Parking Officer
What the work is
Patrols assigned areas and issues parking infringement notices to owners of vehicles that are illegally parked.
Would you enjoy the work?
These are the main tasks in the official description. Mark how each one sounds to you.
- Patrols street parking and car parks in accordance with parking plans
- Checks vehicles for valid parking tickets and records how long they have been in free parking areas
- Uses handheld devices to issue and manage parking infringements, and provide data on revenue and parking usage
- Checks for proper use of permits in special use zones and loading zones
- Arranges to have illegally parked vehicles towed away
- Assists with asset maintenance of parking equipment, including ticketing machines, lighting, boom gates and signage
- Assists council with asset management of roads, paths, signs and other roadside equipment
- Assists police with matters of stolen, abandoned or damaged vehicles
- May give evidence in court if someone appeals the infringement notice
Try it
A simulation and a case study from this kind of work, set in a fictional shire council compliance team that patrols streets, farms, creeks and meters. They are fictional.
The kind of days you could have
Good days
- A landowner thanks you for explaining a rule instead of just handing over a notice
- You spot a problem early, before it spreads or someone gets hurt
- A day outdoors with a full route done and every report filed
Hard days
- People who are angry with you for something the rule did, not you
- Knowing a rule is strict, and applying it to someone who is having a bad week
- Being outside in the heat, cold or rain, with a long list still to go
Written by Career Calling as a general guide. Real roles vary by employer and place.
Work a mission
Step into a simulated workplace in this field, with a brief from your manager.
Description and tasks: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Occupation Standard Classification for Australia, 2024, Version 1.0 (opens another site), occupation 591137, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. The skill guide above is our plain English summary.