Parking permit FAQs

A digital permit is linked to a vehicle registration which means you no longer need to display a physical permit on your vehicle.

Yes, each of the different permit types offered by Council will be digital, meaning they are linked to a vehicle’s registration.

If you require any assistance, please:

• Contact our Customer Service team on 03 8290 1333
• Visit one of our service centres
• Attend one of our library information sessions where our Parking Services team will be able to assist you.

The total number of permits you can have depends on your property. You can hold any combination of up to three resident permits and/or two visitor permits until you hit your overall property cap.

To check how many permits you are eligible for, search for your address on our interactive map or call our Customer Service team on 03 8290 1333.

When you apply for your permit, you can select whether you want to pay by VISA/Mastercard or pay Cash at a Council Service Centre.

If you select to pay by VISA/Mastercard, you can enter your payment details into the secure portal. Once your permit has been approved, your payment will be processed.

Alternatively, if you select to pay Cash at Council, you can visit our Service Centre at 311 Glenferrie Road Malvern or at Prahran Square, corner Chatham and Izett Street Prahran, to make payment in person.

You will receive an email notification as your permit application progresses.

If you have not submitted the correct documentation to support your application, we will email you to advise what is required. All emails are system generated and will be sent from parkingpermits-noreply@stonnington.vic.gov.au

No, you do not need to do anything as your existing permit is still valid.

We will write to permit holders approx. 6 weeks before their existing permit is due to expire to let them know about the new Digital Permit system and the process to apply for a digital permit.

If you need to apply for an extra permit now, you can apply via the ePermit platform.

We will be transitioning to Digital Permits throughout 2026 as existing permits expire. We will write to permit holders approximately 6 weeks before their existing permit is due to expire to let them know about the new Digital Permit system and the process to apply for a digital permit.

If you need to apply for a new permit now, you can apply via the ePermit platform.

Digital Permits provide coverage from the moment you submit your application for approval.

Digital Permits will be valid for 12 months from the date of issue.

A resident parking permit is permanently associated with your vehicle registration number. When applying for a resident permit, you must prove that you own the vehicle or are the main driver.

A visitor parking permit is not associated with any specific vehicle registration number and can be temporarily allocated to your visitor’s vehicle registration as required.

You can apply for a Special Occasion Permit. These are valid for 2 days and cost $6.70 per vehicle for up to 10 vehicles.

No, Permits are not valid for use on a caravan or trailer (including a TaxiBox). Please refer to the terms and conditions.

Parking permit conditions apply equally to all eligible residences, regardless of whether a property has off-street parking.

You can apply for a digital permit via the ePermit Platform or by attending one of our Service Centres.

In the ePermit platform, create an account using your email address and then enter your name, address and contact number.

Once your account has been set up, you can apply online for a:

• Resident Permit (previously known as a Specific Vehicle Permit)
• Visitor Permit (previously known as a Variable Permit)
• Special Occasion Permit (previously known as a Visitor Permit)

This is in line with Australian Government Cyber Security guidance to protect your account and your information. The system has the ability to save passwords to trusted devices.

Residents that have exceptional circumstances that affect their ability to use the digital parking system can contact us to apply for a physical parking permit. Exceptional circumstances include disability, carer arrangements or limits with online connection and capability.

We will issue you with a 6-week temporary physical parking permit while we assess your request.

Applications will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and may include contact with you to validate your circumstances before issuing a physical permit.

We will inform you of our decision. If successful a physical parking permit will be mailed to you, or you can pick it up from our Customer Service centres.

Council has introduced a digital permit system as it provides a more efficient and comprehensive method for administering parking permits.

In addition, it addresses a number of issues experienced with physical permits, including:

• Lost, stolen or damaged permits
• Permits that fall off the dashboard » Permits that are copied or misused
• Extended processing times and postage delays
• Permits are not displayed correctly
• Difficulty removing permits from the windscreen with sticky residue remaining

The digital permit system provides a number of benefits:

• Simple application process
• Real time permit coverage from the moment you apply
• No need to wait for a physical permit or renewal notice to arrive in the post
• Email notifications to confirm the status of the permit application – for example; Application Pending, Permit Granted, 30 days prior to expiry, 15 days prior to expiry, Permit Expired
• Instant refunds if a permit is cancelled

Council’s community engagement on parking issues, including the challenge of maintaining the long-standing free residential parking permit scheme, commenced in May 2024.

At that time, residents were invited to provide feedback through the Parking Action Plan survey on Connect Stonnington, as well as through in-person drop-in and community information sessions. Community consultation on the Transport Strategy in 2025 also provided insights that were used to inform parking permit planning/decisions.

More recently, the Stonnington community was able to provide feedback on two further occasions via Connect Stonnington. This included consultation on the full draft Budget and associated Revenue and Rating Plan from 13 May to 2 June 2025, followed by a more targeted consultation between 1 July and 21 July 2025 on new fees and charges, including residential parking permits.

The fees and charges consultation was promoted through Council’s Facebook and Instagram channels, with a combined reach of more than 7,000 views.

Historically the cost of administering the permit scheme has been paid for by all ratepayers, including those that do not benefit from the scheme, or do not have access to it.

Parking permits provide a specific private benefit – access to limited public road space for personal use. Charging a fee helps ensure this limited resource is managed fairly and supports the Council’s capacity to fund much needed services and infrastructure.

For many years, households were issued up to two free parking permits, with more than 33,000 permits issued each year.

As population growth and car ownership increases, demand for on-street parking has also grown. The previous approach is no longer sustainable. Introducing fees allows Council to better manage parking demand and maintain parking services into the future through a user-pays system.

The tiered pricing structure has been introduced to achieve the fairest possible outcome. The first permit is priced at a lower rate to recognise essential vehicle needs, while second and subsequent permits are priced higher to reflect increased competition for space.

This approach is consistent with the user-pays principle set out in Council’s Revenue and Rating Plan and reflects the need to manage increasing demand as the municipality continues to grow.

Residents who hold an eligible concession card (Pensioner Concession Card or Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card) can apply for permits at half the standard price to ensure it is affordable.

• First permit: $60 ($30 concession)
• Second permit: $90 ($45 concession)
• Third permit: $100 ($50 concession)
• Visitor permit: $120 ($60 concession)

This equates to approximately $0.16 per day for one permit, and up to $1.34 per day for five permits.

A tiered pricing structure has been introduced to make the system as fair as possible for everyone.

The first permit is offered at a lower cost to recognise that many households rely on at least one vehicle for daily needs. Additional permits are priced higher because they place extra demand on limited on-street parking.

This approach helps manage growing parking pressure as our community continues to grow, while ensuring those who use the service most contribute more.

Council will continue to review parking restrictions in response to demand and community feedback. In areas with proven parking pressure, parking restrictions may be adjusted following local consultation.

To request a review of parking restrictions in your street, please refer to our website: stonnington.vic.gov.au/ services/parking/parking-restrictions-in-your-street

Many other inner-city Councils charge for parking permits.

As an example, both the City of Yarra and the City of Port Phillip have operated user-pays residential parking permit schemes for many years. Under those arrangements, a resident requiring a resident permit and a visitor permit would pay $113.25 per year in Yarra or $227 per year in Port Phillip.

A resident requiring two resident permits would pay $191.50 in Yarra or $188 in Port Phillip, compared with $150 in Stonnington.

1. Visit stonnington.vic.gov.au/parkingpermits or click ‘Parking permits’ in the MyStonnington app.
2. Open ‘Pay or manage your parking permits’.
3. Log into your account.
4. Navigate to ‘My Current Permits’ and select ‘Update Vehicle’ on your Visitor Permit.
5. Select ‘Edit Vehicle’ and select the vehicle registration from the drop-down menu.
6. Enter the new registration and state for your visitor and click ‘OK’.

Alternatively, residents can contact Customer Service on 03 8290 1333 during business hours for extra assistance and we can add the vehicle registration to your visitor permit.

Our parking officers will be able to search your vehicle registration number and will be alerted if you have a valid permit.

If you are concerned that a vehicle is parked illegally, you can contact our enforcement team on 03 9058 6600 (select option 1) to report an illegally parked vehicle. Our enforcement team will be able to check the vehicle registration to determine whether a permit has been issued to the vehicle.

It is important that you and your visitor only use your parking permit as outlined in the terms and conditions. Your resident permit and visitor permit allows you to park in Permit Zones and overstay time restrictions of one hour or longer while attending your residence.

The vehicle must be parked as close as possible to your residence and within your specified permit area boundaries.

The permit is not valid in the following areas:

• Outside or adjacent to non-residential or commercial premises, including parks.
• Primary or main roads (unless otherwise signed).
• Off-street car parks.
• Paid parking areas.
• Parking areas with a time restriction of 30 minutes or less.
• Clearways, No Stopping, No Parking, Loading Zones, Truck Zones, and where prohibitive (red) signs are in force.
• Within 10m of an intersection, across a driveway, on a footpath, or in any other prohibited area outlined in the Road Safety Road Rules 2017, for which signage is not required.

If you change cars, you will need to let us know as your resident permit is linked to your vehicle registration. You can update your resident permit in the ePermit platform or in person at one of our service centres.

In the ePermit platform you can select your permit from your Current Permit list and select “Manage” next to your vehicle registration. You’ll need to add the new vehicle registration and vehicle state and then add a supporting document that confirms the new vehicle registration is in your name. Both your name and the registration number must be visible on the document.

If the vehicle is registered in your name, you could include one of the following:

• Vehicle registration certificate
• Signed vehicle transfer document
• Contract of sale document
• Current insurance document.

If you are the primary driver but the vehicle is not registered in your name, please provide a current insurance document that lists your name as a driver.

If the vehicle is registered in a company name, please provide the following:

• One of the above documents, and,
• A signed letter from the company on an official letterhead. The letter must state that you are the primary driver of the vehicle and that it is garaged at the address on your permit.