Brisbane drivers are resorting to unusual methods to avoid parking fines as the city's automated parking enforcement system expands across some of the busiest areas.

Brisbane City Council has issued almost $35 million in parking infringement notices so far in 2026, according to current reporting. More than 8,100 of those notices have been generated by the council's newer automatic parking cameras.

The cameras are designed to monitor vehicles continuously in locations where illegal parking has become a significant concern. The technology allows enforcement officers to identify vehicles that remain illegally parked and issue infringement notices without requiring an officer to be physically present beside every vehicle.

However, some motorists have attempted to find ways around the system by deliberately obscuring their vehicle's licence plates.

Reports have identified drivers using items including plastic sheets, camping chairs and dishcloths to cover or obstruct their number plates while their vehicles are parked. Some of the examples have been observed in Brisbane suburbs such as Newstead, where automatic licence-plate recognition technology is being used.

Brisbane City Council has acknowledged that vehicles with obscured plates are an issue that occurs from time to time. However, council officers cannot issue parking infringements specifically for an obscured or altered registration plate because that matter falls under Queensland state legislation rather than council parking enforcement powers.

Queensland Police have warned that vehicle number plates must remain clearly visible. Police said plates must be visible from 45 degrees in all directions at a distance of 20 metres.

That requirement means that motorists can potentially face enforcement action if their number plates are covered by materials or vehicle accessories. Police specifically identified situations involving bull bars, tow bars, driving lights, faded plates and other obstructions.

The rules also apply when drivers deliberately place material over their registration plates. Police said plates cannot legally be tucked underneath parts of a vehicle or covered with another material.

While the council may not have the authority to issue a specific infringement for an obscured number plate, Queensland Police can enforce state laws relating to vehicle registration plates.

The council's automated parking cameras were initially introduced in four Brisbane hotspots in early 2025. The program was subsequently expanded, with more than 40 locations using the technology by November.

Two locations in particular — Graham Street in South Brisbane and Park Road in Milton — have generated more than 3,000 infringement notices between them.

The council says illegal parking can have a significant effect on traffic movement and access in busy areas. Enforcement is intended to improve compliance and ensure parking restrictions are followed.

The introduction of automated technology has changed the way parking enforcement operates in Brisbane, allowing cameras to operate continuously in designated locations. But the growing use of the technology has also prompted some motorists to experiment with ways to avoid being detected.

Authorities have made clear that deliberately covering a registration plate is not a legitimate way to avoid a parking fine and can create a separate legal issue under Queensland road laws.

Drivers are therefore being reminded to keep their licence plates clean, unobstructed and clearly visible whenever their vehicles are being used or parked on public roads.

The issue highlights the increasing use of automated enforcement technology in Brisbane and the continuing tension between parking enforcement, driver behaviour and compliance with road laws.