How parking infringements work
Published on 08 October 2026
There’s been a bit of attention on what happens if you get a parking infringement, so we thought we’d explain the process.
- You didn’t put your registration into a meter and pay for parking during the paid period. This is a strict liability offence, which means if you park in a paid space and don’t activate a meter or pay via the app – you have breached the parking by-law.
- Our officer will check if your registration has been entered. If not, they’ll issue you an infringement notice – they’re $70 (but they vary for different parking infringements, set out by law) – this will either be placed under your wiper, or sent to your home (if you and your car have skedaddled)
What happens next?
Anyone issued an infringement notice has three options.
- Pay it - By paying your $70, you’re accepting you breached the by-law.
- Appeal it – Write to Council with your explanation and we will decide on whether your ticket can be waived. We’ve waived over 40 tickets in 2026.
Since 5 December 2025 when the new parking machines became active, a total of 239 infringements were issued for failing to enter vehicle details into a parking machine or app. 102 motorists (42.7%) lodged an appeal.
Of those appeals, 61 (59.8%) were accepted and the infringement waived, while 41 (40.2%) were declined. This means that 25.5% of all infringements issued were subsequently waived following an appeal, while 17.2% of all infringements issued remained upheld following appeal.
For every 10 appeals received, approximately 6 are accepted and 4 are rejected.
- Choose to take Council to court by either;
- If your appeal is declined, and you wish to take Council to court
- If you decline to appeal at all, and choose to take Council to court
Going to court isn’t Council’s preferred option, but anyone issued an infringement has the right to decline to pay, decline to appeal and take Council to court.
Council does not have an in-house legal team, as it is more cost-effective to the ratepayer to have an external firm to provide a diverse range of legal services and advice when required.
Taking Council to court regarding a parking infringement costs the ratepayer far more than is recouped, and far more than the cost of paying the infringement fee of $70. It’s much cheaper for everyone involved to pay $2 per hour at the meter or by app and avoid getting an infringement.
To date, one infringement recipient has opted to take Council to court, a relevant LGOIMA is available here.
ENDS
media@waitaki.govt.nz