Understand parking. Park smarter.
ParkSign is building a smarter way for drivers to understand parking rules, avoid confusion, and find better parking options in the future.
Built for
Bell Street · Zone 4A
2P
MON–FRI 8:30–18:00
Illustrative examples — not live data
1
Early supporter
1
Piece of feedback
Melbourne
Where it all started
Building in public
Our approach
Real numbers, updated live — no placeholder stats
The problem
Parking shouldn't feel like guesswork
Every driver has a story about a confusing sign, a wasted fifteen minutes, or an unexpected fine.
Wasted time circling
Drivers spend real time and fuel searching for a spot that turns out to be no better than the last one.
Confusing signage
Parking signs stack multiple rules, exceptions, and times in tiny print that’s easy to misread.
Unclear time limits
It’s often genuinely hard to tell how long you’re actually allowed to stay.
Risk of fines
A misread sign can turn an honest mistake into an expensive fine.
Councils lack data
Local councils often don’t have affordable, real-world data on how parking is actually used.
By the numbers
This isn't just a hunch — it's a documented problem in Melbourne and beyond
97%
of parking fines issued by the City of Melbourne relate to drivers stopping where they weren’t eligible — often simply a misread sign.
Source: City of Melbourne35%
of drivers in a Brisbane CBD study spent more than five minutes searching for a park — the same pattern shows up across Australian cities.
Source: Peer-reviewed study, ScienceDirect30%
of traffic in busy urban areas worldwide can come from drivers still circling for a parking spot, according to global industry research.
Source: INRIXNot just us saying it
Victorian drivers aren’t imagining this — and neither is everyone else
RACV’s own driving instructors acknowledge that some parking signs can feel needlessly complicated to interpret correctly — in Melbourne and regional Victoria alike.
Source: RACVIndustry analysis of Australian parking signage points to a recurring issue: signs hidden by trees, poorly lit at night, or placed outside a driver’s direct line of sight.
Source: PixelcaseIt’s not just a Victorian issue — a Los Angeles news investigation found faded, barely legible street signs leaving drivers with fines they may not have deserved, and it wasn’t an isolated case.
Source: NBC Los AngelesThe ParkSign solution
A clearer way to understand parking
We're starting with the fundamentals — helping you understand the rules in front of you — then building toward a full parking intelligence platform.
Understand restrictions instantly
Plain-English explanations of what a parking sign actually means.
Know if parking is allowed
Check whether parking is currently allowed in a selected area.
See your time limit clearly
Understand exactly how long you’re able to stay — no guesswork.
Nearby parking search
Find better nearby parking options when your first choice isn’t ideal.
Parking probability
A likelihood estimate of finding a spot nearby, based on patterns over time.
Council insights
Anonymous, aggregated parking behaviour insights shared with local councils.
How it works
From confusing sign to clear answer
Check your location
Select the street or area you’ve parked in.
We read the rules
ParkSign reads the parking rule data for that spot.
Get a plain-English answer
See what’s allowed, and for how long.
Better options nearbyFuture
Future versions suggest a better spot.
Why it matters
One clearer signal, three groups it helps
For drivers
Less stress, fewer fines, and more confidence every time you park.
For councils
Better visibility into real parking demand, without expensive new infrastructure.
For cities
A foundation for smarter, evidence-based decisions about how streets are used.
Future vision
Where this goes next
ParkSign starts with something simple: helping you understand the parking rules right in front of you. The long-term vision is bigger — an intelligent layer over city parking that helps drivers find their best option nearby, and helps councils plan smarter streets. We're building toward that, step by step, starting with what's true and verifiable today.
Help us build ParkSign
Join the waitlist for early access, or tell us what would make parking easier for you.