This guide explains safe parking and what you are and aren't allowed to do when parking in NSW.

Safe parking

When a vehicle is safely parked it is visible and not obstructing other road users. At night time, if you are only parking for a short time you can leave your park lights or hazard lights on to make the vehicle more visible.

If you have parked facing uphill, put your handbrake or park brake on, angle the wheels towards the kerb, put a manual car in first gear or an automatic car in P (park).

If you have parked facing downhill, put your handbrake or park brake on, angle the wheels towards the kerb, put a manual car in reverse or an automatic car in P (park).

Both of these techniques give three levels of failure. Handbrakes can fail, so if it does, the next defence is P (park) in an automatic (it won't roll if in P), or having the car in-gear in a manual, in which case it would need to be a steep hill for the car to roll forwards. If that fails, angling the wheels towards the kerb will mean that the car will roll gently into the kerb and come to rest.

If parking a motorbike, try to park on level ground; if this isn't possible, angle your bike so that it won't tip over.

It's important for motorbikes to park on firm ground so that the stand doesn't sink into the ground, which could cause the bike to tip over.

When parking for unloading, choose level ground otherwise the load can shift and possibly fall on you when you open the trailer or boot.

Parallel parking

When you park parallel to the kerb you must leave at least one metre front and back for other vehicles to be able to exit their park safely. Where there is kerbside parallel parking you are not allowed to double-park alongside a parked vehicle as you will be obstructing the roadway.

If there are no lines marked on the road (and assuming you are allowed to park there), then parallel parking applies, not angle parking.

Angle parking

Angle parking is usually at around 45 degrees to the kerb. Some angle parking is nose in, and others, as in the image below on the left, is nose out. This road also has parallel parking on the other side.

Exiting your vehicle

When you leave your vehicle, check in your mirrors and over your shoulder before you open your door so that you don't hit a cyclist or other motorist. Some countries teach drivers to open their door with their left hand so that they have to turn their body, and this means they're more likely to see objects in their blind spot.

Hide any visible valuables or take them with you. Do not leave pets or children in the vehicle. Close the windows, lock your vehicle and set the alarm. You must take the key with you if you are more than three metres from your vehicle.

Where you are not allowed to park

You must not park:

• On a median strip
• On a traffic island
• On broken yellow lines (these indicate a clearway)
• In a bus lane during its hours of operation
• In a clearway during its hours of operation
• In an area marked for parking for a different type of vehicle to yours, e.g. motorbike-only parking if you are not riding a motorbike
• In a taxi rank unless you are a taxi
• Across a business or person's driveway or entranceway unless they have given you permission
• On a motorway
• On dedicated tram/light rail lanes
• On a roundabout or intersection (within 20m of an intersection with traffic lights or 10m of an intersection without traffic lights unless there are signs permitting you to do it)
• On dedicated cycle lanes
• On a footpath or nature strip
• On a slip lane
• Within three metres of any double centre lines
• Within three metres of an Australia Post letterbox unless dropping off or picking up passengers or mail.
• Within 20m before and 10m after a bus stop or pedestrian crossing
• Within 10m before and three metres after a marked foot crossing with traffic signals
• On a railway level crossing or within 20m before and 20m after it
• Just after the crest of a hill or on a curve outside a built-up area (i.e. the speed limit is no 50kph) if the approaching driver can't see your vehicle from at least 100m away.
• In a Mobility Parking Scheme permit holder area if you don't hold an MPS permit
• In a no parking area
• In a resident parking area if you don't have a valid parking permit for that area
• In a loading zone unless you are loading or unloading goods, and then only for 30 minutes. Other vehicles can stop there to drop off or pick up passengers.
• In a works zone unless you are engaged in the construction operation happeneing
• In a truck zone unless you're driving a truck over 4.5 tonnes gross vehicle mass (GVM)
• Within one metre of a fire hydrant, fire hydrant indicator or fire plug indicator
• Anywhere there is a solid yellow line (no stopping) or broken yellow line (clearway during its hours of operation).

The parking below is motorbike-only parking and you can see the sign on the left-hand side stating this.

Signs that prohibit you from parking either completely or at certain times are as follows:

Motorway

Bus lane (in this case between 6am to 10am and 3pm to 7pm Monday to Friday)

Clearway (in this case between 6am to 10am and 3pm to 7pm Monday to Friday).

No stopping signs - you can only stop here if it's a medical emergency

No parking signs - you can stop in a no parking area, but only for up to two minutes (five minutes if you are an MPS permit holder) and you must remain within three metres of your vehicle.

You are not allowed to park in taxi zones or taxi stands which will be indicated with 'Taxi Zone or Taxi Stand signs unless you are an MPS permit holder and a sign is within the zone. Some taxi zones will have times shown on the sign. You can stop your vehicle in the zones outside of these times.

Private parking

If you choose to park on private land then make sure you know how much it will cost and what the terms and conditions are. Some private car parks close early and you will be unable to retrieve your vehicle without paying a hefty fee.

Mobility parking

Only vehicles carrying a disable person and displaying a mobility parking authority may park in this area. Other vehicles might be ticketed or towed. Fines for parking in a mobility car park in NSW are the highest in the country: $519 plus a demerit point penalty.