A new pre-pay parking system could reduce the revenue that Wellington City Council gets from parking fines.
A Phone2Park scheme to pay by text top-up was launched on Friday.
Motorists can register for an online card to display in a windscreen and then pay by text.
Mayor Celia Wade-Brown says the convenience of text top-up from anywhere will prevent a fine.
However, the council says it relies on parking fines for revenue. It made $9.7 million from fines in the 2009/10 financial year.
The council says it remains to be seen what impact the new system will have,