Questions and answers
What to know about knoelli.
The app
What does knoelli do?
knoelli shows local reports of parking enforcement, known in Germany as the Ordnungsamt. Tap “Park here” to save where you parked. If someone reports a parking check within 200 m, knoelli can send you an alert. You’ll see when it was reported and, if provided, which way the officers were heading.
Does knoelli cost anything?
No. knoelli is free and has no ads. There is nothing to buy in the app and no subscription.
Do I need an account?
Yes. You need an account to use knoelli. Sign in with Apple, Google or your email address.
You can choose a display name and take your reports, parking location and settings to a new phone. Your email address stays in the private sign-in data, and the app keeps no separate copy. You can delete your account in the app.
Does knoelli work in my city?
You can use knoelli in Germany. What appears on the map depends on how many people report in your area. Reporting isn’t available in Switzerland.
Reports and alerts
How do I report parking enforcement?
Tap “Report” and choose what you see: parking officers on foot or a parking enforcement vehicle. The second tap sends your report. You can then add their direction. Only report what you can see yourself, right now.
What if a report is out of date?
If you’re nearby, tap “Still there” or “Gone” to help keep the map up to date. A report becomes inactive after 45 minutes without a new report or confirmation. That doesn’t necessarily mean the officers have left.
When will I get an alert?
Save your parking location with “Park here” and allow location and notifications. knoelli can alert you when someone reports parking enforcement within 200 m. An active report nearby can also trigger an alert when you park. Alerts stay on for up to 8 hours, or until you end parking or save a new parking location. They can arrive at any time; use Do Not Disturb or a Focus for quiet time. Alerts only cover your parked car, and you save the parking location yourself.
Data, money and the law
Can anyone see where my car is?
No. Only you can see your saved parking location. Reports show “Member” unless you choose a display name. Sharing a report doesn’t show others where your car is.
What data does knoelli store?
We store what knoelli needs for alerts and abuse prevention: reports, confirmations and thank-yous, your parking location for up to 8 hours, settings and a notification token. We also store your display name if you choose one and, if you sign in by email, your email address. Crash reports and some session performance data, such as load times and frame rate, go to Sentry without your location or a user ID. Usage statistics are shared only if you agree. Our servers are in the EU. We unlink reports from your account after 30 days and keep the reports for the planned heatmap. See the privacy policy for details.
How is knoelli paid for?
knoelli is a personal project run in spare time. Voluntary contributions on Ko-fi help cover running costs, mainly Apple’s fee and the domain. Contributions don’t come with benefits in the app. There are no ads or investors.
Is this legal?
Based on our research, yes, in Germany. No German law forbids telling each other where parking enforcement is right now. knoelli helps you get back to your car in time and pay for parking. It is not a licence to park illegally.
If you are driving, you must not use the alerts while you drive (§ 23 (1c) StVO), not even on a passenger’s phone. On foot or with your car parked, that is no problem.
