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Parking meterWallonia

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Traffic signs
Traffic rules
Wallonia

53. Parking meter

A parking meter is a device used to regulate and usually collect payment for parking in a designated parking space or area. It may require drivers to pay for a particular parking period, enter a vehicle registration number or obtain a ticket that must be displayed in the vehicle.

Parking meters may accept coins, payment cards, contactless payments or electronic payment methods, depending on the local system. Drivers must follow the instructions, operating hours, maximum parking duration and tariffs indicated on the meter, nearby signs or other official parking information.

Parking meter
Parking meter in Liège. (Belgium)
Wikimedia.org • Jeanhousen • CC BY-SA
How does a parking meter work in Belgium?

At a Belgian parking meter or parking machine, parking must take place according to the method and conditions indicated on the device. These conditions may include the tariff, operating period, maximum parking duration and required payment procedure.

Do you always need a paper parking ticket in Belgium?

No. Some parking systems require a ticket or parking card to be displayed visibly, while others register the parking session electronically using the vehicle's registration number or another authorised system.

Can Belgian paid parking use a mobile application?

Yes. Belgian rules allow paid parking to be organised using other methods and conditions that are communicated locally. This can include authorised mobile or electronic payment systems.

What should you do if a Belgian parking meter is out of order?

If the parking meter or parking machine is out of service, you must use a parking disc according to the applicable Belgian blue-zone rules, unless another valid local arrangement applies.

How should you set the parking disc when the parking meter is broken?

The arrow of the parking disc must be set to the mark immediately following your arrival time. Unless different conditions are indicated, the standard blue-zone rules apply from 09:00 to 18:00 on working days and allow a maximum parking period of two hours.

Do you also need a parking disc when a working parking meter is present?

Normally no. Where parking meters or parking machines are operating, the parking disc is not additionally required merely because the area is also within a limited-parking zone. The disc becomes relevant when the meter or machine is out of service or when signs specifically require it.

Can a Belgian parking meter impose a maximum parking time?

Yes. Drivers must respect the maximum parking duration indicated by the meter, parking machine or local parking rules. Using another permitted payment method does not allow the maximum authorised period to be exceeded.

Can you use a paid parking card instead of a Belgian parking meter?

Where the system permits it, the use of a paid parking card may replace use of the parking meter or parking machine. The permitted parking time may not exceed the maximum duration imposed by the meter or machine.

Do parking conditions differ between Belgian municipalities?

Yes. Tariffs, operating hours, maximum parking periods and authorised payment methods can be determined locally. Drivers should therefore follow the information displayed on the parking machine, traffic signs and other official parking instructions at the location.

Do two motorcycles in one Belgian car parking space each have to pay?

When more than one motorcycle is parked within a marked parking space intended for one car, payment for that parking space only has to be made once.

Can parking enforcement in Belgium use the registration number?

Yes. Parking arrangements can use electronic supervision based on the vehicle's registration number. Where such a system applies, a physical parking card does not necessarily have to be displayed behind the windscreen.

Does paying a Belgian parking meter allow you to park where parking is otherwise prohibited?

No. Payment only satisfies the applicable paid-parking requirement. All other Belgian stopping and parking rules remain in force, including restrictions concerning crossings, intersections, driveways, reserved spaces and places where a vehicle would create an obstruction or danger.

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