In short
- 1P = one hour, 2P = two hours, 4P, 8P, and a plain P = unlimited. The clock starts when you arrive.
- Ticket/Phone means pay: $5.70 an hour in 1P, 2P, 4P and 8P areas, seven days, during the hours on the sign. 8P has a $12 day rate.
- The EasyPark app gives you 15 minutes free in every 1P and 2P paid zone. Not at the meter, only in the app.
- Outside the hours on the sign, parking is free and unrestricted. Public holidays are free unless the sign says otherwise.
- A new ticket does not reset a time limit. Move the car, and expect a 30-minute lock-out before a new app session on the same street.
The P number
| Sign | Means |
|---|---|
| ¼P | 15 minutes |
| ½P | 30 minutes |
| 1P | 1 hour |
| 2P | 2 hours |
| 4P | 4 hours |
| 8P | 8 hours |
| P | No time limit. Other conditions on the sign still apply. |
The limit runs from the moment you arrive. City of Newcastle is explicit that you must move the car before the limit is up, and that paying for a new ticket or resetting EasyPark does not buy more time in the same spot. The camera car records your plate on its first pass and checks it on the second.
Ticket/Phone zones
A sign that says Ticket or Ticket/Phone means you pay during the hours shown. Pay at the nearest meter by card, or in the EasyPark app. Do not leave the car without a session or a ticket.
| Area | Rate |
|---|---|
| 1P, 2P, 4P and 8P Ticket/Phone areas | $5.70 an hour, Mon to Sun |
| 8P areas, all day | $12 a day |
EasyPark adds a 10% service fee, but the council has set app prices so the final cost matches the meter. After you hit the maximum on the sign there is a 30-minute lock-out before you can start a new session.
The free 15 minutes
In every 1P and 2P paid zone, the first 15 minutes is free if you start the session in the EasyPark app. The meter does not give it to you. For a quick coffee on Darby Street or a drop-off on Hunter Street: open the app, start the session, stop it when you are back, and nothing is charged if you are inside 15 minutes.
Other free parking in Newcastle
- All timed and paid parking, outside the hours printed on the sign.
- Public holidays, unless the sign says Public holidays included.
- Motorcycles, all day, in the signposted motorcycle zones in the CBD, Hamilton, The Junction, Merewether and Bar Beach.
- Accessible permit holders in ticketed areas, with longer limits and up to five minutes in a No Parking zone.
Hours and public holidays
Every sign lists the days and hours it applies. In the city centre most paid parking runs weekday business hours and Saturday mornings, but it varies street by street, and the sign on the other side of the road can be different. Outside those hours the bay is free and unrestricted, though a clearway, bus zone or loading zone can still apply at other times on the same pole.
Other signs you'll see
| Sign | Means | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| No Parking | Stop for up to two minutes to drop off or pick up, driver within three metres | $140 |
| No Stopping | Do not stop at all, not even for a second | $330 |
| Loading Zone | Goods vehicles loading, and others only as the sign allows | $235 |
| Clearway | No stopping during the hours shown; towing is possible | $330 |
| Bus Zone | Buses only | $330 |
| Permit holders excepted | Residents with a permit skip the limit; everyone else does not | $140 |
Unsigned rules that apply everywhere: stay 10 metres back from an intersection without lights and 20 metres from one with lights, never across a driveway, never on the footpath or nature strip. Amounts and deadlines: Newcastle parking fines, decoded.
Broken meters
If a meter is out of order, pay in the EasyPark app or at the next meter. If a meter says use next meter, do that. Report a fault on 1300 373 077 or the council's online form and keep the reference number. The time limit on the sign still applies while a meter is broken.
Good to know.
What does 2P mean on a parking sign?
Up to two hours during the times on the sign. 1P is one hour, 4P four, 8P eight, and a plain P is unlimited. The clock starts when you arrive, and buying a new ticket or restarting the app does not reset it.
How much is street parking in Newcastle?
City of Newcastle charges $5.70 an hour in 1P, 2P, 4P and 8P Ticket/Phone areas, seven days a week during the hours on the sign. The daily rate in 8P areas is $12. Outside the hours on the sign parking is free.
Is there free parking in Newcastle?
Yes. The EasyPark app gives 15 minutes free in every 1P and 2P paid zone. All timed and paid parking is free outside the hours on the sign, and on public holidays unless the sign says Public holidays included. Motorcycles park free all day in signposted zones, and accessible permit holders park free in ticketed areas.
Do I need a ticket on a public holiday in Newcastle?
Only if the sign says Public holidays included. Otherwise paid and timed parking does not apply on public holidays.
Ranger near your car? You’ll know.
Tap I parked here on Rangr Dangr, set a 2P timer, and get a buzz if a neighbour reports a ranger nearby.