School zones operate from 8-9.30am and from 2.30-4pm Monday to Friday during school terms. Check our calendar below to find out when NSW and ACT schools go back.
What are school zones?
School zones are in place outside every school in NSW and the ACT to keep children safe during school travel times. They are marked by school zone road signs, flashing lights and dragon’s teeth road markings. There is a 40km/h speed limit within each school zone and heavy penalties for motorists who drive over the speed limit or break other school zone laws.
School zones also include designated drop-off and pick-up areas to allow parents and carers a safe environment to take children to and from school by car. Many school zones also have school crossing supervisors in place to help students use crossings on roads adjacent to or nearby schools.
Most* school zones operate from 8:00am to 9.30am and from 2.30pm to 4pm on gazetted school days (including school development days) in NSW and from 8am to 4pm in the ACT.
What else do I need to know about driving in school zones?
Children are small, harder to see, behave unpredictably and are extremely vulnerable. They need you to take extra care when driving and parking around school zones and increased fines and demerit points apply for certain school zone offences.
- Observe No Parking Signs: You have 2 minutes to drop-off or pick up. You must stay within 3 metres of your vehicle. Failure to observe these rules can get you a $215 fine and 2 demerit points.
- Observe No Stopping signs: Do not stop for any reason. The first 10m from an intersection is a No Stopping zone. Yellow kerb lines are also no stopping zones. Failing to observe these rules can get you a $514 fine and 2 demerit points.
- Pedestrian Crossings: In a queue of traffic, no part of your vehicle can stop on a pedestrian crossing. It is unsafe to let your child out of a vehicle at a pedestrian crossing as this is a No Stopping zone. Failure to observe these rules can get you a $387 fine and up to 3 demerit points. Road Rules 2014 Rule 80 attaches fines of up to $644 and 4 demerit points for offences related to failure to safely observe children’s crossings while in a school zone.
- Double Parking: Double parking is very dangerous in a school zone and will get you a fine of $387 and 2 demerit points.
- Driveways and Footpaths: do no park on our across a driveway or footpath. Failure to observe these rules can get you a $387 fine and 2 demerit points.
- U turns: Illegal U turns in a school zone are dangerous and will get you a fine of $387 and 3 demerit points.
- Stop, give way signs/lines: Road Rules 2014 Rule 67 and 68 govern penalty fines and demerit points for offences relating to failure to observe stop and give way signs and lines within school zones. Failing to observe these rules can get you a fine of up to $514 fine and 4 demerit points.
- Double Demerits: Speeding and mobile phone school zone offences attract double demerits within legislated periods.
School Zone Dates - NSW - 2024
Dates include school development days (also known as student-free days) as some students may attend their school on these days.
| Notified school days | 2024 |
| Term 4 (Eastern and Western Divisions NSW) | Monday 14 October to Friday 20 December (inclusive) |
School Zone Dates - ACT - 2024
| Notified school days | 2024 |
| Term 4 | Monday 14 October to Friday 20 December |
Why do school zones operate on pupil free days?
School zones operate and are enforced on pupil free days because pupil free days can vary from school to school. Consistent operation of school zones aims to reduce driver confusion, which improves the safety of school children.
*There are a small number of non-standard school zone times in NSW and ACT. They are identified by red/orange school zone signs to show non-standard times. Signs at these schools show the times that apply.
30km/h zones
In specific areas, the NSW Government is installing High Pedestrian Activity Area (HPAA) speed zones of 30km/h to improve safety.
The Manly HPAA has several school zones within the 30km/h zones. These school zones also operate at 30km/h. Orange school zone signs and road markings alert drivers to 30km/h zones.
