Auckland’s inner-city residents face a 60% increase in the residential parking permit, which allows them the right to park on the street without risking a fine. 

Auckland Transport (AT) parking manager John Strawbridge said the residential parking permit fee is proposed to rise for the first time in 13 years, from $70 to $114. 

The big increase follows Mayor Wayne Brown’s proposal for a 7.9% rate increase next year, the largest increase since the Super City was formed in 2010, and the Government announcing a rates cap of 2-4%, phased in between 2027 and 2029. 

The parking permit was introduced to tackle the central suburbs becoming free parking lots for commuters, and includes areas of Arch Hill, Eden Terrace, Freemans Bay, Grey Lynn, Grafton, Herne Bay, Mt Eden, Newmarket, Parnell, Ponsonby, Remuera, St Marys Bay, plus Takapuna on the North Shore. 

AT currently issues about 9300 permits, providing benefits for inner-city residents while discouraging motorists from driving in from the outer suburbs to secure parking within a one-stage bus or rail trip of the central city. 

Parking is at a premium in Auckland's inner-city suburbs. Photo / Sylvie Whinray 

Tom, who asked to be identified only by his first name, is moving from Sandringham to a flat in Grafton. He paid $70 for a permit but argued that Auckland Transport should have reviewed the fee earlier, rather than waiting 13 years and then imposing a sudden 60% increase. 

“It would have been better to ease the new cost over a couple of years.” 

While not overly concerned about the one-off fee for the 12-month permit and pointing out it was still cheaper than daily parking, Tom noted the limited availability of street parking in Grafton, particularly near Auckland City Hospital, where spaces are scarce even at the best of times. 

Council officers proposed that AT raise the permit fee to $114 to fully recover the cost of providing the service as part of next year’s budget. If it goes ahead, the new fee will kick in from July next year. 

The change would lift annual revenue from about $650,000 to $1.06 million. 

Strawbridge said the fee reflected administration expenses and an allocation of corporate overheads. He added that the permit process was not automated and required staff involvement. 

Permit fees were not intended as a revenue earner but to recover the costs of providing the service in accordance with the Local Government Act, he said. 

The $114 permit fee is higher than the $32.40 renewal cost for a driver’s licence (valid until age 65), and slightly more than the $98.90 fee for obtaining a car licence, which includes processing and two practical driving tests. 

Newstalk ZB host Heather du Plessis-Allan said the residential parking permit fee should be $500, saying if Aucklanders want to limit rate rises, they should be prepared to pay more for using council assets. 

“A car park is a council asset. It is ridiculous that I can park my car in a central city street for 20 cents a day all year round. In Wellington, it’s $199, which is also too low. 

Newstalk ZB host Heather du Plessis-Allan said a parking permit should cost $500. Photo / Michael Craig 

“I’d be happy to pay much more because the park is worth much more, if it means I don’t have to pay as much in rate rises. If I don’t want to pay as much, I have the option of parking on my property or selling the car and using public transport,” said du Plessis-Allan, who lives in Freemans Bay. 

A Wellington City Council spokesman said a parking permit scheme was introduced this year in Newtown and Berhampore, where demand is high due to hospital staff competing with residents for on-street spaces. The fee was set at $199, he said. 

Tauranga operates a city centre fringe parking permit set at $150 per month, $750 for six months, or $1500 for a full year, which is less than the cost of paying daily, a council spokesman said. 

“Residents within the city centre fringe paid zone are eligible for an 80% discount on a one-year permit, bringing the total cost to $300. Resident discounts are limited to one per property,” he said. 

Hamilton doesn’t operate a residential parking scheme, a council spokeswoman said.