CENTRAL COAST COUNCIL PARKING INFORMATION NOTE

APPEALING A PARKING FINE

If you have received a parking fine, you can make an appeal to Council within 28 days from the date of the fine.

You can appeal a fine if:

• the area the car was parked in is not correct; or
• you think the parking fine should not be issued.

How to appeal a parking fine

1. Write to the Council or contact the Council for an Internal Review Form.
2. The Internal Review Form asks for your:
   • name, address and contact telephone number;
   • the infringement notice number;
   • your vehicle registration number;
   • an explanation of why you think the Council should review the fine.
3. Post your letter or form or bring your letter or Internal Review Form into the Council’s Customer Service desk.
4. The Council will write back to you and tell you the decision. This can take up to 14 days but could take longer if the Council requires more information. If the Council rejects your appeal, you do have other choices than paying the fine. These are discussed below in the section entitled, “What happens if your appeal is unsuccessful?”

How the Council decides your parking fine appeal

The Council takes into account any of the following information:

• Did the offence occur?
• Is the driver claiming “special circumstances”? Special circumstances are where the disabled permit was not clearly displayed, the disabled permit is from another State, and the disabled driver was in another vehicle without the permit.
• Where the circumstances that led to receiving an infringement notice were beyond the control of the driver (exceptional circumstances).

When the Council may withdraw a parking fine

The Council may accept your appeal and withdraw a parking fine if:

• Your vehicle broke down and you have evidence of the repairs.
• You are involved in a medical emergency.
• You have a disabled persons parking permit and you haven’t received your permit yet.

Make sure that you have the evidence to prove these things, such as a:

• letter from the doctor or hospital if there was a medical emergency;
• mechanical or towing docket if your vehicle broke down;.
• letter from Service Tasmania for your new disabled persons parking permit.

The Council may also require you to sign a Statutory Declaration if the circumstances are complex and your evidence does not explain everything that happened.

When the Council won’t withdraw a parking fine.

The Council will not withdraw a parking fine for these reasons (or any similar reason not listed below):

• Poor visibility due to weather.
• Not noticing a sign.
• Left vehicle to get money out of the ATM.
• Left vehicle to post a letter, drop off a parcel, collect a package.
• Reading only part of a multi-panel sign.
• Parked in the lines without reading the signs.
• Being unable to read the sign from the front seat of the car.
• Forgetting to read the sign.
• Not noticing that the sign and/or the restriction had been changed.
• Not noticing that the area is now restricted.
• Running late or being in a hurry.
• Parking within 10 metres of an intersection.
• Being delayed for an appointment.
• Stopping for a short time in a prohibited area.
• Being new to the area and unfamiliar with the restrictions.
• Being unaware of the Road Rules.
• Parking across a private driveway and blocking the residents access.
• Parking your car on a footpath, naturestrip or reservation.
• Parking in a “No Standing” zone.
• Parking in a “Loading Zone” in a vehicle not permitted to do so.
• Any other reason that clearly is in contravention of the Road Rules.

What happens if your appeal is unsuccessful?

You have the option of either paying the infringement notice by the due date or electing to have the matter heard through the Court system.

If you fail to pay or respond to an infringement notice within 28 days of the due date, the Council will forward your infringement to the Monetary Penalties Enforcement Service (MPES) for collection.