How to read parking signs in Australia

Updated 27 October 2026

Short answer: Read every plate on the pole. For each one, check which side its arrow points, whether its times and days apply right now, and what kind of plate it is: red plates stop you stopping or parking, green plates let you park, usually with a time limit. Of the plates that apply right now, the strictest one counts.

NO STOPPING6–10am Mon–Fri2PTicket 10am–6pm Mon–Fri

Red or green: what the colours tell you

Red plates restrict you. No Stopping, No Parking, Clearway, Bus Zone, Taxi Zone and Loading Zone are usually red. During their times, most drivers can't stop or can't park there.

Green plates let you park. 1P, 2P, Ticket and Meter plates are green. They tell you how long you can stay and whether you have to pay.

Reading one plate, line by line

The rule: for example "No Stopping" or "2P" (park for up to 2 hours). What 1P, 2P and 1/2P mean.
Payment: "Ticket" or "Meter" means you pay. No payment word usually means it's free, with a time limit. Ticket and meter parking.
Hours: such as "8am–6pm". Outside these hours, this plate doesn't apply.
Days: such as "Mon–Fri" or "Sat". If a plate shows no days or hours, treat it as applying at all times.
Exceptions: for example "Permit holders excepted Area 14". How permit parking works.

Arrows: which side of the pole

An arrow shows the direction the rule runs from the sign, until the next sign or the end of the street. A plate with an arrow pointing left only covers the kerb to the left of the pole as you face it. A double-headed arrow covers both sides. When two plates have opposite arrows, the rules on each side of the pole can be completely different.

Several plates on one pole

Busy streets stack three or four plates on one pole. You need every plate that applies at that moment, not just the top one. How to read stacked parking signs.

The common signs, explained

Bus Zone, Taxi Zone and Mail Zone plates reserve the kerb for buses, taxis or postal vehicles during the times shown. Other drivers can't stop there.

Common questions

Do parking signs apply on weekends?

Only if the plate says so. A plate marked "Mon–Fri" doesn't apply on Saturday or Sunday. A plate with no days shown applies every day.

What if a parking sign doesn't show any times?

Treat it as applying at all times. Many No Stopping signs show no times because they apply 24/7.

Do parking signs apply on public holidays?

It depends on the sign and your state. Some plates say "Public holidays excepted". If yours doesn't, check your council's rules before assuming it's free.

What does a yellow line along the kerb mean?

A continuous yellow edge line means no stopping along that stretch of road, even if there's no sign.