Parking Officer Āpiha Atoato Waka

Parking officers give fines for illegal parking and vehicle offences such as unregistered cars.

Parking officers may do some or all of the following:

  • check vehicles are parked legally
  • take photos and notes of illegally parked vehicles on a handheld device 
  • film their interactions with the public
  • issue tickets when vehicles have been parked too long, or are illegally parked
  • issue notices for vehicle offences such as not having an up-to-date warrant of fitness or registration
  • call tow trucks to remove illegally parked vehicles
  • service and clear parking meters/machines
  • educate people on parking regulations
  • give people directions and provide visitor information about the city.

Physical Requirements

Parking officers need to be fit, healthy and capable of walking long distances. They must also have a neat and tidy appearance.

Useful Experience

Useful experience for parking officers includes:

  • customer service work
  • city council work
  • debt collection.

Personal Qualities

Parking officers need to be:

  • good at listening and communicating with people
  • firm but fair
  • observant
  • resilient
  • confident.

Skills

Parking officers need to have:

  • conflict resolution skills
  • basic photography skills
  • knowledge of parking regulations and by-laws
  • knowledge of the streets in their area.

Conditions

Parking officers:

  • work regular or irregular hours depending on the city or town they work in. They may also work overtime and at weekends
  • work outside in carparks and on city streets
  • work in all weather conditions, and sometimes deal with upset or angry people.

Subject Recommendations

There are no specific secondary education requirements to become a parking officer. However, NCEA Level 1 is usually preferred by employers. Useful subjects include digital technologies, maths and physical education.

Parking Officers can earn around $25 per hour.

Parking officers usually earn $25 per hour.

Source: Wellington City Council, 2023.

Parking officers may move into training or management, or another position in the city council they work for.

Years Of Training

There are no specific entry requirements to become a parking officer, as you gain skills on the job.

As part of the recruitment process you may need to pass drug and alcohol, fitness and psychometric (personality and behaviour) tests.

Parking officers who drive motorcycles need a motorcycle licence.

Parking Officer