Disability parking permits

To reduce barriers faced by people diagnosed as having a mobility impairment or legal blindness the disability parking permit scheme allows permit holders to park in parking bays showing the international symbol of access.

There are 2 types of disability parking permits:

• Australian disability parking permit – for individuals and organisations
• Red permit – for existing red permit holders only.

If you have an Australian disability parking permit issued interstate and you move to Queensland, you will need to apply for a new permit within 14 days of becoming a resident.

Using your disability parking permit

Australian disability parking permit

To avoid a $645 fine your disability parking permit must be clearly displayed when in use. The expiry date and permit number must be visible from the exterior of the vehicle.

You can use your Australian disability parking permit to park:

• for free at any on-street parking in local government metered and regulated parking areas:
  • up to 30 minutes—when the time limit shown on a sign is less than this
  • for an unlimited time—when the time limit shown on a sign is 30 minutes or more
• in parking bays displaying the international symbol of access for on and off-street parking bays.

Private car parks may charge their own fees. You will need to check the terms and conditions of parking in private car parks.

Red permit

You can use your red permit to park according to the permit conditions in any off-street parking bay displaying the international symbol of access.

On-street parking is not permitted.

Private car parks may charge their own fees. You will need to check the terms and conditions of parking in private car parks.

Overseas and interstate permits

Valid overseas and interstate parking permits may be used in Queensland and are equivalent to the Australian permit.

Queensland parking rules apply.

Permit conditions of use

• Your permit must:
  - be used to park only in the parking bays stated
  - be clearly displayed so the permit number and expiry date are visible from the outside of the vehicle
  - be displayed when you (or the eligible person for organisations) are getting in or out of the vehicle
  - be displayed in a vehicle up to and including 4.5t gross vehicle mass
  - not be damaged, altered or copied.
• The permit holder must enter or exit the vehicle while it is parked in a disability parking bay.
• You must follow your permit conditions or you may be fined.

Report misuse of a disability parking permit or bay

You can report misuse of a disability parking permit or misuse of a parking bay. Be aware that some permit holders meet the eligibility criteria for a permit but may not require the use of a mobility device.

How to report misuse

To report the misuse of on-street and public disability parking bays contact the local government where the disability parking bay is located or the Queensland Police Service.

For private car parks, reports about illegal use of disability parking bays should be made to the property owner.

To report misuse of a disability parking permit, you can contact the Department of Transport and Main Roads and include details such as:

• permit number
• place where the person parked
• date and time
• registration of vehicle and vehicle type.

Enforcing disability parking bay misuse

Local government parking inspectors enforce the local law on public roads and parking bays administered by local government.

Owners of private car parks (such as hospitals, shopping centres and clubs) may also enter into an agreement with local governments to allow parking inspectors to issue parking infringement notices.