Department for Infrastructure - Parking Enforcement Unit

Enforcement of parking restrictions aims to reduce the number of illegally-parked vehicles. This, in turn, will reduce traffic congestion, improve road safety, and improve accessibility for all road users, including Blue Badge holders.

Enforcement of parking restrictions

The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) takes responsibility for the enforcement of most parking restrictions.

On-the-ground enforcement is provided by DfI’s contractor, currently NSL Services Group (NSL), who employ the traffic attendants.

Traffic attendants are expected to issue Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), commonly known as parking tickets, to vehicles which are detected as illegally parked.

A penalty charge is not a fine, it is a civil charge owing to a civil authority, that is DfI. This type of enforcement is known as Decriminalised Parking Enforcement (DPE).

Certain offences, such as dangerous parking or parking causing an obstruction, have not been decriminalised and the responsibility for the enforcement of these remains with the PSNI.