Do not park in No Stopping areas (avoid yellow railings, yellow hatched areas, or yellow lines), on the grass, or in parking areas for which you don't have a valid permit. Offences will attract a penalty of either ½ of a $110 Penalty Unit or 1 Penalty Unit, as follows:

Cash and Eftpos payments of Infringement Notices can be made at any cashier station on the various University campuses. Alternatively, payment may be made by using the BPay option that is detailed on the reverse of the Infringement Notice, or, a telephone payment may be made using your credit card (MasterCard or Visa) by telephoning 07-3365-1016 during office hours: 8:00am - 4:00pm Monday to Friday (Public Holidays excepted).

If you send payment by mail, remember that you must quote the ticket number and the vehicle registration number. Cheques and Money Orders should be made payable to "The University of Queensland", and should be addressed to:

• Infringements Unit
  Parking
  PF Assist Reception, Building 42
  Property & Facilities Division
  The University of Queensland 4072
  Brisbane Australia

PLEASE NOTE: NEVER SEND CASH THROUGH THE MAIL

If you don't have the ticket, contact PF Assist Reception, Building 42
by email, or by telephone (07-3365-1016), with your vehicle registration details and you will be advised the infringement number that is required for payment.

If you believe that an Infringement Notice has been issued unfairly, or that there may have been extenuating circumstances, then the University provides an Appeal process. However, before submitting an appeal, please refer to Unsuccessful Requests to Waive Infringement Notices section.

How do I lodge an appeal?

Appeals must be in writing. To lodge an appeal use either of the following methods:

1. Complete the PF03 Infringement Form and send it as an attachment to: parking@pf.uq.edu.au.
2. Or post a print out of the completed form to:

• The Appeals Officer
  Parking, PF Assist Reception, Building 42
  Property & Facilities Division
  The University of Queensland 4072
  Brisbane, Australia
• Click here for PF03 [RTF - electronic version - 2.2MB] or
• Click here for PF03 [PDF - print version - 49KB]

The Infringement number and your postal address must be quoted. Your appeal should explain clearly but briefly why you believe the notice could be withdrawn. Once a decision regarding the Appeal has been reached, a letter advising the outcome will be sent to the appellant. In the meantime, no further action will be taken.

If an Infringement Notice remains unpaid after twenty-eight days from the date of issue, then the University searches the registration plate details of the offending vehicle in the Queensland Transport vehicle registration database to find the name and address of the registered owner. A $10 fee for this search is added to the original fine amount.

A Reminder Notice is then forwarded to the owner of the vehicle with the details of the original Infringement, together with options for paying the new outstanding amount.

Should the Infringement remain unpaid after a further twenty-eight days (from the date of the Reminder Notice), then the matter is referred to the State Penalties Enforcement Registry (SPER) for collection. The University pays an upfront fee for this service which is then added by the Registry to the total amount outstanding. Refer to the Further Action by the University section for more information.

Both the Search fee and the SPER fee noted above are reviewed each year by the Government and generally increase by the CPI rate - around the 1st July each year.

You have been issued with an Infringement Notice you have only 28 days from the date of issue shown on the notice to choose one of the options offered on the reverse of the Notice. If you do not choose an option within 28 days, a prosecution against you may be commenced in a Magistrates Court. You will be responsible for obtaining your own legal advice before the court hearing. If found guilty of the offence, you may be fined and required to pay additional costs. If you do not appear on the date set for the hearing, the offence may be heard in your absence.

Alternatively, the Infringement Notice may be enforced by the State Penalties Enforcement Registry (SPER). If this occurs you will be required to pay additional fees and SPER may take any of the following actions:

• suspend your driver's licence, or your ability to obtain a driver's licence;
• give a Fine Collection Notice to your bank ordering the transfer of money from your bank account;
• give a Fine Collection Notice to your employer ordering the deduction of money from your wages;
• give an Enforcement Warrant to an Enforcement Officer to seize and sell your property;
• give an Arrest and Imprisonment Warrant to a Police Officer.

If you wish to obtain any further information regarding the State Penalties Enforcement Registry (SPER) you can visit the SPER web site at www.sper.qld.gov.au/ or contact the SPER Call Centre on 1300 365 635.

If you were served with the Reminder Notice as the owner of an offending vehicle, you are taken to have committed the offence. However, your liability may be removed by providing a Statutory Declaration stating that the vehicle:

• was being used illegally;
• was being used by another person (nominated by you);
• was being used by another person (but unable to be identified);
• had been sold or otherwise disposed of.

If your Statutory Declaration is received within 28 days and the actual offender can be identified, a prosecution against them may be commenced instead of the enforcement of this notice. However, if the actual offender cannot be identified, a prosecution against you may be continued in a Magistrates Court instead of enforcement of the notice.

A Statutory Declaration form [PDF] can also be obtained by selecting the highlighted link - you may type the declaration on the page and then save the changes. Do not sign the Statutory Declaration until you are in the presence of a Commissioner for Declarations, or a Justice of the Peace.

Your Statutory Declaration may be made by obtaining a form from any Australia Post Shop, signing the declaration in the presence of a Justice of the Peace or Commissioner for Declarations, and then forwarding the Notice with the Declaration to:

• Appeals Officer
  Parking
  PF Assist Reception, Building 42
  Property & Facilities Division
  The University of Queensland. 4072
  Brisbane Australia

Listed below are some of the common excuses given by people when they Appeal against the issuance of an Infringement Notice. While these justifications may seem reasonable to the violator, they do not address either the law or the regulations. Generally, these excuses will not produce an outcome where the Infringement notice would be withdrawn.

It is not the University's intention to deter anyone who considers they may have a good reason for appealing against the issue of an Infringement Notice. If you believe that your circumstances are outside the examples listed below, then please e-mail PF Assist at: parking@pf.uq.edu.au, put the infringement number in the subject line, and address the message to: The Appeals Officer.

Alternatively, appeals may be mailed to: The Appeals Officer, PF Assist, Property & Facilities Division, (Building 42), The University of Queensland 4072, Brisbane, Australia.

1. I left someone in the car, or, I left my parking lights on, or, I left my indicators flashing, or, I left a note in the car as to my whereabouts, or, I left the engine running: Many drivers seem to believe that evidence of a short stay mitigates the offence. It does not. Whether or not any of the above applies, the fact is that if your car is there and you are not, then the car is parked. If there is no driver in control of the vehicle (passengers are not the driver) and the vehicle is not in motion, then the vehicle is parked even if the motor is running. You need to be aware that, under traffic law, it is an offence for a driver to leave a vehicle's motor running but unattended. All of these excuses admit that the offence occurred.
2. This is my first visit to the campus and I did not know I had to pay for parking: There are large signs at every vehicular entry point to all University sites which indicate that parking regulations apply on the campus. The location of these signs is sufficient notice for the University, as an administrative authority, to deem that everyone who drives or rides to the campus has read and understood the sign. Parking areas and roads also have signage and markings that comply with the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices. If you have any questions about parking or driving on a University of Queensland campus, then, as a driver or rider, you have the responsibility to inform yourself before you attempt to park.
3. I am a contractor doing work for the University and I need to have my tools close by: If you are a contractor or sub-contractor, then you need to contact whoever organises you to come onto a building site (normally the Site Manager) to inform yourself of the parking arrangements. If you need to have your vehicle close by, you will need to make arrangements with the Site Manager to park within the building site compound. If this is not possible, then you will need to drop off your tools and equipment, then find a parking spot, and pay for parking along with every other person who drives a vehicle to get to work. Remember, it is your responsibility to make yourself aware of the parking regulations at University sites.
   It is important to note that loading zones are not parking areas, and that the 30-minute limit is strictly enforced. Please note also that contractors and sub-contractors are not eligible for service and maintenance permits, and may not park in Service and Maintenance parking bays, nor may they use loading bays unless they are actually loading or unloading goods or equipment from the vehicle.
4. I don't believe that I spent any longer than 30-minutes in the Loading Zone: Traffic and Security Officers must visit a loading zone at least twice over a period of thirty minutes in order to issue this type of Infringement Notice. If you had not been in the bay for more than thirty minutes then the Infringement Notice would not have been issued. If you were a person who watched the time so closely that you would not have overstayed, then you would have been back to the vehicle within the specified timeframe.
5. I was dropping off heavy items to my office and got caught up with work, or, someone needed my attention urgently: Loading zones and loading docks are not free-of-charge thirty-minute parking bays. They are provided for commercial operators to load and unload goods, furniture, and equipment into buildings, and vice versa. Returning piles of examination papers to your office is not a valid use of loading bays. When such a situation occurs, then you need to make prior arrangements with PF Assist - remember too, that according to University policy, you would need to use an appropriate trolley to carry heavy items. This explanation admits that the offence occurred.
6. I was on official University business: No matter what was the purpose for your trip onto the campus, you are required to park legally. The registered owner of a vehicle (or the driver in the case of University-owned vehicles is held responsible for any parking or traffic Infringement Notices. University policy indicates that parking or traffic tickets may not be paid from University funds, regardless of whether or not the Infringement Notice is issued on-campus by the University, or by another Administrative Authority.
7. My job requires me to go off-campus during the day, and when I return I couldn't find a parking space: The University recognises that this situation exists, and has made arrangements to provide guaranteed parking within the Multi-level and Conifer Knoll carparks, so that employees in this situation do not have to waste time searching for a parking spot when they return. This explanation does not excuse illegal parking, and will not be accepted as a justification for so doing - it would seem to discriminate against those thousands of employees, students, and visitors who comply with the regulations.
8. I was running late for a business or personal appointment: Being late does not deliver the privilege of parking illegally. The status of the person with whom you are meeting is not relevant, as (illegal) parking must be administered without bias. The best way to avoid this situation is to make parking arrangements prior to your visit.
9. It was only a few minutes: This explanation is commonly offered, but even if it were true, the fact remains that parking in a restricted or controlled area is illegal, and is therefore an admission that the offence occurred. In areas with time limits, enforcement staff check the vehicle at least twice before issuing an Infringement Notice.
10. The ticket machine wasn't working, or, wouldn't register the coins I tried to put in: The display window should always be checked before pressing the ticket-issue button. If the display does not show that all of the coins have been accepted, the reject button should be pressed and the coins re-inserted. Pay & display machines do not accept 5-cent pieces, and may not accept copper, damaged, wet, greasy, or foreign coins either. Pay & display machines are located within about 50-metres of each other, so it is not difficult to try another machine.
    All machines are inscribed with a Freecall number to report malfunctions, and all calls between 7:00am and 8:00pm are answered immediately. Depending on the location of the machine, response time varies between 10-minutes (St Lucia campus) and 1-hour (other sites).
11. I was only on a short errand, or, doing a delivery: No errand, no matter how brief, or how important to the driver (with the exception of bona fide medical emergencies) is an acceptable excuse for illegal parking. Being on a short errand is a common excuse, but it is not a valid reason to justify parking illegally. If you have a short errand to complete, then you should use either short-term casual parking (Yellow Zone), or long-term casual parking (Purple Zone or Multi-level Carparks).
12. I left my vehicle in the Set Down bay to go an collect my passenger: Passenger set down and pick up bays are provided for a very specific purpose, may only be used for a very short time-period, and the driver must remain with the vehicle. The purpose of this regulation is to restrict the timeframe for motor vehicles that are not in motion, and to accommodate the large number of people who are picked up by car. The presence of a passenger, or, a sign on the dashboard, or, blinking indicators do not satisfy this purpose, and do not constitute a valid reason to dismiss this type of Infringement Notice.
13. This regulation has not been enforced in the past: Usually, this is not the case. However, sometimes staffing or other priorities may give rise to Infringement Notices not being issued continually for particular types of breach of the regulations. Just because you have not received one type of Infringement Notice before does not mean that the legal basis for issuing one in this instance does not exist. That is, the appeal is on the grounds of practice rather than validity, and therefore will not be accepted.
14. I've done it for years, or, Everyone does it: This is never a valid excuse for parking illegally. Nobody should be rewarded for getting away with previous, unpenalised, breaches of the regulations.
15. Nobody else got a ticket: Sometimes this putative excuse is put forward as an accusation of discriminatory enforcement. However, sometimes an Officer may have to leave an area before checking all vehicles because they have multiple responsibilities across a large campus - enforcement being only one. Therefore, in some circumstances, only a portion of a parking area may be patrolled, however, an Officer will always try to return to the area to complete a patrol if it is possible. The fact remains that the Infringement Notice was issued validly, and the appeal will be declined.
16. I can't afford to pay the fine: Your financial circumstances hold no relevance to whether an Infringement Notice is valid or a breach occurred. The State Penalties Enforcement Registry (SPER) administrative procedures set a minimum value of penalties for registering re-payment plans. Under this standard, People are expected to be able to pay fines totalling less than $150 in value without resorting to a re-payment plan. All re-payment plans must be lodged with SPER, however, in some limited circumstances, the University will accept a re-payment plan so that you can pay-off an Infringement Notice over an agreed period of time. All such applications need to be submitted in writing before the expiry date on the Infringement Notice or the Reminder Notice.
17. I didn't realise that I had a parking Infringement Notice and the first I heard of it was from SPER: Under the State Penalties Enforcement Act (1999), Part 3, Infringement Notices, Sections 14(3) and 14(4), the University is only required to place the Infringement Notice on the vehicle to fulfil the requirement for serving the Notice on the registered owner of the vehicle. Furthermore, the University is not required to send a Reminder Notice before lodging unpaid Notices with SPER, however, as a courtesy it takes this action after 28-days to help the owner avoid additional cost. The name and address of the owner are obtained from the registration records held by Queensland Transport - Please note that it is an offence not to advise the Department of any change of address.
    After a further 28-days, should the Infringement Notice remain unpaid, the matter is then referred to SPER to recover the fine, vehicle search cost, other costs, and the cost incurred by SPER in following up the matter.
18. I didn't receive the the Reminder Notice because I have changed address: Australians receive a range of official and formal correspondence through the post and it is the individual's responsibility to ensure that mail can be forwarded to them when they change address. This excuse does not address the validity of the Infringement Notice, nor does it offer a valid explanation that could effect the withdrawal of the Notice or the waiving of some or all of the added fees.
19. I parked in a Disability Bay because all of the other spaces were full and these bays are never fully utilised: Disability bays are reserved specifically for vehicles that display a Disability Parking Permit issued by Queensland Transport (or an equivalent State Government issuing authority). By preventing a person with mobility disability from gaining access to a Disability parking bay can create a serious safety risk, and may be more than a mere inconvenience to them because the bays are essential to supporting appropriate access rights to the University and its facilities. Australian Standard AS2890.1-1993 requires the University (among others) to provide an appropriate number of such parking spaces, and they are monitored assiduously by both Traffic and Security Officers. Whilst it may be true that no space may be occupied all of the time, it is essential that they are available for campus-using people with disability who hold Disability permits. This reason will never be accepted as an excuse for occupying Disability spaces without the appropriate permit.
20. You can't write me a ticket for speeding, or, You can't write me a ticket for disobeying a traffic sign: Together with the enforcement of parking, The University of Queensland Act (1998) empowers Authorised Officers to enforce traffic signs (which includes parking signs) including speed limits. Most of the speed enforcement is undertaken by the Queensland Police Service, and under their enforcement powers both the fine amounts and demerit points are actioned for breaches of regulations. As with the rest of Queensland, police have full authority to operate on University sites, including Residential Colleges.
21. I disagree with having to pay parking fines: How people choose to travel to campus is their individual choice. If you do not wish to pay parking fees, then do not park on campus. It is very expensive to provide parking, and currently the University has over $50 million invested in parking facilities and equipment which need to be financed, maintained, and administered. The University strongly urges people to consider alternatives such as public transport, cycling, or walking to campus (or a combination of these options). If you choose to park on campus, then you are legally required to pay the appropriate fee and to abide by the regulations.
22. Someone else had my car: Under the law, the registered owner has joint responsibility with the driver of the vehicle at the time. Unless the registered owner can demonstrate that the vehicle was stolen, then the owner, renter, or lessee is responsible for any parking or traffic Infringement Notice that may be issued. Alternatively, the registered owner may clearly identify the driver of the vehicle at the time the Infringement Notice was issued and provide a current address for that person, by means of a Statutory Declaration that must be signed in the presence of a Justice of the Peace or a Commissioner for Declarations. A Statutory Declaration is a legal document that carries weight before the law, in which the declarant is required to tell the truth. The University has entire discretion as to whether it accepts a Statutory Declaration, or whether it declines it and continues the process against the registered owner.
23. An official saw me park and didn't say anything, or, Said it was OK for a few minutes: University employees do not have authority to give permission to break the law. Wherever possible, Traffic or Security Officers will communicate with drivers about illegal parking, but silence by an official does not waive parking restrictions. It may be the case that the Officer is amazed that you would park illegally despite his or her presence.
    Under The University of Queensland Act (1998) only staff who are Authorised Persons are empowered to control traffic and parking - this does not include Heads of School, Directors of Centres, or your Manager - and a single database of current authorised persons is maintained by the University.
    If someone does tell you that you can or can't do something in relation to parking or traffic, then ask to see their identification card and write down their name, position, and ID number in case you are subsequently issued with an Infringement Notice. Please note that this may not necessarily cause the Infringement Notice to be withdrawn.
24. There was no place else to park, or, All the parking lots were full: Together with being an invalid excuse, this statement confirms the appellant's liability. It is every driver's responsibility to locate legal parking, and this may include having to find a space off-campus. Remember that if a place is not clearly signed as a parking area, then it is not a parking area.
25. If a space is available then I should be able to park there: Through signage and markings the University restricts users to particular parking areas because of the need to balance various needs against the number of people who access its sites. The parking plan is reviewed each year, and taking into consideration other requirements (such as the St Lucia Site Development Plan), the changing nature of activities on campus (sporting, cultural, entertainment, business, banking, wining and dining, commercial outlets) that complement the traditional activities of teaching, study, and research. Whilst most parking spaces are well patronised, there will always be some that are used more infrequently than others. Just because a space may not be occupied when you arrive on campus, that does not indicate that it will not be required shortly by an user who is authorised to park in that zone or space.
26. I had paid for parking and had permit displayed on my car: If you do not have an appropriate permit for a particular parking area then you must not park there. The offence is failure to display a valid permit, not failure to display a permit, and you therefore require a permit that is valid for the area or zone in which you park.
27. I was not causing an obstruction to other users, or, I was not causing an obstruction to access: You are not allowed to park on lawns, median strips, forest areas, footpaths, building accessways, or any other place not clearly set out as a parking area. Such activity damages University assets, or creates a hazard or risk to people or to the environment. You must find a safe and legal parking place and then occupy it while displaying the appropriate permit. Just because you can squeeze into a space does not make it an appropriate place to park. If it is not clearly marked as a parking area, then you may not park there.
28. I have a permit but I left it in my glovebox, or, My permit was on my other car: The offence is failure to display a valid permit, not, failure to have paid for a permit. If a permit is not displayed, then you may be issued with an Infringement Notice. Logistically, before issuing an Infringement Notice it is virtually impossible for the Officer to check to see whether a permit has been issued for every vehicle in which none is displayed. Please remember to switch your permit if you change cars, and be sure that you have registered the car with the permit. If you do forget, then you need to call in to PF Assist where we will issue a free-of-charge day permit which must be place on the dashboard of the vehicle.
29. I didn't see the sign, or, I didn't understand the sign: One of the responsibilities for drivers is to look for signs when parking, and on some occasions this may mean checking an entire parking lot. Drivers are also required to abide by directions indicated by the signs. Furthermore, licensed drivers are deemed to understand signage as set out in the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices which sets the community standard for parking and traffic signage. Therefore, when a person indicates that they did not understand a sign, it is not considered an acceptable excuse.
30. Only part of my car was parked illegally, or, The car next to me was taking up more than one bay: An breach of the regulations is not based on a certain percentage of the vehicle being illegally parked. If part of the vehicle extends into a restricted area, then the Infringement Notice is issued as if the whole vehicle encroached. The same applies when a vehicle straddles a line marking.
31. I didn't know that a yellow line means no stopping, or, I thought that yellow lines apply only at the University and I forgot what they indicate: Yellow lines are used Australia-wide to indicate no stopping areas, and it is the responsibility of licenced drivers to know and understand traffic signage and road markings that are standardised in the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
32. I don't mind paying the Infringement Notice, but I don't want to pay the additional fees: The issued Infringement Notice advises the due date for payment - which is approximately 28-days from the date of issue. If payment has not then been received, the University forwards a Reminder Notice to the registered owner of the vehicle to advise that the payment date has been extended by another 28-days. The name and address of the owner are obtained from the Queensland Transport database, and it is your responsibility to ensure that the address records are accurate. In order to receive this information, the University pays an upfront fee which is added to the amount outstanding. If the Infringement Notice remains unpaid after a further 28-days, then the matter is referred to the State Penalties Enforcement Registry (SPER) which also requires the University to pay upfront fees which are in turn added to the amount outstanding by SPER. Should an Infringement Notice be successfully appealed at this stage, then the additional fees will still be payable unless exceptional circumstances predicate otherwise. However, given that the infringer has been given two opportunities to appeal during this process, it is not likely that an appeal would be accepted and the original Infringement Notice amount waived.
33. I had my permit displayed, but I have a new vehicle: Annual and semester permits are issued on the condition that the driver advises the registration number of their vehicle or vehicles to PF Assist together with the make, model, and colour. If a vehicle displays a permit, but the details have not been recorded on the permit database, then the permit is invalid. Advising the University of those details is not a frivolous matter, but one that could involve the legal processes consequent on the issuance of an Infringement Notice. It is your responsibility to inform any changes to PF Assist .
34. I had paid my sporting membership fee to UQ Sport and thought this included parking fees: Neither UQ Sport nor the University gives any indication that sporting fees include a right to parking on campus. As with any other driver coming to St Lucia, if a vehicle is parked, then the relevant fee must be paid and a valid permit must be displayed.
35. Even though I don't/didn't have a University-issued Service and Maintenance parking permit, my vehicle is clearly marked by signwriting as a commercial vehicle: In order to park in Service & Maintenance vehicle parking bays on University sites, all vehicles - with the sole exception of vans belonging to courier companies - must display a University-issued permit. Signwriting, and business cards or notes left on the dashboard are not sufficient authorisation.
36. I had bought a pay & display permit, but it was face down, or, had fallen onto the floor: The offence is failure to display a valid permit, not failure to display a permit. If a permit is upside down, or face down, or has fallen from the dashboard, then it is not validly displayed because the details are not clearly visible from outside the vehicle. It is your responsibility to ensure that the permit is displayed properly.
37. The Short-term Zone machine wouldn't me pay for the whole period I wanted, so I bought two tickets that displayed the same period of time: Between 7:00am and 6:00pm, Short-term casual parking is limited to a maximum of 1½-hours to ensure that there is a good turnover of vehicles. If you wish to park for longer than 1½-hours, then you should choose a different parking area. You may not validly "bank" tickets - they are valid only for the period marked on the ticket.
38. I had bought a valid ticket, but had been delayed by unexpected demands, or, the meeting went longer than expected, and the time had passed: It is your responsibility to purchase parking that allows for unexpected delays if your vehicle is in a time-limited parking area. If the ticket has expired, then it is no longer valid despite being properly displayed, and a legally binding Infringement Notice may be issued.
39. The ticket was issued during summer vacation and there were plenty of spaces available, it is ridiculous to issue a ticket in these circumstances: University parking regulations apply 24-hours each day, and 7-days each week - irrespective of University programs and schedules. Paid parking applies on all weekdays (except Public Holidays) throughout the year from 7:00am until 9:00pm. It is a driver's responsibility to inform her/himself of the parking conditions. The driver does not have discretion to decide when parking must be paid for. Failure to display a valid permit is an offence that requires an Infringement Notice to be issued.