

Queenstown is arguably the most restrictive place on the entire South Island of New Zealand.

CCTV surveillance is used to issue parking tickets in the central area of ​​Queenstown. As long as illegal parking is caught by the camera, you will receive a ticket. You need to pay special attention to various roadside signs, such as the PSV sign, which refers to passenger service vehicles. Only specific vehicles can temporarily park. For example, in Loading Zone, if you don’t understand, try not to stop to avoid risks.

There is also a rule that you cannot return and park within 1 hour in the Queenstown CBD area.

It is particularly important to note that due to the CCTV coverage in Queenstown, parking spaces that cannot be parked even for a few seconds will result in a fine of NZD 70 or NZD 100.

Mt Cook Mount Cook

Mount Cook’s most popular White Horse Mountain Campground parking lot has been charging for parking since this year. It is NZD 5 per hour and free parking within 20 minutes. If you only park within 20 minutes, you do not need to use the parking payment machine.

However, if you plan to stay for more than 20 minutes, you must pay upon arrival. Payment by debit and credit cards is supported. Cash payments are not accepted.

It should be noted that cameras are installed in the parking lot to record the entry and exit times of vehicles. Breach of the above terms and conditions will result in a $75 fine.

Invercargill Invercargill

It is particularly important to note that municipally managed parking spaces in CBD zone 1 are free for the first 30 minutes, however,Even during free parking periods, you still need to enter your license plate number at the payment machine. Otherwise there will be a fine.

Compared with municipal parking tickets, there are more “tickets” in private parking lots. Many shopping malls or roadside parking spaces are managed by private companies such as Wilson Parking. The fine notice may say “Parking Enforcement Service”. This is not a government ticket, but a breach notice for a private parking lot.

If you exceed the time limit, fail to pay, or do not enter the license plate correctly, you will be charged a fee, which is often quite high. Tourists who are not familiar with the rules are particularly vulnerable to this trap. Before parking, be sure to check the toll method, time limit and whether you need to enter a license plate to avoid wasting money during the trip.

If there is this painting on the car body, it means the staff is inspecting it.

In addition to this traditional manual inspection method, more parking lots are using cameras to check illegal parking and supermarket parking to issue tickets. The cameras record the entry and exit time of vehicles.so as long as you fail to pay the parking fee, or pay less than the parking fee, you will receive a parking violation ticket notice.

If a parking ticket occurs during the rental period, the ticket will usually be sent to the rental company first. The car rental company will provide the lessee’s information to the fine-issuing unit (whether it is the municipal government or a private parking company) according to the rental contract, and transfer the responsibility to the actual driver. At the same time, most car rental companies will charge an administrative processing fee (NZD 25-50). The fine or default notice will then be sent directly to the renter by the relevant agency to pay or appeal.

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