Australian Capital Territory National Land (Road Transport) (Parking Authority) Guidelines 2025

The instrument structures a ticket parking scheme around a handful of core concepts and procedural obligations. These concepts are defined in the instrument itself or, where defined elsewhere, the instrument refers those definitions to the Ordinance or the Rules.

• Parking authority: The operative duties in s6 repeatedly address "a parking authority" and the instrument applies to any entity acting as such under the Rules and Ordinance. The instrument does not define the term within its text; it notes that a number of expressions (including NCA and Ordinance) are defined in the Ordinance or the Rules (s4 Note). Users must therefore consult the Ordinance/Rules for the statutory definition of "parking authority".
• NCA Chief Executive: The instrument defines "NCA Chief Executive" as the Chief Executive of the NCA referred to in section 45 of the Australian Capital Territory (Planning and Land Management) Act 1988 (s4). The NCA Chief Executive is the central agency point for notifications, submissions and enforcement requests under the instrument (see s6(2), s6(5)-(7), s6(8)-(10)).
• Ticket parking scheme / ticket parking area: The instrument treats a ticket parking scheme as a discrete scheme operated by a parking authority that uses parking ticket machines and signage, and it repeatedly refers to a "ticket parking area" as the spatial unit where the scheme operates (s5; s6). The instrument requires specific markings and communications for any pay parking area (s6(3)-(4)).
• Signs and road markings: These must be consistent with the Road Transport (Road Rules) Regulation 2017 (ACT) and specified Australian and Australian/New Zealand Standards as those instruments and standards were in force at the time this instrument commenced (s6(1)(a)-(c)). The instrument therefore adopts an explicit standards-based baseline for physical controls and signage.
• Parking fees and tickets: The instrument requires written notification to the NCA Chief Executive of fees and changes, display of fees at each machine, and submission of an example of a parking ticket to the NCA Chief Executive (s6(2)-(5)). These provisions create a transparency and central-record requirement for pricing and ticket format.
• Enforcement and authorised persons: The instrument does not itself provide enforcement powers; instead it creates a procedural prerequisite for enforcement: the parking authority must write to the NCA Chief Executive requesting enforcement by authorised persons (s6(6)). The instrument further requires notification of ticket machine malfunctions so that enforcement can be adjusted (s6(7)). The source does not define "authorised persons" within the instrument; that term is left to the Regulations, Ordinance or Rules.
• Traffic control devices: A parking authority must submit a plan showing traffic control devices in the ticket parking area to the NCA Chief Executive (s6(8)). This creates a plan-and-approval information flow for all physical traffic-control apparatus used in the scheme.
• Procedural notices for change or cessation: The instrument requires advising the NCA Chief Executive of any changes to the ticket parking area (s6(9)) and written notification if the parking authority wishes to cease operation of the ticket parking scheme (s6(10)). These create obligations to keep the NCA Chief Executive informed of the scheme lifecycle.

These concepts operate against a statutory hierarchy. The instrument is a guideline made under s34(1) of the Road Transport (Safety and Traffic Management) Regulation 2017 (ACT)(Cth) as applied by the Ordinance and Rules (s3), and its purpose is expressly to set out the parking authority guidelines required by that provision (s5). The instrument therefore sits as a subordinate instrument in the regulatory chain and frequently cross‑references provisions in the Regulations (s5 Note).

The instrument creates duties and information flows that identify primary and secondary affected parties. Those affected include:

• Parking authorities: The instrument is directed at "a parking authority" operating a ticket parking scheme on National Land. The instrument places the principal operational and administrative obligations on the parking authority: ensuring signs and markings comply with specified rules and standards (s6(1)); advising the NCA Chief Executive in writing of parking fees and any changes (s6(2)); clearly identifying pay parking areas (s6(3)); ensuring fees are displayed at each parking ticket machine (s6(4)); submitting an example parking ticket (s6(5)); requesting enforcement in writing if required (s6(6)); notifying machine malfunctions as soon as practicable (s6(7)); submitting plans of traffic control devices (s6(8)); advising of area changes (s6(9)); and notifying the NCA Chief Executive in writing if it wishes to cease operating the scheme (s6(10)). Those provisions establish who pays administrative and compliance costs: the parking authority.
• NCA Chief Executive / National Capital Authority: The instrument centralises decision-making and information reception with the NCA Chief Executive (defined in s4). The NCA Chief Executive is the designated recipient of written fee notifications and changes (s6(2)), ticket samples (s6(5)), enforcement requests (s6(6)), malfunction notifications (s6(7)), traffic control device plans (s6(8)), change notices (s6(9)), and cessation notices (s6(10)). The instrument therefore allocates to the NCA an administrative role in oversight and co‑ordination of ticket parking schemes.
• Authorised persons: Enforcement is to be carried out by "authorised persons" but only after a parking authority writes to the NCA Chief Executive requesting enforcement (s6(6)). The instrument does not define the authorised persons here; that term is left to the Regulations/Ordinance/Rules. Authorised persons will be operationally affected because the instrument conditions enforcement activity on the parking authority’s written request and on notifications regarding machine malfunctions (s6(6)-(7)).
• Road users / motorists: Users of ticket parking areas are affected indirectly because the instrument requires pay parking areas to be clearly identified (s6(3)), fees to be clearly displayed at each machine (s6(4)), and signage and markings to comply with prescribed road rules and standards (s6(1)). Those requirements affect the information available to drivers and the physical configuration of parking spaces.
• Operators of parking ticket machines and traffic control devices: The instrument creates obligations to display fees at each machine (s6(4)), to submit ticket samples (s6(5)), to notify malfunctions (s6(7)), and to submit plans for traffic control devices (s6(8)). Those operators bear compliance costs and record‑keeping duties to support the parking authority’s obligations.
• Standards bodies and statutory instruments: The instrument anchors physical and visual controls to the Road Transport (Road Rules) Regulation 2017 (ACT) and specified Standards (s6(1)). While Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand are not obliged parties, the instrument’s reliance on those standards makes them central reference points for compliance evidence, and the NCA office is stated as a public access point to those documents in 2025.

The instrument does not itself create new categories of regulated persons beyond those above, and it explicitly leaves some definitions (e.g. parking authority, Ordinance) to the Ordinance and Rules (s4 Note). Where terms are undefined in the instrument, affected parties will need to consult the Ordinance and Rules to confirm scope and categories.

The instrument creates a set of prescriptive duties for parking authorities and specifies the NCA Chief Executive as the procedural hub. It does not, within its text, create express statutory rights for private parties beyond the requirement of compliance. The operative duties and implied rights are:

Key duties of parking authorities

• Signage and markings consistency: Ensure all signs and road markings used in the ticket parking scheme are consistent with the Road Transport (Road Rules) Regulation 2017 (ACT) as in force at commencement, and with four specified Australian / Australian‑New Zealand Standards as in force at commencement (s6(1)(a)-(c)). This is a positive duty to adopt the stated standards in physical controls.
• Fees notification and display: Advise the NCA Chief Executive in writing of parking fees to be charged under the ticket parking scheme, and of any changes to those fees (s6(2)); clearly identify a ticket parking area as a pay parking area where it is a pay parking area (s6(3)); display fees clearly at each parking ticket machine within the ticket parking area (s6(4)). These duties create a requirement for written notice to NCA and for on-site fee transparency.
• Ticket sample submission: Submit an example of a parking ticket issued under the ticket parking scheme to the NCA Chief Executive (s6(5)). This imposes a documentation duty for ticket format and content.
• Enforcement request and malfunction notifications: If enforcement is required, write to the NCA Chief Executive requesting enforcement by authorised persons (s6(6)); notify the NCA Chief Executive of any parking ticket machine malfunctions as soon as practicable so the malfunction can be taken into account for enforcement activities (s6(7)). These duties create a procedural prerequisite before enforcement activities commence and a duty to notify operational failures promptly.
• Traffic control devices plan: Submit a plan showing the traffic control devices in the ticket parking area to the NCA Chief Executive (s6(8)). This is an information-submission duty for physical control devices.
• Change and cessation notices: Advise the NCA Chief Executive of any changes to the ticket parking area (s6(9)) and notify the NCA Chief Executive in writing if the parking authority wishes to cease operating the ticket parking scheme (s6(10)). These are lifecycle notification duties.

NCA Chief Executive duties / role

• Receive and act as central repository for written notifications: The instrument designates the NCA Chief Executive as the recipient of fees, ticket examples, enforcement requests, malfunction notices, device plans and change/cessation notices (s6(2), (5)-(10)). While the instrument does not specify active decision-making steps by the NCA Chief Executive beyond being the addressee, the centrality of that role means the NCA Chief Executive will be the decision or coordination point for enforcement requests and for taking account of malfunctions in enforcement (s6(6)-(7)).
• Provide public access to Standards: The instrument notes that copies of the relevant Standards were freely available for viewing by the public at NCA offices in 2025 (s6(1) Note). That creates a transparency duty in practice, though the instrument does not command NCA action beyond the statement.

Rights and limitations within the instrument

• The instrument does not itself create enforcement powers or specify penalties; rather, it situates enforcement within the Regulations and conditions enforcement on a written request to the NCA Chief Executive (s5 Note; s6(6)). The instrument therefore does not itself confer new penal consequences but creates procedural gates that affect the ability to seek enforcement under the Regulations.
• The instrument fixes the versions of the Road Rules Regulation and Standards to those "as in force at the time this instrument commences" (s6(1)), which gives parking authorities certainty about which versions apply at commencement but does not provide an express mechanism within the instrument for automatic updating to later versions.

Behavioural effects

• The instrument shifts several administrative tasks to parking authorities and centralises coordination with the NCA Chief Executive. Parking authorities must adopt standards-based signage, maintain and disclose fee information, cooperate on machine malfunctions and submit technical plans for traffic control devices, and first seek enforcement through the NCA Chief Executive. Those procedural duties reallocate transaction and information-cost burdens to parking authorities while making the NCA Chief Executive the information hub.

The instrument itself does not specify criminal, civil or administrative penalties. Instead, it organises enforcement procedure and links compliance to the parent Regulation and relevant provisions in the Road Transport framework. Key points from the instrument:

• Procedural prerequisite for enforcement: If enforcement of a ticket parking scheme is required, the parking authority "must write to the NCA Chief Executive requesting enforcement by authorised persons" (s6(6)). Enforcement actions under the ticket parking scheme are therefore triggered, in the instrument’s design, by a written request to the NCA Chief Executive.
• Interaction with the Regulations for legal consequences: The instrument states that it is made for the purposes of subsection 34(1) of the Regulations and that the parking authority guidelines must be complied with by the parking authority in the operation of the ticket parking scheme, citing subsections 34(3) and (4) and section 37 of the Regulations (s5 and s5 Note). The instrument therefore relies on the Regulations for the substantive enforcement powers, procedural sanctions and possible penalties; the instrument itself does not reproduce those enforcement provisions.
• Consideration of machine malfunctions: The instrument requires the parking authority to notify the NCA Chief Executive of any parking ticket machine malfunctions "as soon as practicable" so the malfunction can be taken into account for enforcement activities (s6(7)). This creates an evidentiary link between machine operational status and the exercise of enforcement discretion by authorised persons, but the instrument does not specify how malfunctions affect liability or enforcement outcomes.
• Authorised persons: Enforcement by authorised persons is referenced, but the instrument does not define who authorised persons are, what accreditation or appointment process they follow, or what enforcement powers they hold. Those details are left to the Regulations, Ordinance or Rules. The instrument’s enforcement pathway therefore depends on an external definition of authorised persons and their statutory powers.
• No fines, offences or penalties in the instrument: There is no provision within the Guidelines that creates offences, specified fines, demerit processes or administrative penalty regimes. Any penalties applicable to non‑compliance with the Guidelines must therefore be found in the Regulations, Ordinance, Rules or other applicable law.

Practical enforcement implications

• Enforcement is conditional and centralised: Enforcement activity under a ticket parking scheme is not automatic from the instrument alone; rather, a parking authority must request enforcement through the NCA Chief Executive (s6(6)). This centralisation can affect the timing and availability of enforcement measures in practice.
• Evidence and mitigation: The requirement to notify malfunctions "as soon as practicable" and to submit ticket samples and device plans (s6(5)-(8)) creates documentary evidence that authorised persons may take into account when deciding whether to enforce or with what mitigation. The instrument thereby embeds certain procedural protections or evidentiary inputs for enforcement decisions, without prescribing the outcomes.

For the specific content of offences, penalties and the scope of authorised persons' powers, practitioners must consult subsections 34(3) and (4), section 37 of the Road Transport (Safety and Traffic Management) Regulation 2017 (ACT)(Cth) and the applied Ordinance and Rules, as the instrument itself does not detail those matters (s5 Note).

The Guidelines are explicitly a subordinate instrument that integrates with a small network of primary and subordinate law. The instrument identifies the legal and standards framework it sits within and the specific connections:

Statutory parentage

• Made under the Regulations as applied: The Guidelines are made under subsection 34(1) of the Road Transport (Safety and Traffic Management) Regulation 2017 (ACT)(Cth), as applied by the Australian Capital Territory National Land (Road Transport) Ordinance 2025 and the Australian Capital Territory National Land (Road Transport) Rules 2025 (s3). That establishes the Guidelines’ place in the statutory hierarchy: subordinate to the Regulations, the Ordinance and the Rules.
• Purpose linked to specific Regulatory provisions: The instrument states its function is to set out the parking authority guidelines for operation of a ticket parking scheme under section 37 of the Regulations and notes that the parking authority guidelines must be complied with under subsections 34(3) and (4) and section 37 of the Regulations (s5). Practitioners must therefore read the Guidelines alongside those Regulation provisions to understand legal consequences and the full compliance regime.

Cross-references to other instruments and statutes

• Road Transport (Road Rules) Regulation 2017 (ACT): Signs and road markings for a ticket parking scheme must be consistent with the Road Rules Regulation 2017 as in force at the time this instrument commences (s6(1)(a)). The Guidelines reference a specific external regulatory instrument as a baseline for signage and markings.
• Australian / Australian‑New Zealand Standards: The Guidelines require consistency with particular Australian Standards and Australian/New Zealand Standards as in force at commencement,AS 1742.11:2016, AS 2890.5:2020, AS/NZS 2890.1:2004, and AS/NZS 2890.6:2009 (s6(1)(b)-(c)). Those standards are external, privately producedised documents adopted by reference as the technical baseline for physical controls. The instrument also notes public access to those standards at the NCA offices in 2025 (s6(1) Note).
• Australian Capital Territory (Planning and Land Management) Act 1988: The instrument defines "NCA Chief Executive" by reference to section 45 of that Act (s4). This links the administrative recipient role in the Guidelines to the statutory office created in the Planning and Land Management Act.
• Ordinance and Rules definitions: The instrument explicitly notes that a number of expressions used in the instrument are defined in the Ordinance or the Rules, including the NCA and the Ordinance itself (s4 Note). Practitioners must therefore consult the Ordinance and the Rules to resolve the instrument’s defined terms and to confirm the scope of duties.

Temporal fixing of external references

• Versions "as in force at the time this instrument commences": The Guidelines lock in the versions of the Road Rules Regulation and the Standards to those "as in force at the time this instrument commences" (s6(1)(a)-(c)). That phrasing means that later amendments to those external instruments are not automatically incorporated into the Guidelines; compliance is to the versions in force at the Guidelines’ commencement. This is an express temporal interaction with other instruments.
• Commencement sequencing: The Guidelines commence immediately after the Rules commence; the Rules commenced immediately after the Ordinance, which commenced on 1 April 2025 (s2 and Commencement note). The sequencing ties the Guidelines to the applied National Land Rules and Ordinance.

Omitted matters and referral for substantive law

• Enforcement powers and penalties: The Guidelines do not include offence provisions, penalty amounts, or the definition of authorised persons; they refer to the Regulations and thereby require cross-referencing to the Regulations, Ordinance and Rules to understand the enforcement architecture, penalties and the persons empowered to enforce (s5 Note; s6(6)).
• Definitions of key terms: Several key expressions are defined in the Ordinance or the Rules rather than within the instrument (s4 Note). For scope and applicability, those primary instruments must be consulted.

In sum, the Guidelines are an operational, standards-based instrument that depends on and interacts with the Road Transport Regulations, the National Land Ordinance and Rules, the NCA’s statutory office, and specified external Standards. Practitioners must treat the Guidelines as part of a package, not as a standalone legal source.

The instrument contains its own provenance and commencement sequencing but does not record any prior amendments or versions. The explicit points in the instrument are:

• Creation date and making authority: The Guidelines are made by Karen Doran, Chief Executive of the National Capital Authority, and dated 24 March 2025 (front matter). This is the instrument’s making date.
• Commencement sequencing: The Guidelines commence immediately after the commencement of the Australian Capital Territory National Land (Road Transport) Rules 2025 (s2). The instrument’s note adds that the Rules commenced immediately after the Ordinance, which commenced on 1 April 2025 (s2 Note). Therefore the Guidelines’ effective commencement is immediately after those Rules commenced. The instrument does not provide a clock time or specify a later operative date; it depends on the Rules’ commencement.
• No recorded amendments: The instrument text contains no amendment clauses, schedules of prior amendments, repeal clauses or amendment history. There are no indications within the document of earlier versions, transitional modifications or expiry. The instrument presents as an original, standalone instrument made on the date shown.
• Versions of external instruments fixed at commencement: The instrument fixes which versions of the Road Rules Regulation and the listed Standards apply, qualifying them as "as in force at the time this instrument commences" (s6(1)). That creates a temporal reference point for the standards that the Guidelines require be followed. If amendments to those external instruments occur later, the Guidelines do not, within their text, automatically update to reflective later versions.

For future amendments practitioners should monitor the NCA or the Federal Register of Legislation (or the statutory repository used for National Land instruments) for any subsequent amending instruments. The Guidelines themselves contain no internal amendment process and do not set review or sunset dates.

The instrument text contains no references to judicial decisions, litigation, disputes or any contested interpretation arising from these Guidelines. Specific points:

• No cases cited or noted: The Guidelines do not mention any cases, court rulings or tribunal decisions. They are an administrative instrument and include no litigation history.
• No challenge history recorded: The instrument does not record prior challenges, injunctions, or disputes relating to its making, terms or application. The text is silent on any legal proceedings.
• Reliance on Regulations for dispute resolution: Because the Guidelines rely on the Road Transport (Safety and Traffic Management) Regulation 2017 (ACT)(Cth), and reserve enforcement to authorised persons under the Regulations, any litigation challenging enforcement powers, penalties, or authorised persons’ actions would likely implicate the Regulations, Ordinance and Rules rather than the Guidelines alone. That said, the Guidelines’ procedural requirements (for example the requirement to request enforcement in writing) could be material in any dispute over whether enforcement steps were properly taken; but the instrument itself contains no litigation record to reference.

Practitioners seeking litigation history or judicial interpretation relevant to application of these Guidelines must therefore look to case law and decisions concerning the Regulations, the Ordinance, the Rules and any decisions involving the NCA Chief Executive in this regulatory area. The instrument itself provides no litigation precedents.

The Guidelines are concise but contain several operational and legal points that can be sources of confusion, delay, or unanticipated compliance cost if not addressed carefully. The principal "gotchas" drawn directly from the instrument are:

1. Versions are fixed to commencement, not elastic to future updates (s6(1)).

   • The Guidelines require signs and markings to be consistent with the Road Rules Regulation 2017 (ACT) and specified Standards "as in force at the time this instrument commences" (s6(1)(a)-(c)). That means the exact versions to be complied with are those in force at commencement. A parking authority that later assumes they must follow updated Standards or updated Road Rules without checking the Guidelines’ fixed reference could misapply the requirement. Conversely, reliance on those fixed versions could produce technical non‑conformity if the underlying regulatory regime (the Road Rules) changes but the Guidelines have not been amended. Practitioners must identify the exact versions in force at the Guidelines’ commencement date.

2. Definitions are partly external (s4 Note).

   • Key terms such as "parking authority", "Ordinance" and other expressions are defined in the Ordinance or the Rules rather than in the Guidelines (s4 Note). Do not assume domestic or common law meanings for those categories; check the Ordinance and Rules to determine who the Guidelines apply to and whether an entity is captured.

3. Enforcement is conditional on a written request to the NCA Chief Executive (s6(6)).

   • A parking authority cannot assume enforcement will be automatically applied by authorised persons; the parking authority must first write to the NCA Chief Executive requesting enforcement. This introduces an administrative gate and potential delay. If a parking authority fails to make that request, authorised persons may not take enforcement action; if a parking authority does make the request, the timing and scope of authorised persons’ action is still governed by the Regulations and authorised persons’ powers.

4. "As soon as practicable" is used without an objective timeframe (s6(7)).

   • The obligation to notify the NCA Chief Executive of parking ticket machine malfunctions "as soon as practicable" is fact‑sensitive and open to interpretation. Practitioners should prepare a conservative internal standard for notification to avoid disputes about timeliness affecting appeals, mitigation or enforcement decisions.

5. The instrument does not itself create enforcement powers or penalties (s5 Note).

   • Any party seeking clarity on penalties, enforcement mechanisms, or the powers of authorised persons must consult the Regulations, Ordinance and Rules. Do not assume the Guidelines independently provide a penalty regime.

6. Centralisation creates single-point dependencies (s6 generally).

   • Many procedural requirements are channelled to the NCA Chief Executive (fees, tickets, enforcement requests, device plans, change/cessation notices). The operational readiness of the NCA and the parking authority’s coordination processes will determine responsiveness. Expect potential administrative bottlenecks if notification inflows are large and NCA processes are not sufficiently resourced.

7. Public access to Standards noted but no obligation to provide copies (s6(1) Note).

   • The instrument notes that, in 2025, relevant Standards were available from Standards Australia and were also freely available for viewing by the public at the NCA offices. That is a statement of availability rather than an express duty to provide copies. Parking authorities should confirm current arrangements for access to the Standards and budget for any direct procurement of standard documents if needed.

8. Ticket examples and device plans create record disclosure requirements (s6(5) & s6(8)).

   • Submitting an example of a parking ticket and a plan showing traffic control devices may require internal approvals, design documentation, and potentially redaction of commercially sensitive information. The Guidelines do not address confidentiality or information-handling procedures for those submissions.

9. Practical interoperability with existing local regimes is unspecified.

   • The Guidelines apply to National Land parking schemes under the applied Regulations and Ordinance. They do not explain how they interact with local territorial parking controls or existing contractual arrangements for parking management. Entities with mixed land portfolios should map which schemes are governed by these Guidelines and which are governed by other regimes.

10. Ceasing operation requires written notice but no prescribed timeframe (s6(10)).

• The instrument requires written notification to the NCA Chief Executive if a parking authority wishes to cease operating a ticket parking scheme, but it does not set minimum notice periods or transitional obligations. Practical issues,such as handling outstanding tickets, changes to signage, or removal of devices,are not addressed and must be managed with the NCA and within the Rules/Regulations framework.

In short, the Guidelines are procedural and technical. The principal risks for practitioners are misreading the fixed-version references for standards and road rules, misidentifying the regulated entity because definitions live in other instruments, underestimating administrative friction from required written notices to the NCA Chief Executive, and misunderstanding that enforcement and penalties are governed by the Regulations rather than the Guidelines themselves.

Compliance under these Guidelines is a set of discrete, documentable actions allocated mainly to the parking authority and coordinated through the NCA Chief Executive. The following steps, grounded directly in the instrument’s text, provide a practical checklist for parking authorities.

1. Confirm whether the entity is a "parking authority" under the Ordinance/Rules (s4 Note).

   • Before acting, consult the Australian Capital Territory National Land (Road Transport) Ordinance 2025 and the Rules 2025 to confirm your status as a parking authority and to identify any other statutory obligations or definitions that affect scope and competence. The Guidelines note that several expressions are defined in the Ordinance or the Rules (s4 Note).

2. Adopt the prescribed signage and marking standards (s6(1)).

   • Ensure all signs and road markings intended for the ticket parking scheme are consistent with: the Road Transport (Road Rules) Regulation 2017 (ACT) as in force at the time the Guidelines commenced (s6(1)(a)); Australian Standard AS 1742.11:2016 and AS 2890.5:2020 as in force at commencement (s6(1)(b)); and Australian/New Zealand Standards AS/NZS 2890.1:2004 and AS/NZS 2890.6:2009 as in force at commencement (s6(1)(c)). Identify and document the exact versions of those instruments "as in force at the time this instrument commences" for audit trail purposes.

3. Prepare and provide written notification of parking fees and any future changes (s6(2)).

   • Draft and send a written notice to the NCA Chief Executive specifying the parking fees to be charged under the ticket parking scheme. Establish internal controls to ensure any future fee changes are recorded and a written notice sent to the NCA Chief Executive promptly as required.

4. Clearly identify pay parking areas and ensure fee display at machines (s6(3)-(4)).

   • Physically mark the ticket parking area as a pay parking area where applicable (s6(3)). Ensure the fees for the ticket parking scheme are clearly displayed at each parking ticket machine within the ticket parking area (s6(4)). Retain photographic or other evidence that signage and fee displays are compliant.

5. Submit an example parking ticket to the NCA Chief Executive (s6(5)).

   • Provide an exemplar of the ticket that will be issued under the scheme to the NCA Chief Executive. Keep a record of the submission and any correspondence or requested amendments.

6. Coordinate enforcement procedures with NCA Chief Executive (s6(6)).

   • If enforcement is required, prepare the written request to the NCA Chief Executive requesting enforcement by authorised persons (s6(6)). Keep copies of all enforcement requests and dates. Develop a protocol for when and how enforcement requests are made (for example, in response to persistent non-payment, machine failure, or other policy triggers).

7. Establish machine maintenance and malfunction notification processes (s6(7)).

   • Implement monitoring and maintenance regimes for parking ticket machines. When malfunctions occur, notify the NCA Chief Executive "as soon as practicable" (s6(7)). Given the term’s indeterminacy, adopt an internal standard (for example, immediate notification upon detection, or within X hours) to demonstrate prompt action. Keep logs and maintenance records to support any enforcement or dispute resolution.

8. Submit plans of traffic control devices (s6(8)).

   • Prepare a plan showing the traffic control devices in the ticket parking area and submit that plan to the NCA Chief Executive. Ensure the plan is detailed, dated and includes device specifications, locations and any installation timelines. Retain copies and correspondence.

9. Notify NCA Chief Executive of changes and cessation (s6(9)-(10)).

   • If the ticket parking area is altered, advise the NCA Chief Executive in writing of any changes (s6(9)). If the parking authority intends to cease operation of the ticket parking scheme, notify the NCA Chief Executive in writing (s6(10)). For both, document the dates of notification and the content, and coordinate with the NCA on any decommissioning tasks, signage removal, and outstanding administrative or enforcement obligations.

10. Document compliance and retain evidence for audit or enforcement review.

• Maintain an organised record of: copies of written fee notifications, examples of tickets submitted, plans of traffic control devices, photographs of signage and fee displays at machines, malfunction reports and maintenance logs, enforcement requests and all correspondence with the NCA Chief Executive. Given that enforcement and penalties are governed by the Regulations (s5 Note), these records could be material in any dispute or enforcement proceeding.

11. Budget for compliance costs and access to Standards.

• The Guidelines reference Standards that may be obtained from Standards Australia. In 2025 the instrument noted public viewing access at NCA offices (s6(1) Note), but parking authorities should confirm current access and budget for procurement of required standard documents and for physical signage/machine modifications to meet the specified standards.

12. Liaise with legal/regulatory advisers to reconcile the Guidelines with the Regulations, Ordinance and Rules.

• Because the Guidelines rely on definitions and enforcement provisions in the Ordinance, Rules and Regulations (s3; s5 Note; s4 Note), coordinate compliance planning with advice that reconciles the Guidelines’ procedural duties with the substantive obligations and enforcement framework that exist in those primary instruments.

Following these steps will place a parking authority in a defensible position of documented compliance with the Guidelines’ requirements. The repeated theme of the Guidelines is procedural centralisation to the NCA Chief Executive and standards‑based physical controls; ensure internal workflows map to those requirements and retain documentary proof for each obligation cited in s6.