Legal
Council to refund up to $12m in parking fines after 12-year error

Drivers across Melbourne’s inner north are set to be refunded millions of dollars in parking fines after Merri-bek City Council admitted to overcharging motorists for more than a decade due to an administrative blunder.
The council, formerly known as Moreland, revealed this week it had incorrectly issued parking fines worth up to $12 million between July 1, 2013 and June 11, 2025. Around 248,000 infringements are believed to be affected, with individual refunds ranging from $43 to $59 depending on when the fine was issued.
The error stemmed from the council charging 0.5 penalty units for certain parking violations – without having the necessary resolution in place. Under Victorian law, in the absence of a formal resolution, the maximum charge should have been 0.2 penalty units.
“Unfortunately, it has recently been discovered that there was no resolution in place setting this value,” the council said in a statement. “This was due to an administrative error in 2013, which has not been identified until recently.”
The fines in question relate primarily to overstaying time limits in “green sign zones” and other minor parking infringements. The 11 affected offence types include failing to park at the correct angle, parking outside a marked bay, or stopping in designated motorbike or bicycle parking areas.
Merri-bek City Council chief executive officer Cathy Henderson apologised for the long-standing oversight.
“Today’s announcement reflects Merri-bek City Council’s commitment to integrity, transparency and fairness. Now that we have found the mistake, we are fixing it,” she said. “This is a regrettable historical administrative error, and we apologise for the impact of the overcharge.”
Henderson emphasised that parking fines are reinvested into community services and facilities, and that parking controls remain necessary to ensure fair access to limited spaces.
The council will launch a Parking Fines Refund Scheme in July, offering affected motorists 12 months to apply for a refund. Fines Victoria has confirmed it will place impacted outstanding fines on hold during this process, suspending enforcement action and additional fees.
“Fines Victoria will continue to work with Merri-bek City Council as they take action to resolve this matter,” the agency said in an online statement.
Drivers keen to find out if they are eligible for a refund can visit the Merri-bek City Council website for further details.
Image: Merri-bek City Council