Minor traffic and driving offences

A parking offence is when you illegally park or stop a vehicle on a NSW public or private road.

In most cases, you'll be issued a penalty notice which will require you to pay a fine. For more serious parking offences, you may also have demerit points added to your licence.

The most common offences include parking a vehicle:

• incorrectly into a parallel or angle parking space
• in ticketed, metered or coupon parking space without paying
• in loading or no stopping zones
• for longer than the time allowed
• outside a marked parking space
• on a medium or nature strip
• in a mobility parking spot without a permit.

Serious parking offences include:

• parking in a mobility parking space without a permit
• using your mobility permit incorrectly or illegally
• parking on or near intersections with pedestrian crossings.

Demerit points for parking offences

You can receive demerit points for some parking offences. Demerit point parking offences include:

• parking in a mobility parking space without a permit
• stopping on or near a pedestrian crossing
• stopping on or near a children's crossing
• stopping within a short distance of an intersection.

See Search offences and penalties for a full list of parking-related offences and their penalties.

A traffic light or traffic sign offence is when you disobey a traffic light or sign on a NSW road.

If you commit this type of offence, you will get a penalty notice, have to pay a fine and receive demerit points.

Traffic light offencesinclude:

• running a red light
• not stopping at a stop sign before a red light
• speeding through a yellow light
• not giving way to pedestrians or other vehicles at traffic lights.

Traffic sign offencesinclude:

• not coming to a complete stop at a stop sign
• not giving way at a give way or stop sign
• driving the opposite direction on a one way street
• turning right in a left only lane
• turning left in a right only lane
• driving in an emergency stopping lane
• overtaking in a no overtaking zone.

Fines for traffic light and traffic sign offences

Serious traffic light and traffic sign offences include:

• running a red light
• not coming to a complete stop at a stop sign
• exceeding a low clearance sign on a bridge or tunnel and continuing to drive
• disobeying a 'truck must enter' or a 'bus must enter' sign
• disobeying 'no bus' or 'no truck' signs on Galston Gorge.

See Search offences and penalties for a full list of traffic light and traffic sign offences and their penalties.

If you're a driver or passenger in a vehicle, you mustwear a correctly fitted seatbelt. If you do not wear one, regardless of whether you were the driver or a passenger, you will receive a penalty notice and have to pay a fine.

If you were the driver, you will receive demerit points as well as a fine.

You can also be penalised if you were a driver wearing a seatbelt but one or more of your passengers was not wearing one.

Types of seatbelt offences include:

• driver not wearing a seatbelt
• passenger not wearing a seatbelt
• not having booster seat correctly fitted for a child
• child under 7 years not in an appropriate child car seat
• child under 4 years sitting in the front passenger seat
• having a dog or other animal unrestrained in a vehicle.

See Seatbelts and Child car seats for more information about the rules for seatbelts.

A serious seatbelt offence is usually given to a driver who drives with 2 or more unrestrained passengers.

See Search offences and penalties for a full list of seatbelt offences and their penalties.

A pedestrian crossing offence is when you drive dangerously near or on a pedestrian crossing.

If you commit this type of offence, you will get a penalty notice, have to pay a fine and receive demerit points.

Pedestrian crossing offences include:

• approaching a children's or pedestrian crossing too quickly to stop safely
• driving through a children's or pedestrian crossing when a pedestrian is using the crossing
• disobeying a hand-held stop sign at a children's crossing
• not giving way to a pedestrian at a children's or pedestrian crossing.

Depending on the seriousness of the offence, and if any other offences were committed at the same time, your fine may be increased.

See Search offences and penalties for a full list of pedestrian crossing offences and their penalties.

Give way offences are when you disobey a give way road rule when driving on NSW roads. This includes the rules for giving way at intersections, roundabouts, 'Stop' and 'Give way' signs.

If you commit this type of offence, you will get a penalty notice, have to pay a fine and receive demerit points.

Give way offences include:

• not giving way to a vehicle in a turning lane
• entering a roundabout in the opposite direction of the traffic lane arrow
• not giving way to another vehicle at a give way sign
• not giving way to another vehicle at a stop sign.

Serious give way offences include:

• not giving way to a police or emergency vehicle
• not moving out of the path of an emergency vehicle
• increasing your speed when driving past a stationary emergency response vehicle.

See Search offences and penalties for a full list of give way offences and their penalties.

A signalling or horn offence is when you incorrectly use your indicators, lights, horn or hazard lights on NSW roads.

If you commit this type of offence, you will get a penalty notice, have to pay a fine and in some cases receive demerit points.

Signalling offences include:

• driving without vehicle lights when dark
• brake lights not working
• driving with fog lights or high beam lights near other vehicles.

Horn offencesinclude using:

• your horn unnecessarily (for example, using your horn to say goodbye when driving away)
• a device to make your horn sound like a siren
• your hazard lights unnecessarily (for example, waiting in a no stopping zone with hazard lights).

Serious signalling and horn offences are usually given to a driver or passenger who incorrectly uses the horn or hazard lights.

See Search offences and penalties for a full list of signalling and horn offences and their penalties.

Strict rules are in place for using mobile phones or digital screens when driving. There are different rules for learner, provisional and full licence holders.

If you break these rules, you may be charged with a mobile phone offence. If charged, you will get a penalty notice, have to pay a fine and may receive demerit points.

Mobile phone offences include:

• texting and driving
• holding a mobile phone in your hand when driving
• using social media or web browsing when driving
• talking on the phone without hands free devices
• taking a photo or video when driving.

To find out more about mobile phone rules and driving, see Mobiles, digital screens and GPS.

Fines for mobile phone use while driving

Fines for using a mobile phone when driving can be severe. Depending on the seriousness of the offence, and if any other offences were committed at the same time, your fine may increase.

See Search offences and penalties for a full list of mobile phone-related offences and their penalties.

A motorcycle rider in NSW must obey the same road rules as drivers of cars, but there are rules and offences that are specific to motorcycle riders.

Riders and passengers must wear a helmet. There are no exceptions. The helmet and any attached shield or visor must meet Australian standards.

If you break these rules, you may be charged with a motorcycle offence. If charged, you will get a penalty notice, have to pay a fine and may receive demerit points.

See Search offences and penalties for a full list of motorcycle helmet offences and their penalties.

There are heavy penalties for not correctly securing or covering loads that you tow in NSW. There are also limits to what learner and provisional licence holders can tow. See Towing a trailer or caravan for rules and advice.

See Search offences and penalties for a full list of towing-related offences and their penalties.

There are many other minor traffic and driving offences. These include:

Pedestrian offences – offences that are committed if you're a pedestrian on a NSW road. Offences include jay walking, crossing a road before a tram stop and disobeying a 'no pedestrian' sign.

Wheeled devices and toy offences – includes using a wheeled device or toy on a median strip, multi-lane or one way road and holding onto a moving vehicle while using a wheeled device.

Vehicle security offences – includes leaving the engine on in an unattended vehicle and leaving a vehicle unlocked and unattended.

Lane and merging offences – includes driving in a bus lane illegally, not giving way to a merging vehicle and driving across multiple lanes.

Overtaking offences – includes overtaking another vehicle when it's unsafe, disobeying a 'do not overtake' sign and increasing speed while being overtaken.

Obstruction offences – includes driving through an intersection that is blocked and driving too closely behind another vehicle (tailgating).

See Search offences and penalties for a full list of minor traffic and driving offences and their penalties.