Advertising a car for sale parked on the street. NSW

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lowpugV2

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Does anyone know if it is legal or illegal to advertise a car for sale while parked on a public street?

I'm in the Willoughby council area of NSW and they love to fine residents for everything possible. I vaguely remember reading it is illegal to sell cars with a sign on them while parked... But I cannot find a definitive answer.

Wondering if anyone knows about this?
 
Under the Local Government Act 1993, it is illegal to advertise a vehicle for sale or any other article on a public road or in a public place without prior approval from the council.

This certainly applies to a car with a For Sale sign on it. If you can be sprung for an ad in the paper for an unmarked car, I don't know.

They can fine you for a range of unapproved activities too, so be discreet about the sale. Don't auction it!
 
I think the issue is only with the sign, isn't it ? They are unsightly.

If you advertise online and take someone out there, what possible issue could there be ?
 
Hmm, thanks seasink. There is a fortnightly French market across the road from my flat tomorrow so thought it be a great place to park the 306 with a for sale sign, but maybe not if I get fined.
 
Beano said:
I think the issue is only with the sign, isn't it ? They are unsightly.

If you advertise online and take someone out there, what possible issue could there be ?
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Hmm, true. Was really looking to take advantage of the French markets as there's always a few 406's or Citroen's that turn up.
 
lowpugV2 said:
Hmm, thanks seasink. There is a fortnightly French market across the road from my flat tomorrow so thought it be a great place to park the 306 with a for sale sign, but maybe not if I get fined.
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Depending whether there are Sunday parking restrictions there may not be anyone checking parking. Surely you could risk it for a few hours if only for the duration of the market?
 
^ True.
How about a sneaky sign, saying "for sale", but in ambiguous language, and giving your number ? :cool:
 
Beano said:
^ True.
How about a sneaky sign, saying "for sale", but in ambiguous language, and giving your number ? :cool:
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I like it. "This gallic wonder could be yours. Let's rendezvous: 0412xxxxxx" something like that? I might get some odd calls...
 
You don’t need to write for sale.
just write the price, and a ph number
 
agree, but think it's the "for sale" wording that's not allowed but if it says "interested?" then that should not give any issues.
 
Yeah, but then some silly bureaucrat will deem it to be the same as a "For Sale" sign. I reckon it's better to make the language really ambiguous, so that if necessary, you can then defend yourself by using all kinds of circular and misleading logic.

Just the "let's rendezvous" by itself sounds great ! But the "interesting" phone calls could be a problem... :cool:
 
IMHO some people worry about the small stuff too much. I have sold quite a few vehicles over the years and however else I advertise, I have always put a sign in the window F&R and on the seat for a motorbike and parked them on a main road close by and out the front of my house which is a suburban short cut. I would avoid using any spot that has a buildup of cars for sale, and off the carriage way, and always park leagally and safely. (y)
Never been a problem and I also have used functions like the Caravan and Camping show, fairs, the uni, etc near entrances for display. Never had a problem and I might say that I feel entitled to park my registered vehicle anywhere that is allowed and the fact it has a modest sign is not a worry to me. Hmm I might even contest a booking to get the real legality of it. ;)
Jaahn
 
Ever since General Managers were instituted Sydney council staffs have increased mightily, beyond the ability of rates to support them, hence all the charges and levies for every council so-called service, and rangers on the look out for trivia. It would be foolish to advertise a car in a popular selling spot - the ranger will take note.

I think a car in a quiet suburban street outside a home would fall under the radar, unless there's a building site next door. Sites are frequently watched - dirt on the road is an easy fine.
 
lowpugV2 said:
Does anyone know if it is legal or illegal to advertise a car for sale while parked on a public street?
I'm in the Willoughby council area of NSW and they love to fine residents for everything possible. I vaguely remember reading it is illegal to sell cars with a sign on them while parked... But I cannot find a definitive answer.
Wondering if anyone knows about this?
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As posted by seasink, it is indeed illegal, though the fine is for not getting prior approval.

These are the relevant sections
Link to Section 68, Part E (2) & Link to Section 626 (3)

Vehicle Advertising
Under the Local Government Act 1993, it is illegal to advertise a vehicle for sale or any other article on a public road or in a public place without prior approval from council. Authorised officers conduct regular patrols and a person who fails to obtain approval from council or who carries out an illegal activity not in accordance with an approval may be issued with a penalty.
Permission must be sought from council to advertise a vehicle or other article on a public road or public place.
Written applications will be considered by council on case by case basis.


Hard to say how rigourous your council enforces this, they definitely will whenever a strip of road gets dozens of cars with 4 sale signs.
You could always ask them and write a note that you have contacted them on your sign.
 
Yeah, it would only be parked on the street outside my flat. Not a main road. I'm just wary because since moving into Willoughby I've had two parking fines and they have shown no leniency ... One was for being parked in an hour zone outside my house and I was about 10 minutes over because of a work call the other was that my bumper apparently was blocking a drive way. It was a driveway maybe years ago but now it leads to a brick wall. So trivia and revenue is what they are after.

I shall seek approval and go from there. Thanks for the tips.
 
lowpugV2 said:
Yeah, it would only be parked on the street outside my flat. Not a main road. I'm just wary because since moving into Willoughby I've had two parking fines and they have shown no leniency ... One was for being parked in an hour zone outside my house and I was about 10 minutes over because of a work call the other was that my bumper apparently was blocking a drive way. It was a driveway maybe years ago but now it leads to a brick wall. So trivia and revenue is what they are after.

I shall seek approval and go from there. Thanks for the tips.
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Hmm some years back my daughter was fined for parking across her own driveway in front of her inner city flat. Actually the "driveway" is obviously not wide enough for a car to fit into and has never had one in it and barely enough for a motorbike with the bins in there. But the curb is cut down like a driveway. ??? I guess the rangers were out for a cost recovery day for their wages. :confused::rolleyes:
Jaahn
 
Yeah I got fined for parking between 2 construction site vehicles in a no parking zone.
I got one for no parking and as an added bonus another one for facing the wrong way. This was in a one way street that might see 10 cars on a busy day, I was parked one car off the T junction.
The construction site vehicles somehow had immunity. My car wasn't even on the road, it was on the verge up against the construction site fence.
The only reason I parked there was because the business I wished to visit was blocked off by a truck (double parked in the T junction) which was being unloaded by an unregistered forklift. But apparently this is OK too.🙄
The rest of the on street parking is generally occupied by the businesses own sign written vehicles or their unregistered motorcycles, quad bikes, mowers etc. " Nothing to see here".🤷‍♂️
I did enter into some interesting correspondence with a council employee with a fancy sounding title, but he stopped responding to my Emails.😉
 
I don’t think it is 68 Part E (2) at all, if anything it would be 68 Part F (7) of the local government act
 
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