Parking

When parking obey the signs, park within the marked bay (if marked), don't cause an obstruction and allow adequate space for large vehicles to pass.

Before leaving a parked vehicle the driver must:

• engage the parking brake
• remove the key out of the ignition
• lock all doors and windows if there is no one in the vehicle.

It is also important to remove all valuables from the vehicle or ensure they are not in plain sight.

When leaving a vehicle the driver and passengers must not cause a hazard to any person or vehicle by opening or leaving open a vehicle door. See our Car doors bike riders page for more information and safety tips about opening car doors after you have parked.

Make sure you check the parking signs and if you are in a timed parking area make note of the time you parked. Enter the parking time into your phone as a reminder.

 

 

 

 

 

Signs can have different information for different times of the day or of the week so read them carefully.

When driving out of a car park indicate (if required), check mirrors and blind spots and give way to all vehicles and pedestrians on the road.

If information on a parking sign shows that it applies on a particular day of the week, the sign will not apply on a day that is a public holiday unless information on the sign says otherwise.

For example, if a loading zone sign indicates that it applies on Monday to Saturday between 9am and 4pm and information on or with the sign does not indicate that it applies on public holidays, it means you can park there on any public holiday falling on a Monday to Saturday.

Signed parking restrictions still apply on public holidays if a parking sign does not show a day of the week.

For example, if a parking sign only shows 2 hours parking from 7am to 6pm then this will apply every day of the year, including public holidays.

You are not allowed to park, stop or leave your vehicle:

• double parked 

       

• within an intersection (except on the continuous side of a continuing road of a T-intersection)
• on a freeway (except in an emergency stopping lane)
• fully or partially across a driveway except for 2 minutes to pick up or drop off passengers (there is no defined measurement for parking near a driveway)

       

• if there is fewer than 3 metres of clear road left for other traffic 
• on a footpath, nature strip or reservation (unless the vehicle is a motorcycle or bicycle)
• across a footpath, bicycle path or passageway or footpath ramp, unless a sign allows it
• in a bus, tram or truck lane 
• on a curve or crest of a hill outside a built-up area, unless your vehicle is visible for 100 metres from behind, or there is a sign allowing it
• in a slip lane, unless a sign allows it
• on a painted island or where a road marking says 'Keep clear'
• in a no stopping area
• in a clearway
• next to a continuous yellow line on the edge of the road (curb).

You are allowed to park or leave your vehicle:

• opposite a driveway as long as you leave 3 metres beside your vehicle
• anywhere in a street where parking is permitted including in front of other homes or businesses.

20 metres

Unless there is a sign saying that you can, you are not allowed to park, stop or leave your vehicle within 20 metres of:

• either side of an intersection with traffic lights 
• either side of a level crossing
• the approach side of a bus stop
• the approach side of a children’s crossing
• the approach side of a pedestrian (zebra) crossing that is not at an intersection
• the approach side of a tram stop sign.

10 metres

Unless there is a sign saying that you can, you are not allowed to park, stop or leave your vehicle within 10 metres of:

• either side of an intersection without traffic lights 
• either side of a safety zone
• the approach side of traffic lights (signalised pedestrian or bike crossing) not at an intersection
• the departure side of a bus stop sign
• the departure side of a pedestrian (zebra) crossing that is not at an intersection
• the departure side of a children’s crossing.

3 metres

Unless there is a sign saying that you can you are not allowed to park, stop or leave your vehicle within 3 metres of:

• an Australia Post mail box 
• the departure side of traffic lights (signalised) pedestrian or bike crossing) not at an intersection
• double continuous dividing lines (double lines)
• a single continuous dividing line
• a single continuous line to the left or right of a broken dividing line
• a dividing strip. 

1 metre

Unless there is a sign saying that you can, you are not allowed to park, stop or leave your vehicle within 1 metre of a fire hydrant, fire hydrant indicator or fire plug indicator.

In a parallel park you must leave a minimum of 1 metre between your vehicle and the vehicle in front and behind.

Parallel parking

If you are parallel parking within a marked parking space you must park:

You cannot park for longer than the time shown on a parking sign.

When moving your car to another parking spot, you must move it out of the area or length of road controlled by the parking sign.

The parking time limits on the sign only apply during the times shown. Outside of those times, you can park with no restrictions, unless there are other signs saying you can't.

No parking signs

If there is a 'no parking' sign, you can stop for 2 minutes in that area:

• if you are picking up or dropping off passengers or goods 
• you stay within 3 metres of your vehicle.

If you stop in, or partly in, an area showing a no parking sign and you are not picking up or dropping off passengers or goods, you are considered to be parked and can be fined. This is the case even if you stay with your vehicle.

No stopping signs

If there is a 'no stopping' sign, you are not allowed to stop or park your car in, or partly in, that area for any reason. Dropping off or picking up passengers or goods in a ‘no stopping’ area is not permitted.

 

             

Clearways

You must not stop in a Clearway (length of road showing a 'clearway' sign) during the times and days shown on the sign.

The driver of a public bus or taxi may stop in a Clearway to drop off or pick up passengers.

See our tow-away zones page for more information.     

Zones

Loading zone

You can stop in a loading zone for up to 30 minutes or as otherwise signed if you are dropping off, or picking up:

goods and driving a:

• goods-carrying vehicle 
• courier or signed delivery vehicle
• truck which is dropping off or picking up goods

passengers and driving a:

• bus or vehicle which has seating positions for 10,11 or 12 adults (including the driver) that is being used to carry passengers for hire or reward
• public bus
• licensed commercial passenger vehicles such as taxis, hire cars or other special purpose vehicles 

Other drivers must not stop in a loading zone, even if loading or unloading.

Truck zone

Only trucks with a gross vehicle mass over 4.5 tonnes can park or stop in a truck zone.

 

   

Bus zone

Only public buses can park or stop in a bus zone.

 

  

Taxi zone

Only taxis can park or stop in a taxi zone.

 

 

 

Permit zone

Only vehicles displaying a valid permit (issued by the relevant authority) can park or stop in a permit zone.

 

   

Works zone

Only vehicles involved in construction work in or near the works zone can park or stop in these zones.

 

 

  

Mail zone

Only postal vehicles can park or stop in a mail zone.

 

    

 

Safety zone

Safety zones are around trams stops so be alert for pedestrians. You are not allowed to park within 10 metres of a safety zone unless permitted by sign.

 

Up to date, consolidated versions of existing gazette notices.

Under the Road Safety Act 1986, the Minister for Roads and Road Safety may, at the request of any public authority or other person prescribed under the Road Safety (General) Regulations 2019, make an Order extending parts of the Road Safety Act 1986 and regulations made under that Act to any land or premises vested in, or under the control of, that authority or person.

This power has been exercised, at the request of Metro Trains Melbourne Pty Ltd, in relation to a number of Park and Ride facilities located at Metro Trains railway stations throughout Melbourne. As a result, all of the Road Rules apply to those areas as if they were roads (including the stopping and parking rules contained in Part 12 of the Road Rules), and these rules can be enforced by authorised Metro Trains employees (as well as by police).

Certain offences in the Road Safety Act 1986 also apply to those areas.

Details of exactly which provisions of the Road Safety Act 1986 and the regulations made under that Act apply in the Park and Ride facilities are set out in the Orders themselves. 

On 23 December 2014, an Order was made that partly revoked and amended a number of Orders previously made in relation to the Park and Ride facilities at certain Metro Train railway stations in Melbourne.

This Order was published in the Victoria Government Gazette No. S 465 on 30 December 2014. The earlier Orders partly revoked or amended by this Order were published in the following editions of the Victoria Government Gazette:

• No. S 303 on 3 September 2009
• No. G 48 on 1 December 2011
• No G 31 on 1 August 2013.

Copies of all notices are available for download at the Victoria Government Gazette website at Government Gazette (External link)

If a notice is published in the Victoria Government Gazette that amends a notice published in an earlier edition of the gazette, the Subordinate Legislation Act 1994 requires that an up to date consolidated version of the amended notice be published on the internet and be made available for inspection by any person free of charge during office hours at the principal office of the entity responsible for the notice. The entity responsible for the placement of the notice is VicRoads. In accordance with this requirement, below are links to up to date consolidated versions of the legislative instruments amended by the Order made under section 98(1) of the Road Safety Act 1986 published in Victoria Government Gazette No. S 465 on 30 December 2014. • No. S 303 on 3 September 2009 [PDF 1.3 Mb] • No. G 48 on 1 December 2011 [PDF 1.4 Mb]; and • No. G 31 on 1 August 2013 [PDF 659 Kb].

Copies of the up to date consolidated versions of the Orders may be inspected at VicRoads Head Office, 60 Denmark Street, Kew, Victoria.