Parking Enforcement Services

Appeals must be submitted in writing, either through this website or by post. Be sure to include your contact address, registration and breach number with your appeal if doing so by post. Once received, your breach notice will be placed on hold while we review it. We will respond in writing within ten (10) working days.

For more detailed information, please refer to our Appeals page.

You may also refer to your breach notice or reminder letter for details on how to lodge an appeal.

Please visit the Payment page on this website for full instructions.

You can pay by:

• Credit or debit card (a small surcharge applies)
• Online EFTPOS (no surcharge)

If you have not received a reply within ten (10) working days, please check your junk/spam email folder, as our responses can sometimes be redirected there.

If you still haven’t heard from us by the payment due date, contact us on 0800 727 536 (8:30am – 4:30pm, Monday to Friday) to check the progress of your appeal.

Parking breach notices are issued under contract law. By entering a private car park, you agree to the Terms & Conditions displayed at the site. These typically include:

• Payment requirements
• Maximum parking time limits
• Parking only in designated spaces

If you do not agree with the terms, you should leave immediately. If you stay and park, you accept the terms. A breach notice may be issued if those terms are not met.

You may receive a Breach Notice when our system cannot find a valid payment against your vehicle.

There are several common reasons why this may occur:

• Incorrect licence plate entry – e.g. typing “ABC123” instead of “ACB123,” or missing a digit.

• • How to avoid: Double-check your licence plate before confirming payment

• Late payment – e.g. paying after the initial grace period has expired, so the session does not match your entry time.

• • How to avoid: Always pay or start an app parking session immediately after parking, before leaving the car park

• Insufficient payment – e.g. paying for 1 hour when your vehicle was parked for 2 hours.

• •  How to avoid: Check the time needed and extend your session if you plan to stay longer.

• Payment against a different vehicle – e.g. your payment was linked to another registration you have saved in your ParkMate or other accepted payment app.
  • How to avoid: Ensure the correct vehicle is selected in your parking app before confirming payment.

• Payment for the incorrect location – e.g. selecting the wrong car park in the ParkMate or other accepted payment app.
  • How to avoid: Check the location code or signage in the car park before making payment.

• Payment was not made for the correctly for the site – e.g. payment was made to a Council or third-party app not accepted for the site.
  • How to avoid: Confirm the car park operator details on the signage or payment app before completing your payment.

If you believe you did pay correctly, please submit an appeal with one of the following so we can review your case:

• A copy of your ParkMate or other app invoice showing the licence plate, location paid for and session details.
• A bank or card statement showing the parking transaction and the details of the last 4 numbers of the card that was used, or
• A screenshot of your parking app showing the licence plate and session details.

Compliance is monitored in several ways, including:

• On-foot or vehicle patrols
• Licence Plate Recognition (LPR) vehicles
• Fixed LPR cameras

To ensure fairness, we apply short grace periods before issuing a notice. These allow reasonable time for:

• Before payment – to read signs, decide whether to stay, and pay.
• After paid time expires – to return to your vehicle and exit.
• After a time limit is reached – a short buffer to cover delays such as loading or internal traffic.

Yes. Private parking breach notices are enforceable under contract law, confirmed by both case law and Disputes Tribunal decisions.

• ParkingEye v Beavis [2015] UKSC 67 (UK Supreme Court): Confirmed that breach fees are enforceable if they are clearly signposted, fair, and serve a genuine commercial purpose.
• Honey Bees Preschool Ltd v 127 Hobson Street Ltd [2020] NZSC 53 (NZ Supreme Court): Held that contractual penalties are enforceable if they protect a legitimate commercial interest and are not disproportionate.
• BX v F Ltd [2024] NZDT 12 (NZ Disputes Tribunal): Upheld parking breach fees of up to $160 as reasonable.

You can search other Disputes Tribunal decisions at www.disputestribunal.govt.nz/disputes-decision-finder using the keyword “parking.”

Yes, our officers have undergone extensive in-house training based on industry recognised security and private parking enforcement standards. All officers are also taken through specialised conflict management training ensuring both their own health and safety and providing extra customer service and protection for our clients brand and reputation.

No. We issue parking breach notices, which are contractual breach fees.

Some publications and social media suggest only liquidated damages are enforceable. This is incorrect. Case law and Tribunal decisions confirm that contractual breach fees are valid and enforceable.

Most sites are enforced 24/7, 365 days per year. Always check site signage for any specific restrictions.

Yes. Parking Enforcement Services, a division of Wilson Parking New Zealand Limited, is a signatory to the Code of Practice for Parking Enforcement on Private Land – New Zealand.

Click here for a copy of the code.

When a breach occurs, we are authorised by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency to obtain registered vehicle owner details from the Motor Vehicle Register (Motochek).

Access to this information is strictly controlled and monitored by both Waka Kotahi and Wilson Parking in line with approved security and privacy protocols.

Each enforced site displays its Terms & Conditions, usually titled “Important Notice.” Additional signage may include:

• Payment requirements
• Time limits
• Authorised parking restrictions

Always read the signs carefully to understand the rules before you park.

We will only tow a vehicle after making reasonable attempts to warn the owner that towing is imminent.

If you think your car has been towed, please call us 0800 727 536.

• Always read and follow parking signs.
• Allow a little extra time when paying for parking.
• Use the ParkMate app for convenience:
  • Purchase parking in advance
  • Set up reminders
  • Start and stop your session from your phone

For more tips, see our How to Avoid a Breach Notice page

The terms and conditions of parking are found on “Important Notice”. signs. These signs are displayed at all sites. It is important to read notices and other signs, as the terms and conditions can vary site-to-site. If you are using the ParkMate app, the terms and conditions of parking are also available within the app under the “Car Park Details” for each site.

Examples of generic terms and conditions are available here

Our Privacy and Surveillance Policies are available here

An information flyer is available here

We endeavor to resolve all complaints internally. If you can please email details of your complaint with the subject “Formal Complaint” to [email protected], we will ensure this is escalated to the appropriate Manager for further review.