How to Report Illegal Parking – Melbourne

Illegal parking is frustrating at the best of times. Have you ever searched for a parking space in a packed car park, only to find a car that’s stayed well beyond its allotted time on the ticket? It can make you more than a little angry.

Fortunately, you can easily report parking violations and abandoned cars in Melbourne and wider Victoria. We show you how to report illegal parking and implement car park management solutions in this guide. No more car-blocking-driveway fiascos or lost revenue from overstays.

Learn everything you need to know about illegal parking in Melbourne, including:

• What counts as illegal parking
• How to report illegal parking in Melbourne
• Contacting the local authorities
• How to report abandoned vehicles
• How to stop illegal parking in your car park

If you want to prevent illegal parking in your residential car park, shopping centre car park, commercial car park, hotel car park, or other private property, check out PriPark’s Car Park Enforcement Solutions.

What Counts as Illegal Parking in Melbourne?

Make sure you know that a car is parked illegally before you report it. That said, there’s no harm in contacting the Melbourne authorities if you’re in doubt.

There are many occasions when a vehicle may be illegally parked, including:

• Overstays in parking zones with exclusive time restrictions.

• Illegal trespassing in areas where access is limited, such as private property.

• Unsafe parking where the vehicle is positioned in a way that endangers passers-by or animals or inhibits the surrounding flow of traffic.

• Obstruction where the vehicle blocks access to public areas.

• Instances of double-parking where cars are illegally parallel-parked.

Anyone parked illegally in the City of Melbourne will receive a fine of between $99 to $198, depending on the severity of the infraction.

Reporting Illegal Parking in Melbourne

Have you noticed an illegally parked car? Depending on the urgency of the situation, you should report it to the police or the Melbourne City Council. Here’s how:

1. Collect Evidence of Illegal Parking

Your first step is to approach the car (as long as it’s safe) and gather relevant information about the illegal parking. The police and Melbourne City Council will want to know the following details:

• Time and date of the infraction
• The vehicle’s exact location
• Make, model, and colour of the car
• Licence plate
• Photo evidence

This last point is the key to collecting and recording all the other points. Use your camera phone to snap pictures of the car from different angles. Make sure you get all the key details in like the registration number and parking position.

2. Assess the Situation

How serious is the parking violation? Is there a car blocking the main High Street in the inner north? Or has a hotel guest simply outstayed their parking time?

Evaluate the urgency of the situation to determine your next course of action. You’ll need to inform the police for urgent affairs like dangerously parked cars, but less-urgent incidents can be dealt with by the local council.

3. Contact the Police or Council

The final step is to call either the police or contact your local council. But which one should you choose?

• Call the Police: Police can tow vehicles that are parked dangerously or are obstructing traffic. Non-urgent illegal parking issues can be directed to the police assistance line on 131 444. For emergencies, always call 000.

• Contact Melbourne City Council: If a car doesn’t need to be towed, report the illegal parking to the council. The City of Melbourne phone number is +61 3 9658 9658, and they are open from 7:30am to 6:00pm, Monday to Friday.

How to Report Abandoned Vehicles in Melbourne

Report any abandoned and unclaimed vehicles you see to the City of Melbourne. Around 170 vehicles each year are abandoned in Melbourne, so you should be vigilant about these potential infractions.

Contact Melbourne City Council to report an abandoned vehicle. The authorities then investigate and identify the owner before moving the vehicle to a private location.

If the abandoned vehicle is in an unsafe position, contact the police immediately. They will then move the car to another safer location nearby.

Prevent Illegal Parking with PriPark

Looking to stop people from overstaying their allotted time? Do you want to prevent people from illegally using your car park space? PriPark’s expert car park management services can help.

We have decades of experience in providing tailored car parking solutions to clients across Australia. We work closely with you to implement tactics that align with your budget and needs. Looking for tighter access restrictions? Let us install high-quality boom gates. Want to prevent overstays? Let our parking enforcement officers monitor your space. 

And when you stop instances of illegal parking, you’ll feel the benefits:

• Increased revenue
• Heightened driver accountability
• Enhanced access control
• Safer car parks

Contact us today to learn more about our affordable and tailor-made car park enforcement solutions.

FAQs

What evidence do I need to report an illegally parked car in Melbourne?

You should collect evidence of an illegal parking incident before reporting it to the police or council. You’ll then need to let the authorities know details like the make, model, colour, and licence plate of the vehicle. And don’t forget the date, time, and location where the vehicle was parked.

Can you report someone for parking on the pavement?

Yes, illegal pavement parking is cause for a fine. Fines can increase if the car is parked in a dangerous position. Contact the local council or police if you see a vehicle parked on a pavement on public property. And if they’re on your private payment, that’s cause for illegal parking reporting too.

Can you report illegal disabled parking in Melbourne?

Unlawful parking in a disabled spot is grounds for a fine. If you see a vehicle parked in a disabled spot without the correct permit, you can inform the local authorities. Contact the police on the non-urgent number of 131 444 or call the local council. However, the easiest way is to report the incident to a member of staff at the business where the incident occurs.