Find out about parking rules in Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai / Lower Hutt
Reasons we issue parking tickets
We need to make sure the cars on our roads – and on the side of our roads – have a current Warrant of Fitness (WoF) and are where they should be.
We can issue you a parking ticket if you:
- don’t pay for your parking (this includes going over the parking time limit)
- overstay the time limit
- park unsafely – for example, on broken yellow lines or on the footpath/cycle lane or parked within 1 metre from the vehicle entrance or inconsiderate parking
- park a vehicle on a road with an expired warrant of fitness or licence label or certificate of fitness.
Charges for parking infringements and overstaying
Please note: New parking infringement and towage fees will come into effect from 1 October 2024
The Government has mandated these increased charges, which have not been adjusted for inflation since 2004.
| Infringement | 2024–2025 Charge | 2025–2026 Charge |
|---|---|---|
| Parked in a metered area without paying the required fee | $70.00 | $70.00 |
| Parking on a mobility car park without displaying a vaild mobility pass card | $750.00 | $750.00 |
| Park vehicle near fire hydrant | $70.00 | $70.00 |
| Park vehicle on footpath or cycle path | $70.00 | $70.00 |
| Vehicle obstructs exit or entrance of driveway | $70.00 | $70.00 |
| Park on broken yellow lines | $100.00 | $100.00 |
| Overstaying excess time | 2024–2025 Charge | 2025–2026 Charge |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 30 minutes | $20.00 | $20.00 |
| More than 30 minutes but less than 1 hour | $25.00 | $25.00 |
| More than 1 hour but less than 2 hours | $36.00 | $36.00 |
| More than 2 hours but less than 4 hours | $51.00 | $51.00 |
| More than 4 hours but less than 6 hours | $71.00 | $71.00 |
| More than 6 hours | $97.00 | $97.00 |
| Towage fees | 2024–2025 Charge | 2025–2026 Charge |
|---|---|---|
| Towage - 3500kg or less, between the hours of 7am and 6pm, Monday to Friday (not including public holidays) | $90.20 | $90.20 |
| Towage - 3500kg or less, any other time (eg. Saturday, Sunday or a public holiday) | $120.30 | $120.30 |
| Towage - more than 3,500kg, between the hours of 7am and 6pm, Monday to Friday (not including public holidays) | $223.40 | $223.40 |
| Towage - more than 3500kg, any other time (eg Saturday, Sunday or a public holiday) | $343.70 | $343.70 |
Note: These are the proposed fees and charges for 2025-26, based on in-principle decisions made by Council on the 4th of June 2025. These fees and charges will be confirmed when the Annual Plan is adopted on the 30th of June 2025 and will take effect from the 1st of July 2025. They may be subject to change before the 30th of June 2025.
These fees and charges include Goods and Services Tax (GST).
Note: You can pay fines up to and including the 53rd day after the ticket has been issued.
See the full list of infringements and updated penalties here.
Parking without paying or displaying a permit
If you park in a mobility car park without displaying a valid mobility pass card, you'll be fined $750.
Be a considerate driver and leave these spaces for the people they're reserved for - even just "popping in for a couple of minutes" can deprive someone of an accessible park they genuinely need.
Understanding parking tickets
Offences are controlled by the following pieces of legislation:
- Land Transport Act 1998
- Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2004
- Traffic Bylaw 2017
Maximum fees a council can charge are set out in the Land Transport (Offences and Penalties) Regulations 1999.