It's now quicker and easier to park in the central city!

We've upgraded our central city parking meters from a paper pay and display system to a pay by plate system.

Our new parking meters are paperless

Parking meterThis means you will no longer need to return to your car to place a paper ticket on the dashboard after paying for your parking. 

Follow these four easy steps and you're on your way:

  1. Enter your car's licence plate number into the meter.
  2. Select how long you wish to park for up to the maximum available e.g P120 two hours.
  3. Pay for parking with coins, cards (including contactless) or Text-to-park. Text-to-park available only at $3.10/hour meters.
  4. Press OK and select whether you want an e-receipt or not. 

For detailed step-by-step instructions follow our 'Using a paperless meter' guide below.

If you experience any issues with our pay by plate meters you can report a problem.
 

Location of meters

The majority of our paperless parking meters are located within the Central City within the perimeter of Bealey Ave, Madras Street, Moorhouse Ave, Rolleston Ave and Hagley Ave. There is also three off-street paperless meters located in Addington. 

Location map of parking meters

 

Using a paperless meter

How to use a pay by plate parking meter

1. Enter your licence plate number

  1. Enter your licence plate numberUse the keypad to enter your vehicle licence plate number with no spaces,
    e.g. ABC123
    Tip: Use the backspace arrow if you make a mistake
  2. Press OK 
  3. A screen saying "Check for remaining time" will display. This will go away in a few seconds - you don't need to take any action. 

2. Select your payment method

Select your payment methodCredit card: $1 minimum

  1. Select credit card
  2. Select the amount of time you want
    Tip: To add time press the right arrow, to remove time press the left arrow
  3. Press OK
  4. Your total, including a 50 cent transaction fee, will be shown
  5. Press OK
  6. Complete your payment by selecting contactless touch payment or standard credit/debit card payment.

Select your payment methodCoins: $1 minimum

  1. Insert coins into the slot
  2. The screen will display the amount of time you have paid for and the expiry time
  3. When you reach your required time, press OK.

Text-to-park

  1. Select Text-to-Park (only available at meters with $3.10/hour parking.)
  2. Select the amount of time you want
  3. Text the code displayed on-screen to 7275 (PARK)
    Note: There is a 50 cent transaction fee for using Text-to-park which is charged to the mobile you are texting from.

3. Get an e-receipt

Once you have made your payment you will be asked if you wish to have an e-receipt or not.

  1. If you select no that is the final step and your payment has gone through.
  2. If you select “yes” you will be provided with a four-digit code which you should note down. 

To get a copy of the e-receipt:

  1. Go online to https://my-receipt.com/(external link)
  2. Enter the e-receipt code and your licence plate number.
  3. You can choose to save/print the receipt or register your email address so that all future receipts and transaction details for that plate number will be sent to your email address.

Select your payment method

4. Helpful information

Green OK button

If the OK button is not pressed within 20 seconds, this will cancel the transaction and your card will not be debited, or any inserted coins will be rejected. The only way a card can be debited is if you accept the transaction by pressing the "OK” button. This is your security that you are in control of the transaction at all times.

Red Cancel button

Press this button to cancel the transaction and re-enter your details if required.

? help button

By pressing the ? button, will provide you with instructions on how to make a payment or obtain an e-receipt. 

Incorrect information

If you inaccurately enter your number plate you can cancel the session and start another one with the correct number plate number. Our enforcement officers need to be able to match your licence plate number with the transaction data so it is important that your details are correct.

 

Payment options

Credit card or debit card

You can use your debit or credit card like usual. Want to save time? Use your contactless card– just tap your card onto the reader to make the payment.

Text-to-park

Text-to-park will continue to be available at some meters using your mobile phone. Follow on-screen instructions. Please note text-to-park only available at meters with $3.10/hour parking rate. 

Coins

All meters accept coins in the following denominations: $2, $1, 50c, 20c, 10c.

The rate for most of our on-street meters is $3.10 per hour. We have introduced $2 per hour meter rates in some areas of the central city. 

Checking and extending parking time

Parking meter hours

Each meter will display its operating hours/days and time limits. Please note private companies may have different operating hours at their car parks.

Public holidays are free.

Check your remaining time

You can check if you still have any more time left by going to a parking meter and entering your number plate. It will then come up with a screen showing you how much time you have remaining.

Extend your time

You can extend your time if you have purchased a shorter time within the maximum period e.g if you purchase 1 hour at 2 hour maximum meter you can extend your time by another hour. However you will not be able to purchase more time than allowed in the particular payment area e.g if in 2 hour zone can still only park up to 2 hours.

Please note for credit/debit card or text-to-park payments the top up amounts are only available in half hour increments. 

Moving parking spaces

Moving to a park with the same time limit

You can move your vehicle between meters of the same time period without having to pay again provided you still have time remaining.

You can also extend your session if moving within meters of the same period. E.g if you purchased 1 hour at a 2 hour maximum meter then moved your car to a different 2 hour meter you can extend your session by another hour or if your original time has expired you can start a new session with a maximum 2 hour period.

Using a parking coupon

If you have time remaining on your coupon after parking at a meter, you can re-use the coupon at any other parking meter.  Provided the coupon has not been used previously, it can be used even if the year has expired.

Purchase parking coupons

Costs:

  • 30 minute coupons (ten per book):  $15.50
  • 60 minute coupons (ten per book):  $31.00.

Parking coupons are all cash on delivery. Coupons cannot be purchased over the telephone by credit card. 

Coupons are normally sold by the book but some outlets do sell them individually. Businesses can order coupon books if they have an account (minimum order is five books).

Coupons can be ordered through Anita Koppier, coupon supplier, phone (03) 941 5244.

You can also buy coupons from

Inner City City Mall, Christchurch City Council Cashiers, 53 Hereford Street
Beckenham Beckenham Service Centre, 66 Colombo Street
Bishopdale Bishopdale Library, Farrington Avenue
Fendalton Fendalton Service Centre, corner Clyde Road and Jeffreys Road
Linwood Linwood Service Centre, upstairs in library, Eastgate Mall
Papanui Papanui Service Centre, corner Langdons Road and Restell Street
Riccarton Riccarton Service Centre, 199 Clarence Street
Shirley Shirley Service Centre, 36 Marshland Road

Why we are upgrading

Our parking meters were installed in 2006 with credit card readers that can only read a magnetic strip.

Since then international security standards have been upgraded requiring payment hardware to be capable of reading card chips and contactless technology (e.g Paywave). 

We need to upgrade our parking meters to ensure they comply with current security standards. Carrying out the upgrade means that you can now pay with contactless cards and continue to use credit cards and text to park.

We investigated several options on how to best upgrade the machines and a decision was made by the Parking Restrictions Subcommittee to upgrade the card readers and move from a pay and display system to a pay by plate system as this was the most cost effective option. Changing systems at the same time as upgrading the payment hardware results in savings as it allows us to take advantage of technology that didn’t exist in 2006, reduces operating costs and saves paper.

Work is underway to determine how a parking app for smart phones could be implemented.