You’ve found a spot on a quiet street, but it’s near a corner — or a driveway, or a bus stop — and you’re not sure if it’s legal. NSW has a specific minimum distance for each of these features, and most of them apply whether or not there’s a sign. The absence of a No Stopping sign is not permission.
This guide lists every NSW stopping and parking distance rule, the exact figure, the Road Rules 2014 rule number, and how the distance is measured. It’s NSW-specific and current as at 28 May 2026. It’s general information, not legal advice — for a fine you want to fight or anything that’s gone to court, contact LawAccess NSW on 1300 888 529.
The quick-reference table
Every figure below is set out in the NSW Road Rules 2014 and confirmed on the Transport for NSW parking rules page. “Stop” in the rules means to stop at all — so these limits apply to a quick drop-off as well as parking.
| Feature | Minimum distance | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Intersection with traffic lights | 20 m | Rule 170 |
| Intersection without traffic lights | 10 m | Rule 170 |
| Children’s crossing | 20 m before, 10 m after | Rule 171 |
| Pedestrian crossing (not at an intersection) | 20 m before, 10 m after | Rule 172 |
| Marked foot crossing (not at an intersection) | 20 m before, 10 m after | Rule 173 |
| Traffic-light / pedestrian signals (mid-block) | 10 m before, 3 m after | NSW Government parking rules |
| Railway level crossing | 20 m before and after the nearest rail | Rule 175 |
| Bus stop | 20 m before, 10 m after the bus-stop sign | Rule 195 |
| Another parked car (parallel, no bay) | 1 m front and behind | Rule 208 |
| Continuous (double) dividing line | 3 m of clear road must remain | Rule 208 |
| Australia Post postbox | 3 m | Rule 199 |
| Fire hydrant / hydrant indicator | 1 m | Rule 194 |
| Across a driveway or footpath | not at all | Rule 198 |
| Double parking (alongside a parked car) | not at all | Rule 189 |
The rest of this guide explains the ones people get wrong most often.
Corners and intersections: 10 m or 20 m
This is the rule that catches the most people, and it’s Rule 170 — Stopping in or near an intersection (except a T-intersection or slip lane).
- 20 metres from an intersection with traffic lights
- 10 metres from an intersection without traffic lights
The reason for the gap: at a signalised intersection there’s more vehicle and pedestrian movement to keep clear, so the buffer is doubled.
Two things make Rule 170 a trap:
- It applies even with no sign. Many councils put up No Stopping signs around corners as a visual reminder, but the 10/20-metre rule is the law regardless of whether a sign is there. People assume “no sign = fine to park,” and get a ticket.
- It carries demerit points. Unlike most parking offences, stopping in or near an intersection is a 2-demerit-point offence because it’s treated as a road-safety matter, not ordinary parking. You can lose points for parking too close to a corner on an empty street at midnight.
How the distance is measured
The 10 or 20 metres is measured from the nearest point of the intersecting road — not from the centre of the intersection, and not from the stop line. In practice, picture the kerb line of the side street extended across into the road you’re on; the measurement runs from that line back along your kerb. If any part of your vehicle sits inside that distance, you’ve stopped too close — it’s measured to the closest point of the car, not the middle.
T-intersections are different
Rule 170 specifically excludes T-intersections. At a T-intersection, the rules let you stop on the continuous side (the top of the T, opposite the terminating road) closer than 10 metres, provided there’s no continuous dividing line or median and no other restriction. The 10/20-metre buffer still applies on the arms of the T where the side road meets the through road. If you’re not certain which side is the “through” side, treat it as a normal intersection.
Crossings: 20 m before, 10 m after
Three separate rules cover crossings, and they all use the same numbers — 20 metres before, 10 metres after, measured in the direction you’re driving:
- Rule 171 — children’s crossings (the flag-marked ones outside schools)
- Rule 172 — pedestrian crossings (zebra crossings) not at an intersection
- Rule 173 — marked foot crossings not at an intersection
“Before” means the approach side; “after” means once you’ve passed the crossing. The longer buffer on the approach exists so a stopped car can’t hide a child or pedestrian stepping out from a driver coming up to the crossing.
There’s also a separate buffer at mid-block traffic lights or pedestrian/bicycle signals that aren’t at an intersection: the Transport for NSW parking rules state you must not stop within 10 metres before and 3 metres after those signals.
Bus stops: 20 m before, 10 m after the sign
Rule 195 bans stopping within 20 metres before a bus-stop sign and 10 metres after it, measured in your direction of travel. Only public buses are exempt, plus anyone parking where a sign specifically permits it. The bus-stop sign is the reference point, not a painted box on the road — so look for the pole, not just the yellow line.
Railway level crossings: 20 m each way
Rule 175 keeps you 20 metres clear on both sides of a railway level crossing, measured from the nearest rail — 20 metres before the nearest rail as you approach, and 20 metres past the nearest rail once you’re clear of it. This one is symmetrical (20/20), unlike crossings and bus stops.
How far from another parked car: the 1-metre rule
When you parallel park on a road outside a marked bay, Rule 208 requires at least 1 metre between your car and the closest point of any vehicle in front of and behind you. The same rule says you must park parallel and as near as practicable to the left kerb (or to either kerb on a one-way street), unless angle parking is signed or marked.
Rule 208 is also where the double-line clearance comes from. If the road has a continuous (unbroken) centre dividing line or a dividing strip, you must leave at least 3 metres of clear road between your vehicle and the line or strip. On a narrow street with double centre lines, that 3-metre requirement can make a spot illegal even though there’s no sign — there simply isn’t enough road width left for traffic to pass safely.
Note: people often phrase this as “you can’t park within 3 metres of double lines.” The rule is really about leaving 3 metres of road clear past your car — but the practical effect is the same: on a tight street with unbroken centre lines, don’t park there.
Driveways and footpaths: no distance, just “no”
Rule 198 prohibits stopping on or across a driveway or other vehicle access to adjacent land, and stopping in a way that obstructs access to or from a footpath ramp, bicycle path or passageway. A related rule, Rule 197, bans stopping on a footpath, nature strip, dividing strip, painted island or traffic island altogether.
The one that surprises people: you can’t legally park across your own driveway. Rule 198 protects access generally — it doesn’t carve out an exception for the property owner. The only allowance is stopping briefly to drop off or pick up passengers. The NRMA confirms councils do fine residents for this.
Double parking, postboxes and other features
- Double parking — Rule 189 bans stopping alongside a vehicle that’s already parked at the kerb (so your car is a second row out from the kerb). It’s penalty-only (no demerit points), but one of the more serious distance offences because it pushes traffic into the opposing lane.
- Postboxes — Rule 199 keeps you 3 metres clear of a public Australia Post postbox, unless you’re stopping to post mail or to drop off/pick up passengers.
- Fire hydrants — you must not stop within 1 metre of a fire hydrant or hydrant indicator (Rule 194).
- Slip lanes — Rule 203A bans stopping in a slip lane (the short left-turn lane separated by a painted or raised island) unless a parking sign says otherwise.
- Bridges and tunnels — Rule 192 restricts stopping on bridges, in tunnels and in similar structures unless there’s room left for other traffic and a sign permits it.
A note on “No Parking near intersections” and letterboxes
You’ll sometimes hear that there’s a special “No Parking” rule near intersections or letterboxes. There isn’t a separate one — it’s the same Rule 170 (intersections) and Rule 199 (postboxes) above. The confusion comes from councils erecting actual No Stopping or No Parking signs at those spots to make the default rule visible. If a sign is there, follow the sign; if it isn’t, the distance rule still applies. For what those two signs actually allow, see No Stopping vs No Parking.
What this guide doesn’t cover
- Exact fine amounts. Distance offences range from penalty-only tickets to demerit-point offences, and the dollar figures are indexed each year. For the current schedule, see our NSW parking fine amounts guide and the official NSW Government penalty notice schedule.
- Signed exceptions. Every distance rule above gives way to a parking control sign that expressly permits stopping. Always read the actual sign — it overrides the default.
- Interstate rules. These figures are NSW. The Road Rules are broadly harmonised nationally under the Australian Road Rules, but rule numbers, enforcement and penalties differ by state — don’t assume the NSW figures apply elsewhere.
- Court and appeal matters. This is general information, not legal advice.
If you’re parking somewhere borderline — close to a corner, near a crossing, half a car-length from a driveway — Chalked is what we’d reach for (we built it). It gets you crowdsourced alerts when a parking officer is spotted nearby, which is exactly the situation where these no-sign distance rules turn a quick stop into a fine with demerit points.
For more on signs and the rules behind them, see How to read NSW parking signs and No Stopping vs No Parking.
This is general information, not legal advice. For a fine you intend to dispute or any matter before a court, contact LawAccess NSW on 1300 888 529.