√Dear Drive… What’s the difference between No Parking, No Standing, and No Stopping signs?

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While on the surface the No Parking, No Standing and No Stopping signs that liberally line our roadways in Australia all mean the same thing, there are subtle distinctions between the three. This can get a little confusing to the average motorist.

The rules governing these signs are administered by each state and territory and while they are largely the same throughout Australia, there are some subtle distinctions. Similarly, penalties for ignoring signs can vary, not just from state to state, but also from suburb to suburb, depending on which overlords are patrolling our streets looking for those pesky errant parkers.

To help you understand your local jurisdiction’s rules governing parking and stopping, or more pertinently No Parking and No Stopping, , we’ve broken it down for you state-by-state.

Victoria

According to rule number 168 of the Victorian Road Safety Road Rules 2017, a No Parking sign indicates that drivers can only stop in locations with these signs if they are dropping off a passenger or picking up goods. Stopping is generally limited to two minutes and the driver must remain within three metres of the stopped vehicle at all times. This allows them to help load or unload goods or help a passenger entering or exiting the car.

Conversely, Rule 169 of the Victorian Road Safety Road Rules 2017 states that No Stopping and No Standing signs prohibited any stopping in these areas for any reason whatsoever, including dropping off or picking up passengers.

Fines for both offences vary from council to council.

New South Wales

NSW’s No Parking laws mirror that of Victoria’s with drivers allowed to stop for a maximum of two minutes to allow them to drop off or pick up passengers or unload/load goods. Like Victoria, the driver must remain within three metres of their vehicle. Maximum fine: $116.

And similarly, a No Stopping sign denotes that a vehicle “must not stop at any point on the road or kerb in the direction of travel, unless in an emergency”. To complicate matters, No Stopping areas aren’t always sign-posted, with an unbroken yellow line at the edge of the road also denoting stretches of road where vehicles are not allowed to stop. Maximum fine: $272.

Tasmania

Like its mainland brothers, the state of Tasmania also allows for up to two minutes of stopping in an area marked ‘No Parking’ with the additional caveat that a car carrying a parking permit for people with disabilities can stop for up to five minutes. Maximum fine: $87.

And No Stopping in Tasmania, means exactly that. As per the Tasmanian Road Rules 2021 guidebook: “Do not stop in the area covered by the sign for any reason”. Maximum fine: $130.

Queensland

Queensland might not be aligned with the rest of the eastern seaboard on daylight savings, but it’s very much in line with its east coast cousins on No Parking and No Stopping.

No Parking denotes that, “You are not allowed to park in this area at any time. If the sign has a time displayed you can park outside of those hours. You may only stop to pick up or drop off passengers or goods for a maximum of 2 minutes, unless the sign allows a longer time. You must not leave the vehicle unattended”.

And the ubiquitous No Stopping sign, like it does in other states, means exactly that. Do not stop your vehicle here.

Fines for both offences vary from council to council.

South Australia

The Festival State likes to get a bit wordy with its road rules. The state’s The Driver’s Handbook, not only outlines the laws of No Parking and No Stopping, but also adds context to what it means to ‘stop’.

From the handbook: “To ‘stop’ a vehicle means to stop and remain stationary for even a short period of time. You must not stop or park your vehicle in any area where a ‘No Stopping’ sign or a continuous yellow edge line applies, even to pick up or set down passengers or goods”.

The rules governing No Parking are similarly helpful. Again, from the handbook:

“You must not park your vehicle in an area where a ‘No Parking’ sign applies, unless:

you are dropping off or picking up passengers or goods
you do not leave the vehicle unattended – that is, move more than three metres away and
you complete the dropping off or picking up as soon as possible – in any case, within two minutes.

Please note: a No Standing sign has the same meaning as a No Stopping sign.”

Fines for both offences vary from council to council.

Western Australia

Our brothers and sisters over in the west are subjected to the same two-minute/three-metre rules in terms of No Parking laws.

Similarly, No Stopping areas mean the same as they do in the east with the additional note in the state’s road rules that No Standing and No Stopping signs are interchangeable.

Fines for both offences vary from council to council.

Northern Territory

No Stopping and No Standing signs denote, according to the NT’s Road User’s Handbook, that “you must not stop your vehicle at any point on the road or kerb in the area in the direction of the arrow, unless there is a medical or other emergency. Sometimes a ‘no stopping’ area is shown by a solid yellow edge line. Hours of operation can apply to some signs. This means restrictions apply for those times only.”

And No Parking is as for the rest of Australia, an area that denotes, “you must not stop for more than two minutes in a ‘no parking’ area. You must remain in the vehicle or within three metres of the vehicle. Hours of operation can apply to some signs. This means restrictions apply for those times only. Disabled parking permit holders are allowed to park for up to five minutes in a no parking area.”

Fines for both offences vary from council to council.

Australian Capital Territory

The nation’s capital outlines its laws in the Road Transport (Road Rules) Regulation guidebook thus:

“No Stopping: A driver must not stop on a length of road or in an area to which a no stopping sign applies.”

“No parking sign:
(1) The driver of a vehicle must not stop on a length of road or in an area to which a no parking sign applies, unless the driver—
(a) is dropping off or picking up passengers or goods; and
(b) does not leave the vehicle unattended; and
(c) completes the dropping off or picking up of the passengers or goods, and drives on, as soon as possible and, in any case, within the required time after stopping.”

According to the National Capital Authority, any parking infringements will set you back between $125-$625 “depending on the severity of the offence”. Ouch!

Have a question about your next set of wheels or just need some car advice? No query is too big, small or obscure! Call in to the radio show (Trent on 2GB Sydney 1:30pm Monday and 9:00pm Wednesday, 5AA South Australia 1:30pm Tuesday, and James on 3AW Melbourne 9:00pm each Thursday), or contact us by email here: contactus@drive.com.au.

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