Pay your fine
You must pay the parking fine within the due date on the fine.
To make payment, follow this link: Pay an infringement
Alternatively, you can pay by using one of the payment methods listed on the fine. Failure to pay your parking fine or to contact the City of Whittlesea before the due date may result in further action being taken. This action may include additional costs, enforcement or legal action.
Council will consider a scheduled payment arrangement based on the amount owing on the infringement. You may receive an extension of time as a form of a payment arrangement as per the Infringements Act 2006. Council will determine the length of time to ensure that matters are finalised within an enforceable time frame as per the Infringements Act 2006.
If you require additional time or a lesser amount to make the payment, you will need to supply:
- Centrelink Pensioner Concession Card
- Department of Veterans' Affairs Pensioner Concession Card
- Centrelink Health Care Card
- Seniors Card
Please be advised, in regard to payment plans, they are reviewed and processed in accordance with our requirement to ensure that matters are finalised within an enforceable time frame as per the Infringements Act 2006.
Appealing a fine
Appeals can only be made to Council in writing. A request for an appeal cannot be made over the telephone or in person at Council’s offices.
Please note: you must submit a nomination statement if the vehicle is not registered in your name, or, you are not the registered fine recipient.
To do so, the registered vehicle owner must complete a Nomination Statement (the legal document used to nominate a driver), using the infringement notice nomination form.
Parking fines are issued when a vehicle has breached the Road Safety Road Rules 2017 and do not adhere to the parking restrictions. Parking regulations have been designed to maintain safety and promote access to parking spaces in the municipality where there is high demand.
If you believe there is a valid reason for you not to pay a fine, you can appeal, as long as the matter has not been lodged with the Magistrates Court or Fines Victoria.
To appeal for a parking fine, you will need to identify the grounds for your appeal.
Below is a list of common scenarios that Council do not consider a reason to withdraw the fine:
- Being new to the City of Whittlesea
- Stopped in a prohibited area for a short time
- Appointments or meetings running overtime
- Misread the sign / Didn’t understand the sign
- Being unaware of which vehicles can use Loading Zones or Permit Zones
- Running out of petrol, or experiencing vehicle issues that did not require repair/towing
- Forgot to display the correct or valid parking permit/disabled parking permit
- Being your first time
We will only consider withdrawing a fine in the following circumstances (you’ll need to provide supporting evidence):
- the infringement notice was issued 'contrary to law' (you believe you did not commit an offence)
- the infringement notice was issued to the wrong person or vehicle (for example, you were not in the location or the wrong registration was recorded)
- 'exceptional circumstances' (verifiable and unforeseen circumstances outside of your control) could excuse the infringement, such as:
- a medical emergency (an injury/illness posing an immediate risk to a person’s life or long-term health)
- a vehicle breakdown
- you stopped to avoid a collision or in the interests of safety
- you have 'special circumstances' that result in you being unable to either understand or control the conduct that led to the offence, such as:
- a mental or intellectual disability, disorder, disease or illness, or
- a serious addiction to drugs, or alcohol or a volatile substance, or
- homelessness
- Victim of family violence within the meaning of section 5 of the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 where the person is a victim of family violence and family violence results in the person being unable to control conduct which constitutes the offence.
You can only request one appeal of your Infringement Notice, according to the Infringement Act 2006.
If you have applied for an appeal but have not received a response, please call us on 9217 2170.
It can take up to 90 days to review your infringement notice as per the Infringement Regulations 2019. If you have already submitted an appeal, your notice will have been placed ‘on hold’ and you do not need to take further action until you receive our response.
When undertaking a review, we take into account all of the available information, including:
- information collected by the issuing officer
- circumstances outlined by you in your request for internal review (and any supporting documents)
- requirements under the relevant legislation (for example, Road Safety Road Rules 2009, Environment Protection Act 1970 or Infringements Act 2006)
You will receive a written response by mail to your postal address or if requested your email address advising you of the outcome of your appeal.
If you provide insufficient information, we may contact you for more details before reviewing your infringement notice. If we don't receive this information by the specified date, we will make a decision based on the information at hand.
If the infringement is upheld, we will advise you of a new payment date.
If you don't pay the infringement notice, request a payment arrangement or elect to go to court by the new due date, you will incur further costs in late fees.
If you take no action, Councils’ collection process will continue. This matter may be referred to Fines Victoria or the Magistrates Court. Additional costs will be incurred.
View a parking fine
If you have received a Parking Fine, you can view the details including photos of your vehicle, to help you choose what action you may take to resolve the matter.
You will need to provide the Infringement Notice Number and Vehicle Registration Number in order to view the details.
Please see below link to view the image online.
Parking Infringement Notices are issued directly to the registered owner. Owner details are obtained directly from VicRoads Vehicle Registration Database.
The registered vehicle owner is responsible for all parking infringements issued to their vehicle. Please note you do not lose demerit points for parking infringements.
If you were not the driver at the time of a parking offence, you can nominate the responsible driver which transfers the liability of the infringement to them. Please read and complete the online form below.
Please note, you cannot sign a nomination statement where you have been nominated. If you are the director of a company and you wish to nominate yourself for a company vehicle, please have an administration or fleet officer complete the nomination form. If another staff member cannot sign the nomination statement, you will need to provide proof you are the director of the company in order to accept the nomination form.
If you have received an Infringement Notice, you can elect to have a matter heard at the Magistrates’ Court. If you disagree with the outcome of your internal review, your remaining option is to have the matter heard at the Magistrates’ Court.
Before you submit your court request, you must ensure you are the registered owner or person/company listed on the infringement notice.
If you were the driver and haven’t been formally nominated, the registered owner of the vehicle must complete the online nomination application. Once you have been nominated, the infringement notice will be re-issued in your name and you will receive the infringement. You can then take action to resolve your fine (like requesting a review or electing to go to court).
A lawyer can act on your behalf, or company, named on the infringement notice. Ensure a letter of consent is provided.
If you want to pursue this option, complete the online application for action by court request form.
Please note that the City of Whittlesea incurs costs as part of this process, and we seek to recover these costs providing the court finds the matter proven.
Disabled parking bays are placed within the municipality to provide easier access for people with a physical or intellectual disability. It is an offence for any vehicle to be parked in a Disabled parking bay without a valid blue Disabled Parking Permit clearly displayed.
Parents with Prams bays are provided by some shopping centres to assist parents with young children to easily access the centre. No permit is required to park in these bays. These bays are provided as a courtesy and it is not an offence for a vehicle inappropriately park in a Parents with Prams bay.
It is illegal to park any part of a vehicle on a nature strip. Vehicles parked on nature strips obstruct the view of drivers and pedestrians entering and exiting driveways. They can cause damage to utility connections and tree roots under the nature strip and prevent access to these utilities as well as being detrimental to the look of the area.
It is illegal to stop in a No Stopping area for any length of time. Dropping off or picking up is not permitted in these areas. No Stopping signs are installed throughout the municipality to maximise community safety. It is important that these areas are clear at all times.
In Australia vehicles drive on the left-hand side of the road and as such vehicles must also be parked on the left, facing the direction of travel. By parking on the opposite side of the road, vehicles will need to go on to the wrong side of the road when they move from the parking spot.
No Parking signs are placed in locations where there is a need for short-term dropping off of passengers or goods. A vehicle is considering offending if a driver moves more than 3m from the closest point of the vehicle or the vehicle remains stationary for longer than 2 minutes.
For the safety of children and other pedestrians, it is illegal to stop a vehicle within 20m before and 10m after a school zone crossing. School zone crossings usually have school crossing flags displayed during operating times.
It is illegal to park any vehicle within 10 metres before or after an intersection unless a sign states otherwise. Vehicles parked within 10 metres of an intersection obstruct the view of drivers entering and exiting the intersection.
Loading Zones are to assist delivery drivers and couriers to service local businesses. Only commercially registered vehicles or vehicles with appropriate permanent fixed signage (refer to Road Safety Road Rules 2017 for what is needed to meet signage requirements) are permitted to stop in a Loading Zone. Any non-commercial vehicle or vehicle without appropriate permanent signage cannot stop in a Loading Zone for any length of time.
A driver must not stop in a bus zone unless the driver is driving a public bus. Taxis, Uber or any other ride sharing vehicles are not permitted to stop in a bus zone for any length of time.
A driver is not permitted to stop in a permit zone for any length of time, unless the vehicle displays a current permit that has been issued for use in that area by Council. Disability permits are not valid in permit zones.
It is illegal to park within 3 metres of a solid white dividing line. Solid white lines are often installed near corners and bends in the road to ensure these areas are kept clear, so a driver’s sight is not obstructed.
Double parking is when a vehicle parks in a position where another vehicle is already stopped in the space between the driver’s vehicle and the curb. This is illegal as the driver’s vehicle is obstructing the flow of traffic on the road.
Only registered taxis may stop in a Taxi Zone. Any vehicle that is not a registered taxi cannot stop in a Taxi Zone, regardless of it they are dropping off or picking up passengers. Uber and other ride sharing vehicles are not permitted to stop in a Taxi Zone.
Yellow edge lines are installed in locations throughout the municipality where it is not practical for a No Stopping sign to be installed. Yellow edge lines should be treated the same as a No Stopping sign in that a vehicle cannot stop, for any length of time, at that location.
Vehicles must be parked parallel to the far left of two-way road. This means vehicles cannot be parked so that they are protruding into the road. This also applied to vehicles parking in courts where there is a bowl at the end of the street. Vehicles must not be parked at right angles to the curb; they must be parallel with the two left-hand side tyres next to the curb.
Where marked parking bays are present, drivers must ensure the whole of their vehicle is parked within a bay. Where a vehicle is larger than a single parking bay, the driver may park using the minimum number of bays required.
Where a green timed parking sign has been erected, a vehicle must not be parked for longer than the time indicated on the sign. Holders of a valid disability permit are entitled to double the time indicated on a green timed parking sign when the permit is clearly displayed.
A driver of a heavy or long vehicle must not stop on a length of road in a built-up area for longer than 1 hour. Heavy vehicles are any vehicles registered with a GVM of greater than 4.5 tonne. A long vehicle is any vehicle that is 7.5m or longer. This may include a vehicle with a trailer attached.
Unregistered or abandoned vehicles must not be left in any public place according to the City of Whittlesea General Municipal Law. To do so may result in the vehicle being towed, impounded or disposed of.
In accordance with the City of Whittlesea General Municipal Law, it is illegal for any vehicle to display advertising for the sale of that vehicle in a public place.
Council's collection process
Step 1 – Penalty Reminder Notice
If you do not take action or pay your fine before the due date, we will send you a penalty reminder notice, additional costs will be incurred. At this point you may also request an internal review, or elect for the matter to be heard at the Magistrates Court, or request for a payment arrangement.
Step 2 – Collection Service
If you do not take action or pay your fine before the due date on the penalty reminder notice, our collection process will continue. You may receive a Notice of Final Demand or, the fine may be referred to Fines Victoria or the Magistrates Court.
Step 3 – Fines Victoria and Magistrates Court
If you do not respond to Step 1 or 2, we will lodge the matter Fines Victoria or the Magistrates Court.
Fines Victoria
If the matter is referred to Fines Victoria you will receive correspondence directly from this Agency. Contact this agency directly on 1300 735 124.
This escalation process is set out in infringements legislation. The Fines Victoria website also explains what happens to unpaid fines.
Magistrate Court
If the matter is referred to the Magistrates Court, you will receive a Hearing Notice which will specify the time, date and location of the Court to attend. If you don’t attend, the matter may proceed in your absence. You will receive correspondence from the Court once the matter has been finalised.