Ranger services
Council Rangers enforce legislation that works towards a safer, cleaner and more pleasant community. Rangers have a broad range of duties, with much of the work carried out resulting from the concerns of members of the community.
Rangers operate from 6am- 6pm each day (excluding Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day).
Rangers can be contacted by phoning 02 4306 7900.
Mobility parking
Central Coast Council provides designated disabled parking to allow easy access to services for individuals with a disabled parking permit or mobility parking scheme (MPS) permit. The permit must be displayed, front side up, in the parked vehicle. Stopping in a disabled parking area without a current permit displayed may result in a fine and loss of demerit points.
Abandoned Vehicles
Abandoned vehicles can include unattended cars, motorbikes, trailers, caravans and boats. A vehicle may be considered unattended if parked in a public place and the owner cannot be identified.
Unattended vehicles are a concern to Central Coast residents, with over 2,000 reported each year in the local government area. Unattended vehicles cause distraction and can be dangerous to motorists, pedestrians, and other road users.
To report a suspected unattended vehicle, go to our 24/7 online customer portal or call our Customer Service Team on 02 4306 7900.
Council Rangers will undertake an investigation to determine whether the vehicle is unattended in accordance with the Public Spaces (Unattended Property) Act 2021.
If a vehicle is unattended, Council Rangers will place a sticker on the vehicle to notify that it is under investigation and a notice to remove the vehicle will be sent to the last registered owner. Central Coast Council provides fifteen (15) days for the owner to remove the vehicle or contact Council. After this period the vehicle may be impounded and towed. The owner of the vehicle may be liable for any costs incurred in the removal and storage of the vehicle, as well as any penalty notices.
A vehicle may not be considered unattended if the owner resides in the vicinity, or there is clear evidence that the owner is monitoring the vehicle. It is important to note that any vehicle parked outside the owner’s address is not considered abandoned.
For more information, refer to Council's FAQs - Abandoned Vehicles.
Unauthorised Activities
Council Rangers monitor and regulate in accordance with legislation, unauthorised activities and structures on public land, such as advertising and signage, roadside trading and street stalls, busking and camping.
Unauthorised activities, structures or articles including parked vehicles, on public roads and footpaths for the purpose of selling can be hazardous for motorist and pedestrians and can cause damage to public infrastructure.
Fines may apply to individuals and businesses who do not comply with regulations. For more information view the Local Government Act 1993.
Targeting abandoned shopping trolley offenders
Not only are abandoned trolleys an eyesore and inconvenience, they pose a serious risk to traffic and pedestrians as well as our local environment. It is illegal to abandon a shopping trolley in a public place and offenders can be issued with a $220 on the spot fine. Avoid the fine - return your trolley to the supermarket bays or transport goods from your local retailer with re-useable bags or your own personal trolley.
Parking Safety
Council's team of Rangers and Parking Officers play a vital role in creating a safe and accessible environment for motorists and pedestrians. Council Officers undertake regular parking patrols to detect parking offences. Patrols may be high or low visibility in accordance with councils parking policy.
When you park your vehicle, consider the parking regulations. Not only will you avoid a possible fine and loss of demerit points, you will also promote the safety of motorists and pedestrians.
Report on grounds for not attaching notification for parking offences
This report satisfies the reporting requirement under section 24AD(4) of the Fines Act 1996.
It contains information and data relating to special provisions relating to parking offences under Division 2AA of the Fines Act 1996. Information required to be included in this report is outlined in clause 9 of the Fines Regulation 2025.
Totals
| Description | Count |
| Parking fines total | 3200 |
| Valid parking fines where a fine notice or notification was attached to the vehicle | 2631 |
| Valid parking fines where a fine notice or notification was not attached to the vehicle | 516 |
| Invalid parking fines | 53 |
Grounds for not attaching a fine notice or notification
| Grounds | Count | Percentage of all parking fines where a notification was not attached to the vehicle | Percentage of all parking fines |
| Section 24AD (1) (a) it was not safe to attach the notification – verbal intimidation | 4 | 0.8% | 0.4% |
| Section 24AD (1) (a) it is not safe to attach the notification – physical intimidation | 0 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Section 24AD (1) (a) it was not safe to attach the notification – assault | 0 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Section 24AD (1) (a) it was not safe to attach the notification – assault using weapon | 0 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Section 24AD (1) (a) it was not safe to attach the notification – threat of an animal | 0 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Section 24AD (1) (a) it was not safe to attach the notification – extreme weather | 15 | 3.0% | 1.5% |
| Section 24AD (1) (a) it was not safe to attach the notification – vehicle location | 98 | 19.6% | 9.8% |
| Section 24AD (1) (a) it was not safe to attach the notification – other reasons | 67 | 13.4% | 2.1% |
| Section 24AD (1) (b) the vehicle was in a prescribed parking zone | 0 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Section 24AD (1) (c) the vehicle was not stationary | 0 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Clause 8 (a) the vehicle involved in the parking offence moved before a notification could be attached to it | 326 | 65.2% | 32.6% |
| Clause 8 (b) the appropriate officer (i) required internet access or telephone service to confirm whether, in the officer's opinion, a parking offence had been committed, and (ii) it was not possible for the officer to access the internet or a telephone service at the time the officer observed the vehicle involved in the alleged offence | 3 | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| Clause 8 (d)(i) vehicle was a heavy vehicle | 1 | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Clause 8 (d)(ii) vehicle was a trailer | 2 | 0.4% | 0.2% |
Reasons for invalidated fines
| Reason | Count |
| Invalidated under section 24AE(2) | 14 |
| Invalidated under section 24AG | 0 |
| Invalidated under section 24AH(1)(a) | 0 |
| Invalidated under section 24AH(1)(b) | 0 |
| Other | 39 |