Brisbane City Council residents are using everyday items such as plastic sheets and dishcloths to cover their number plates in an attempt to avoid parking fines issued by the council's new automatic camera system. According to Brisbane City Council, it has handed out almost $35 million in infringement notices so far this year. The Queensland Police Service explains that vehicle number plates must be visible from 45 degrees in all directions at 20 metres, and obscuring or altering them is illegal under state legislation. Over 8,000 fines were issued by the new cameras targeting parking complaint hotspots, with two locations accounting for over 3,000 of these notices.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-07,
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Story summary
Brisbane drivers have been using everyday items to cover their number plates and avoid camera-issued parking fines, with some residents trying to stay ahead of a new automatic camera system. In almost $35 million worth of infringement notices were handed out by the Brisbane City Council this year, but some inner-city drivers are attempting to evade detection. To obscure their plates, they're using items like plastic sheets, camping chairs, and dishcloths. The council acknowledges that it's aware of the issue, but can't issue fines for obscured or altered number plates due to state legislation. According to the Queensland Police Service, vehicle number plates must be visible from 45 degrees in all directions at a distance of 20 metres.
Written for “Creative Parking Avoidance Tactics” on 2026-09-07,
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Brisbane residents in parking enforcement hot spots have taken to obscuring their number plates with plastic sheets, camping chairs and dishcloths to avoid getting pinged as council rolls out a new automatic camera system.
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council → take → system
Between its mobile enforcement vehicles, officers on foot and new static parking cameras, Brisbane City Council has handed out almost $35 million in infringement notices so far this year.
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Council → hand → notices
But some inner-city drivers are trying to keep one step ahead of the latest technology.
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drivers → try → technology
In a statement, a Brisbane City Council spokesperson said they were aware of the issue "occurring from time to time".
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issue → say → time
"Our officers can undertake patrols on foot to determine what's required on a case-by-case basis," the spokesperson said.
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spokesperson → undertake → basis
However, the council is unable to hand out infringement notices for obscured or altered number plates, which fall under state legislation.
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which → hand → legislation
A spokesperson for the Queensland Police Service said vehicle number plates must be visible from 45 degrees in all directions at 20 metres.
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plates → say → metres
"That means that plates covered by bull bars, towbars, driving lights, faded or unreadable are all illegal," the spokesperson said.
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spokesperson → mean → bars
"This also includes plates tucked up under parts of the vehicle or covered by any material.
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The spokesperson said police regularly checked the condition of number plates and issued a fine if they did not comply.
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they → say → fine
Illegal parking has 'big impact'
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parking → have → impact
New cameras that run 24/7 targeting parking complaint hotspots were responsible for just over 8,000 of the fines issued this year.
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that → run → fines
The cameras, which target illegally parked cars in some of Brisbane's busiest corridors, were first rolled out in four hotspots in early 2025 before expanding to more than 40 locations in November.
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which → target → November
Just two locations — Graham Street in South Brisbane and Park Road in Milton — accounted for more than 3,000 infringement notices.
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locations → account → notices
The cameras target motorists stopped illegally in clearways, no stopping zones, bus zones, loading zones and on yellow lines.
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cameras → target → lines
In a statement, Civic Cabinet Chair for Customer Services Councillor Sarah Hutton said council wanted "motorists to think twice before parking illegally".
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motorists → say → Services
"When a vehicle parks illegally in a clearway, no stopping zone or bus zone, it causes delays for thousands of people trying to reach their destinations," Ms Hutton said.
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Hutton → park → destinations
"Even a short stop in the wrong place can have a big impact on traffic flow and safety.
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stop → have → flow
"
In total, Brisbane City Council has issued 176,494 parking infringement notices this calendar year, coming to a total of $34,941,602.
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Council → issue → 34,941,602
Brisbane City Council's mobile enforcement vehicles delivered almost 100,000 infringements since January 1.
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vehicles → deliver → January