Is it illegal to park across your own driveway?

If you’re lucky enough to own or rent a home with a driveway, chances are you’ve been tempted to park across that driveway at least once. 

If not, then you’ve almost certainly encouraged a visiting friend, neighbour or tradesperson to park across your driveway when there are no other spaces available in the street.  

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After all, it’s not a crime to park someone in as long as that someone is you, right? 

Wrong. Unfortunately, it’s almost always illegal to park across a driveway – including your own – in every state in Australia.

However, there's an exception to this rule that allows motorists to briefly block a driveway provided they don’t overstay their welcome.

To understand the specifics, we spoke to road authorities and police representatives from each state. Here's what we learned... 

According to road rule 198, a driver is not permitted to stop on or across a driveway in NSW unless the driver is dropping off or picking up passengers, doesn’t leave the vehicle and is gone within two minutes of stopping.

There is no exemption to this rule for people parking across their own driveway. However, police and emergency vehicles are exempt from this rule.

If a motorist disobeys this road rule in New South Wales, the penalty is a $283 fine, which rises to $362 if the offence occurs in a school zone.

You are not permitted to park, stop or leave your vehicle across a driveway in Victoria – whether fully or partially. This includes your own driveway.

However, as in New South Wales, Victorian drivers are permitted to briefly park across a driveway for no more than two minutes to pick up or drop off passengers. 

“It is illegal to park across a driveway, even your own driveway,” a spokesperson for Queensland’s Transport and Main Roads department told Drive.

“This ensures clear access to residential and commercial properties for all users, including residents, visitors, utility providers and emergency services. 

“It also supports clear enforcement, meaning police and local governments do not need to determine who owns a vehicle when conducting enforcement.”

Much like in New South Wales, there’s a provision for people briefly stopping to drop off or collect passengers.

“A driver can stop briefly across a driveway, if picking up or dropping off passengers. They must not leave their vehicle and must not stop for more than two minutes,” the spokesperson said.

Motorists in Western Australia are not permitted to park across a driveway – including their own. 

As in other states, this behaviour is permissible when picking up or dropping off passengers, as long as the driver does not leave their vehicle unattended and leaves within two minutes of arriving.

The rules in the Northern Territory are a little less prescriptive and more dependent on the specific situation.

“Without specific information on the location of the vehicle, it would be difficult to say whether or not the parking would be legal," a spokesperson for the NT Police, Fire and Emergency Services told Drive.

"Any vehicle blocking a driveway from the street or blocking a council footpath would be referred to the relevant council for them to enforce their own by-laws.”

According to South Australian road rules, motorists in SA must not park or stop their vehicle “on or across a driveway or other way of access for vehicles to private land unless you are dropping off or picking up passengers within two minutes of stopping and you do not leave the vehicle unattended”.

Yes, it is illegal to park across a driveway in Tasmania. The fine for motorists who commit this offence is $87.

“In the ACT, it is illegal to park a vehicle across any passage, thoroughfare, entrance, foot crossing, or driveway – including your own driveway,” an ACT Policing spokesperson told Drive.