April 15, 2026•⏱️ 6 min read•Maneuvers
Parking Types Explained
Parallel, angle, and perpendicular parking each have their own techniques. Master all three to park anywhere with confidence.
1️⃣ Parallel Parking
The hardest but most common in city areas. Used along curbs.
Steps:
- 1. Find a space about 1.5x your car length
- 2. Signal right and pull up alongside the car in front
- 3. Align your rear bumper with their rear bumper
- 4. Reverse straight until your door is aligned with their car
- 5. Turn your wheel fully to the right (full lock)
- 6. Reverse until you see their headlights in your mirror
- 7. Straighten wheel, continue reversing
- 8. Turn wheel fully left, back into the space
- 9. Straighten and center your car in the space
2️⃣ Angle Parking (45° or 60°)
Common in shopping center car parks.
Steps:
- 1. Signal and slow down near the space
- 2. Turn into the space at about 45°
- 3. Straighten as you enter
- 4. Stop when your front bumper is clear of the car to your left
- 5. Adjust to center in the space
Use your mirrors to check proximity to neighboring cars.
3️⃣ Perpendicular Parking (90°)
Common in larger car parks. Requires more space.
Steps:
- 1. Drive past the space and stop
- 2. Reverse into the space (easier than forward in)
- 3. Turn wheel fully to the left
- 4. Reverse slowly, watching mirrors and over your shoulder
- 5. Straighten before your car is fully in
- 6. Center your car in the space
Parking Rules in NSW
Never Park Here:
- • Within 10 metres of an intersection
- • Within 3 metres of a fire hydrant
- • On a children's crossing
- • On a pedestrian crossing
- • Within 1 metre of a driveway
- • In a loading zone (unless authorized)
- • In a bus zone
- • On a clearway (during clearway hours)
Legal Distances
From fire hydrant
At least 1 metre
From an intersection
At least 10 metres
From a driveway
At least 1 metre
From a pedestrian crossing
At least 3 metres
Parking Fines
| Offence | Fine |
|---|---|
| Parked in disabled space | $2,200 |
| Double parking | $265 |
| Blocking a driveway | $265 |
| Overstaying time limit | $107 |
Pro Tip:
Use reference points! Find a fixed object (tree, pole) in line with where you want to park. This makes parking in tight spaces much easier and more consistent.