Parking meter payments and receipts

Overview of payments

Our parking meters have changed due to the Australia-wide shutdown of the 3G network. All previous parking meters in the North Sydney LGA used this network, which therefore required an upgrade. Council took this opportunity to update the paid parking system.

Our area has 114 parking meters and 177 Touch N Go boxes.

Our parking meters and Touch N Gos are cashless and ticketless.

Payment should be made as soon as possible after you have parked. To avoid fines, you must obey signs relevant to your parking space.

There are now three options to pay for parking in our LGA:

• Parking meters
• Touch N Gos and
• PayStay app

Council's parking meters, Touch N Gos and the PayStay app are Orikan.

Parking meters – how to pay

Our parking meters are now narrower, solar-powered and no longer contain buttons – leaving room for a large touch screen.

If the screen is blank, it is in power-saving mode.

To awaken, press ‘Touch Here To Start’ underneath the touch screen then follow the steps below: 

1. Enter your number plate and press continue 
2. Press the RIGHT + MORE button to increase the parking time or
3. LEFT – LESS button to decrease the parking time period until it meets the required parking time 
4. Tap your debit/debit card or smart device on the black payWave square 
5. Wait 3 to 5 seconds for the meter to process your card payment 
6. If you would like an e-receipt, select ‘Yes’ 
7. Scan the QR code or enter the URL that appears on screen and enter the code to download and press ‘Continue’ 
8. The transaction is now completed with the end screen displaying the time your parking will finish

Payment options – debit/credit card or smart devices

Parking meters accept payment using payWave on debit/credit card (Visa and MasterCard only) as well as prepaid cards and smart devices.

If you would like to use AMEX, please use the app or the PayStay Guest website via a smart device.

You have the option of paying with your smartphone via the PayStay Guest website as an alternative to paying directly on the parking meter screen. Use your smartphone to scan the QR code on the front of the parking meter screen to be taken directly to PayStay Guest. 

To avoid fines, you must obey signs relevant to your parking space.

View PDF instructions

If you encounter any problems with the meters, please report faults to the service line on 1300 322 263.

Touch N Go – how to pay

Touch N Gos are small blue boxes that require you to pay by smartphone. If surrounding parking meters are out of order or offline, Touch N Gos will be unaffected. Touch N Gos use Near Field Communication (NFC), a technology allowing communication between two electronic devices over short distances.

All Touch N Go boxes require the use of the PayStay Guest website or PayStay App to make a transaction. You will be redirected automatically when holding your smartphone close to the box via Near Field Communication (NFC) techonology. You can also access PayStay Guest via the QR code on the front of the box.

Each Touch N Go box contains a unique code that corresponds with the Paystay Guest website link and the location of the box. You must use the specific NFC or QR code web link on the Touch N Go located near your vehicle. This ensures payment security for users and accuracy when monitoring parking through geotagging for Council.

1. Scan the QR code using your smartphone on the front of the box. If NFC is enabled on your device, hold your smartphone close to the box and follow the prompts 

2. You will be taken to the PayStay Guest website. If you have already created a PayStay app account, you will instead be taken directly to the app 

3. Enter your number plate, state and mobile number and press ‘Continue’ 

4. Select the duration of time you’d like to park for and press ‘Continue’ 

5. Choose your card payment and press ‘Continue’. You also have the option to pay with Apple or Google Pay 

6. The parking duration period, parking end time and final payment will be shown on the screen 

7. If you would like an e-receipt, select ‘Yes’ to email or download

Payment options – debit/credit card or smart devices

Touch N Gos require payment on the PayStay Guest website via a smart device and accepts payment using debit/credit card (Visa, MasterCard and AMEX), Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Additional fees and surcharges

Touch N Go boxes facilitate navigation to the PayStay Guest website for payment or, if already downloaded, the PayStay App. PayStay charges 8.25% on all transactions made on the PayStay Guest website. The 8.25% surcharge is for using the pay-by-phone service on the PayStay Guest website and the PayStay App. This surcharge fee does not go to Council.

Your final payment amount will show the total cost of your parking session, including the transaction fee.

If you require any assistance with PayStay App or PayStay Guest, call PayStay’s Helpdesk on 1300 322 111.

PayStay App – how to pay

In addition to our physical parking meters and Touch N Gos, you also have the option of downloading the PayStay app and paying directly on your smartphone.

The PayStay App saves your details, parking receipts and payment preferences. It contains additional prompts and functions that may make parking faster and easier. Downloading the app is optional when parking.

Please note: you must manually start and stop your parking session when using the app. If you have spent less time than paid for in a parked space, press ‘Stop’ and a notification banner will appear showing the amended total cost of the parking period. 

1. Go to the App Store or Google Play and download ‘PayStay’ 

2. Open the app and create an account by entering your mobile phone number 

3. An SMS verification security code will be sent to your phone number

4. Enter your email, name, postcode, number plate, and card details and generate a password. These details will be saved in the app. You can also sign up with an Apple or Google account 

5. Set up your account balance by adding your top-up amount and top-up threshold. When your account balance reaches its top-up threshold, it will be replenished automatically by your top-up amount, ensuring there is always money available for parking 

6. You will be asked to verify your email address 

7. Once you have parked, open the app and enter the parking bay zone number – this should be located on a nearby parking sign. You can also search for the zone number in the app via a location pin map 

8. Tap ‘Start Parking’ and the confirmation banner ‘Parking Started’ will appear 

If you have the PayStay app, you do not need to add in your permit.

To avoid fines, you must obey signs relevant to your parking space.

You can create an account prior to downloading the app by heading to paystay.com.au

Payment options

PayStay app accepts payment using debit/credit card (Visa, MasterCard and AMEX).

Did you know

• You can use the PayStay App map to check the rates and duration of parking locations in our LGA and other areas to plan ahead 

• You can opt into additional app reminders. These include when your parking time runs out or to top up meter payments in line with parking guidelines. Additional fees will apply. 

• You can add multiple number plates to the PayStay app to toggle between your chosen car when parking. 

Additional fees and surcharges 

• PayStay charges 8.25% on all transactions made on the PayStay App. The 8.25% surcharge is for using the pay-by-phone service on the App. This surcharge fee does not go to Council. The total cost of your parking session, inclusive of the transaction fee will be shown in your final payment

• PayStay charges a reminder fee in the PayStay App of 34c for each reminder. A warning will be displayed on the screen where you set your parking duration if reminder services are enabled. You can turn this service off at any time by pressing the bell icon on the screen

If you require any assistance with PayStay App or PayStay Guest, call PayStay’s Helpdesk on 1300 322 111.

Receipts and refund information

Receipts

Council’s parking meters, Touch N Gos and the PayStay app are Orikan. They do not issue receipts or parking tickets to display in your vehicle.  

You can request a digital receipt for parking meters, Touch N Gos and the PayStay app using the following steps: 

Parking meters  

• After payment is processed and completed, you will be offered a copy of the e-receipt, select ‘Yes’ 

• Scan the QR code or enter the URL that appears on screen and enter the code to download and press ‘Continue’ 

Touch N Gos 

• After payment is processed and completed on PayStay Guest, you will be offered a copy of the e-receipt, select ‘Yes’ to email or download

PayStay App 

• The PayStay app will contain all current and previous parking information, including receipts. A history of all transactions can be found by logging onto paystay.com.au

Refunds

Council does not issue refunds for unused time at parking meters or through PayStay Guest via Touch N Gos.

PayStay App returns unused funds to the account balance inside the app if a motorist returns to their vehicle earlier than the allocated time. You must press ‘Stop’ at the end of your session to ensure the amended total cost of the parking period is updated and the remaining funds are returned. The PayStay app account balance is topped up and used similarly to an Opal card or toll account.

Duplicate debit or credit card transactions

Occasionally, failed transactions will appear on your bank statement as a pending transaction until the bank can confirm the transaction failed.

This can look like a duplicate transaction.

Once the bank receives confirmation, the money will be released. This can take up to five working days.

Until then, the failed transaction will appear beside the successful transaction on your statement.

Call PayStay's Helpdesk number on 1300 322 111 to place a request if two payments have resulted from the same transaction.

Avoiding scams

Websites

Some websites have been made to resemble legitimate payment apps, but are fraudulent and not the official Orikan PayStay website. This could result in customers downloading what appears to be Orikan’s PayStay app or signing up to what appears to be an Orikan PayStay account through a Google search.

Stay vigilant to scams by checking the URL link that appears in your browser. All web addresses will display as paystay.com.au under a secure https connection. Scammers make subtle changes to URL text. Check the link and destination to ensure it’s legitimate. Cross check the websites legitimacy by confirming the zone number paid for online against the zone number listed on street signs.

 The only legitimate payment methods when paying for parking in the North Sydney LGA are the following:

• QR codes found on both Parking Meters and Touch N Go boxes which will direct you to a unique geotargeted secure webpage (PayStay Guest) where no sign up is necessary
• The ‘website NFC tag’ prompt when holding a smartphone up to the Touch N Go boxes which will direct you to a unique geotargeted secure webpage (PayStay Guest) where no sign up is necessary
• Using the Parking Meter screens to pay directly by following the prompts
• Downloading the PayStay App via the App Store or Google Play

Orikan’s PayStay Guest and App systems are secure and there are no risks involved in using them.

If you detect any fraudulent activity please contact the PayStay's Customer Service Centre on 1300 322 111 during the following hours:

Monday to Saturday - 6am to 9pm (AEST)

Sunday - 8am to 8pm (AEST)

You can also contact them via email at customerservice@paystay.com.au.

Orikan continues to report fraudulent websites to Google and recommends staying vigilant and advises customers to only use trusted sources to pay through the direct methods listed above.

North Sydney Council are increasing the number of Touch N Go boxes in the LGA to enhance the visibility and ensure that all parking bays can be paid for without downloading the PayStay App or by walking to a Parking Meter.

QR codes

PayStay's QR codes adhere to high security standards. Stay vigilant to scams by checking the URL link that appears after scanning a QR code. All web addresses will display as paystay.com.au under a secure https connection. Scammers make subtle changes to URL text. Check the link and destination to ensure it’s legitimate. If you have the PayStay App it will automatically open when a PayStay QR code is scanned. Confirm the zone number paid for online against the zone number listed on street signs.

Read more on PayStay's website