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Top Ways to Reduce Parking Tickets

  1. Plan Your Trip and Parking Accordingly
    • Parkades - Short to long-term parking
    • Surface Lots - Short to long-term parking
    • On-Street (meters and limited time zones) - Short-term only
    2. What parking options are available in the area of town you are visiting? Your length of stay will determine which your best option is.
    Use one of the many City of Victoria or private parkades if there is a possibility of running late (use First Hour Free coupons at City parkades -- Inexpensive short-term rates - $5.00 for 3 hours).
    The purpose of metered and time limit zones is to encourage the turnover of vehicles in places where there is a high demand for on-street parking. If your appointment requires longer term parking, save the cost of a ticket and use a private lot.

  2. Read The Meters
    • Parking Meter heads are colour coded for specific purposes
      • Dark Green for 2 hour max
      • Blue for 90 minutes max
      • Lime Green for small vehicles (3 meter max. length)
      • Red for 20 minutes max
      • Yellow for handicapped parking (2 hour max)
    • The days and hours the meter is in effect (in Victoria, meters are in effect 9am to 6pm, with the exception of Sundays and statutory holidays).
    • Whether there are rush hour restrictions which require the vehicle to be moved.
    • Time on a parking meter is read as hr:min -- i.e. 80 minutes is read on the meter as 1:20 (1 hour and 20 minutes).
    • Your vehicle should be parallel to the curb with your front bumper just behind the meter post.
    3. Hurried motorists often forget to check the information on the meter before depositing coins. Some of the important things they might miss include:

  3. Use the Parking Smart Card
    4. These cards allow you to fill the meter and receive a refund for unused time. No more guessing how long you are going to be away from your car. These cards are available at the City of Victoria Public Service Desk and The Bay Centre Guest Services desk.

  4. Watch for Signs
    5. As the pressure for on-street parking continues to build, more areas of Victoria have posted parking restrictions. New permit and resident only zones are added each year, time limit areas expand and rush hour signing multiplies. When you throw in additional "temporary" signing for construction zones, and street cleaning, it means even the quietest side street can have regulated parking. Signs without specific times listed are in effect 24 hours a day.

  5. Know the Various Parking Zones
    • Commercial Truck Loading -- Used by commercial trucks displaying a Provincial Municipal Decal available from City Hall
    • Passenger Loading Zone -- Exclusive use for vehicles while engaged in the loading or unloading of passengers
    • General Loading Zone -- Allows for 15 minutes while loading or unloading goods or merchandise - also acts as a Passenger Loading Zone
    • Hotel Zone -- Specifically used by hotel patrons while checking in or out
    • Taxi Zone -- Specifically for Taxis
    • Bus Zone -- Exclusive to Buses
    • Yellow lines -- Signifies a no stopping zone
  6. Leave Bus Stops for Buses
    7. Drivers often pull into bus stops to wait for a friend, buy a cup of coffee or use a bank machine. Even a quick stop blocks the zone, forcing Transit drivers to unload or load passengers on the street. This is a potential hazard for elderly and handicapped passengers and an inconvenience for other motorists when the bus is unable to pull into the zone.
    Parking Enforcement has a zero tolerance policy for bus stop violators; no warnings, no explanations, just a ticket.

  7. Respect Residential Parking Restrictions
    8. In responding to neighbourhood concerns about parking pressures, the City of Victoria has established dozens of permit and resident only parking zones. These areas are clearly posted and for the exclusive use of area residents.

    Residential zones are enforced seven days a week to ensure residents and their guests have access to on-street parking in their street.

  8. Err on the Side of Caution
    9. Have I parked too close to the corner? What do those signs mean? Am I blocking another vehicle? If you're not sure, find another spot. Parking Enforcement receives thousands of complaints each year from people inconvenienced by a poor parking decision.