Parking Changes 2026
Council is committed to creating a safe, vibrant and successful inner city with fair access for the whole community.
A crucial part of that mahi is ensuring we manage parking with a modern, efficient and effective parking system.
Background
In 2025, Rotorua Lakes Councillors made the decision not to continue with the current fully outsourced contract and to look at a new model for parking. It was decided that council would bring the parking services back in-house and lease the technology (machines, apps etc) from Orikan.
The new parking system was introduced on 1 July 2026. Find out more below.
What didn't change:
- 1 hour free in the centre of the city (now you need to enter your number plate at one of the new machines or the PayStay app to register for your free hour)
- Both coin and card machine payment options are available.
- Free parking after 5pm, after 12pm on Saturday, all day Sunday and public holidays.
- On-street inner city parking tariff has not changed from $2/hr under 3 hours.
- Infringement prices – these are set by central government and have not changed.
- Mobility parking – no change to current policy and no reduction in mobility spaces.
- No change to 10 minute discretion period to allow time to complete parking payment process, or do a quick pick up/drop off.
What has changed:
- New machines, virtual meters and a new app.
- No maximum time limit in the city centre zones.
- Four 'zones' reduced to two.
- Permit parking designed for inner city workers and long-stay parking.
- Adjustment to previously free parking areas – limited to outer edge of CBD.
- No more surcharges or extra transaction fees.
- Customer services, enforcement and infringement processing managed by RLC.
- New permit process for mobility card holders.
- Some time-limited (P15/P180) parks changed to standard parks.
- Parking services team based at Inner City Community Safety Hub
The aim behind the change
- Fair access: ensuring fair access to the inner city for all users.
- Balance: the right amount of parking, in the right places, at the right price.
- Affordable options: we can't offer free parking but we can offer affordable options so people can choose what suits them best.
Why it matters
The community needs a parking system that:
- Enables fair access for all user groups.
- Has capacity for customers - supporting local businesses.
- Provides options for workers who keep the inner city running.
- Is easy to use, modern and effective - a better return on investment.
- Is affordable and sustainable - not profit making.
- Is user-pays, not propped up by other funding sources.
- Is fair and consistent - enforcement ensures council can apply rules fairly for the benefit of all.
About the new system
New technology
Through feedback, council heard that reliable technology was a key concern. Orikan is council's tech partner and provides new parking meters, the PayStay app and the associated technology that supports council’s management of parking. To customers that will look like:
- New parking meters - robust, modern and bilingual machines providing a Rotorua flavour for locals and visitors. There are now more meters that accept coins available in the heart of the city.
- Virtual meters - a new option for Rotorua, virtual meters offer a quick, on-the-go option for people wanting to pay for parking with their smartphone.
- PayStay app - taking out the guess work, you can pay as you go using the PayStay app. No more guessing how long you might park for, no rushing back to the meter.
Parking layout
Find out more about where to park in Rotorua - Parking in Rotorua
Through consultation and engagement with local groups, council heard that having four different ‘zones’ around the city was confusing. Now there are only two inner city zones.
- Zone 1 (first hour free) – Recommended for convenience shopping
- Zone 2 – Recommended for long stay customers
You can move anywhere within your chosen zone.
You'll be able to identify the two zones by the last number on the green street signs (301001 or 301002)
Parking pricing
Casual parking prices for under 3 hours have not changed. They are still $2 per hour.
We have also removed surcharges and transaction fees - so if you're paying by card, it's actually cheaper!
Permit areas
To provide more equitable parking options for people who need to be in the CBD for longer periods, council has introduced permits. While this reduces the amount of free parking available, council has prioritised affordability through competitive hourly pricing and the range of permit durations available.
Mobility card holders
- There are at least 2 mobility dedicated parks per street in the inner city.
- What are council's current mobility parking rules?
CCS mobility card holders can:- use designated mobility spaces as long as needed for free.
- use standard parks for as long as needed – free with an RLC Mobility permit.
- use time-limited parks (except P15s) for double the amount of time – free with an RLC Mobility permit.
Council management of parking services
All parking activities including enforcement and customer services have returned to Rotorua Lakes Council. This means a local, responsive approach and increased ability to analyse data and trends over time, improving customer service for the community.
Council’s new parking team, including the new team of parking wardens, are based at the Inner City Community Safety Hub and are available to help with questions, help with lodging disputes or feedback.
The new system also includes two licence plate reading scan cars. This help keep enforcement efficient and consistent while ensuring park turnover, improving access for customers and other inner city businesses. This also enables council to extend parking enforcement to other areas of the district, improving safety outcomes for schools around the district.
Frequently asked questions
Click on the sections below for information about the new parking system.
About the parking changes
- Why did council change the parking system?
The previous parking contract was nearing its expiry. Council took that opportunity to review the direction of parking services. Technology has evolved, as have the needs of our community. - Why
do we need a parking system?
Everyone deserves fair access to parking for shopping, work, appointments and recreation. Well-managed parking helps keep things fair and makes sure there are always spaces available – this helps support local businesses and keeps town accessible for everyone. - Why can’t parking be free or time-limited?
There is no such thing as ‘free’ parking – someone always has to cover the cost of managing it. Right now it’s a user-pays system, meaning those who use it, pay for it. If that wasn’t the case, council would need to use other funding sources like rates to cover the cost. - Why do we have parking?
Rotorua Lakes Council is required under Local Government Act 2002 and Transport Act 1962 to manage and ensure parking compliance. This helps to ensure there are appropriate levels of parking spaces to:- support local businesses and retailers
- support a vibrant CBD by ensuring people can get to where they want to go
- provide access to different user groups
- plays a part in community safety – usable layout, close enough to where people want to go, a busy city centre, reduced vehicle movements
- plays a part in sustainability – reducing vehicle travel times
- Is this just about council making more money?
No, parking is not about making revenue. While the aim is to have a sustainable service that pays for itself, parking is more about ensuring everyone can access the inner city easily and fairly. If any extra money is made, it is invested back into the areas from which it was collected to help with upkeep and maintenance. - How does Rotorua parking costs compare to other locations around NZ?
Except for smaller towns, Rotorua is either the same or cheaper than most places around NZ. - Why are the fees for long stays so much higher in the central city?
This is to encourage turnover in the busiest areas of the inner city. These areas should be for convenience shopping, short breaks at cafes or restaurants and appointments. People can stay much longer if they want but we encourage long stay parking in permit areas or free areas where it is much cheaper to do so. - Why not make the first hour free across the whole city?
This was financially modelled and it was not plausible while keeping prices for longer stays as affordable as possible. - How was the new parking system designed?
Council staff worked with a number of groups to understand the various needs of people visiting the inner city – this included the Rotorua Business Chamber and Parksyde Community Centre. Staff also visited and talked to other councils about was and wasn’t working for their own communities. The new system also addresses much of the feedback that came through during the public consultation earlier this year. - How do the virtual meters work?
If you have NFC enabled on your phone (i.e. you use Apple or Google pay) then all you need to do is hold your smartphone up to the virtual meter and it will open the PayStay Guest portal or app if you are already a registered user.
Alternatively, if you don't have NFC enabled or your phone isn't capable of that function, you can scan the QR code with your camera to open the PayStay Guest portal. - Where does my data go once I scan a virtual meter?
All data is securly stored by PayStay (Orikan Group Pty Limited). Orikan leases all parking-related technology to Rotorua Lakes Council. Orikan services a number of areas around New Zealand.PayStay respects people’s privacy and is bound by the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020, a copy of the privacy policy can be viewed here https://www.paystay.co.nz/privacy.If you are not comfortable sharing any sort of data, you are more than welcome to use a card or coin-operated machine. There are plenty located around the inner-city.
About Orikan
From 1 July 2026 Orikan will lease parking technology, including on-street machines, software and additional payment options. Orikan was selected via an open tender process and is currently working alongside council to ensure that the revised service is ready to go on 1 July 2026.
Orikan's on-street meters are designed and assembled in New Zealand. They are robust machines, being developed initially for the harsh and variable conditions of New Zealand’s coastline and are used in many other NZ towns and cities.
About Orikan
Orikan is a world-class provider of an end-to-end suite of parking technology solutions that supports real communities. Orikan has over two decades experience delivering integrated parking services across New Zealand. You’ll find their parking technology in many communities including Auckland, Tauranga, Hamilton and New Plymouth.
