Parking in the Tweed
Parking fines Parking Enforcement Vehicle No overnight parking zones Vehicle permits Parking safely and legally Car parking studies
Council manages parking so everyone has access to our beaches and businesses.
Business districts
Free timed parking in the main business areas of Tweed Heads, Murwillumbah, Kingscliff, Cabarita and Pottsville
Paid parking
In Murwillumbah it costs $2 per day to park undercover on Level 2 of Council’s car park (next to the Aquatic Centre). Parking tokens are available at the Aquatic Centre café.
Sports facilities, schools & hospitals
Restricted timed parking zones
Residential parking
Most street parking is unrestricted
Parking fines
Council does not handle payments or disputes for parking fines
Penalty notices are managed by Revenue NSW.
If you believe a penalty notice has been issued in error, or you want to ask for leniency contact Revenue NSW:
Call 1300 138 118 or visit the Revenue NSW website.
Council cannot cancel or withdraw a penalty notice once it has been issued.
How to pay your parking fine
Instructions on how to pay your fine are provided on the penalty notice. Contact Revenue NSW for more information.
How are penalty notices issued?
In most cases penalty notices are sent to you in the mail. In some cases a parking officer may issue a notice at the time of the offence.
What happens with the money collected from parking infringements?
The revenue funds a range of Council projects and initiatives, including the ongoing cost of our parking enforcement vehicle.
Parking Enforcement Vehicle
Council’s Parking Enforcement Vehicle is fitted with state-of-the-art cameras and GPS mapping software. Cameras mounted on the roof provide a 360 degree view.
The car detects offences in real time, including illegal parking in bus zones, school zones, clearways, no parking and no stopping zones. The licence plate and location are recorded when an offence is detected.
The Parking Enforcement Vehicle targets high risk areas and ‘hot spots’ such as school zones. It is hoped the car will bring about a change in driver behaviour.
The car will help to improve turnover of parking spaces, reduce traffic congestion and increase safety.
What happens to the images of vehicles that are not parked illegally?
Images of vehicles that are lawfully parked are securely stored and deleted after a short period of time.
Do you have permission to record parked vehicles?
Authorised officers are permitted under legislation to investigate parking and road related offences, and to gather evidence to prove an offence. Council Rangers can capture images of offending vehicles, which can be used as evidence in court proceedings. Licence plate information captured by the Parking Enforcement Vehicle can also be used in court proceedings.
No overnight parking zones (overnight camping)
No parking between 11 pm and 5 am.
New parking restrictions have been put in place to prevent overnight camping.
This includes areas in Cabarita Beach, Chinderah, Fingal Head, Hastings Point, Kingscliff, Pottsville and Tweed Heads.
These restricted zones are mainly carparks near our beaches and are clearly shown with signage.
Sleeping in vehicles can cause public health, amenity and environmental issues.
Rangers patrol early morning and late at night and will issue on the spot fines.
Overnight prohibited parking zones: View online maps
Read more about camping and caravan parks or report illegal camping or parking.
Mobility parking permits
There are designated parking areas for people with mobility disabilities throughout the Tweed.
Parking spaces and signs that show the symbol for people with disabilities are for the use of vehicles displaying valid permits only.
For all other vehicles, the disability symbol has the same effect as a ‘No Stopping’ sign.
To apply, renew or replace a parking permit
When you apply for a Mobility Parking Scheme permit in NSW, you’ll also be issued an Australian Disability Parking Permit.
To apply, renew or replace a parking permit contact Roads and Maritime Services on 13 22 13 or see permits.
Displaying your permit
You need to insert your NSW permit card into the Australian Disability Parking Permit, and display both when parking.
You may be fined if no permit is displayed.
Where can I park using my permit?
The special parking conditions are only available for on-street parking and council operated car parks.
To find out more visit the Transport for NSW website.
Beach vehicle permits
The beach vehicle permit season runs from 1 August to 31 July each year.
There are provisions for permits in the following categories:
- Amateur permit (renewal of current permits ONLY) – a drivers licence and 4WD registration papers are required for renewal (and medical certificate if relevant).
- Professional permit – a commercial fishing licence, drivers licence and 4WD registration papers are required.
- Special permits – a certified disability parking permit, drivers licence and 4WD registration papers are required.
- Temporary short term permit – can be applied for in conjunction with a temporary Film Licence Agreement.
Council does not issue commercial (tour) beach vehicle permits.
Beach access for permit holders is limited to areas where there is relatively low beach usage by the general public.
Beach vehicles policy
Council’s Beach Vehicles Policy outlines conditions for the issuing of permits. It was developed with community consultation to:
- avoid conflict of beach use
- ensure high safety standards
- preserve coastal ecosystems
- minimise environmental impacts
- ensure our beaches and coastal areas are available for all to enjoy
Beach Vehicles Policy(PDF, 47KB)
Coastal reserves managed by NSW Government
The coastal areas of Cudgen, Wooyung and Billinudgel Nature Reserves are managed by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.
The NSW Government has management plans in place for each of these reserves, and beach driving is not permitted.
Tweed Shire Council beach vehicle permit holders are not allowed in these areas.
Parking safely and legally
Do not park:
- on a median strip, clearway or traffic island
- on or across a driveway, footpath or nature strip
- on a bus zone, or taxi zone
- between No Stopping signs or on yellow lines
- adjacent to a parked vehicle (double parking)
- within 10m of a non-signalised intersection
- within 3m of double centre lines
Read more about road safety.
Car parking studies
Council carried out a study of car parking spaces in the main central business districts of Tweed Heads, Murwillumbah and Kingscliff.
The study helped us to understand parking issues in the Tweed. It included a review of parking zones and ‘built’ carparks in the CBD areas and identified:
- areas of high parking demand and measured the use of parking spaces in those areas
- perceived barriers to using underutilised car parking spaces
The studies are being used to support decisions around transport and development.