The invention relates to a parking brake (1) for a motor vehicle, comprising a brake actuation lever (4) which is arranged pivotably on a lever holder (2), a coupling unit for coupling the brake actuation lever (4) to a brake cable, a locking device which comprises a toothing (5) arranged on the lever holder (2) and a locking catch (7) engaging in the toothing (5), a catch spring (11) for prestressing the locking catch (7) in the direction of the toothing (5), a release device which comprises a push rod (14) which can be displaced between an inoperative position and a release position along the brake actuation lever (4), and a triggering element, wherein the push rod (14) has an aperture (17), a guide element (18) for guiding the push rod (14) and a spring element for prestressing the push rod (14). A motor vehicle parking brake which makes low-noise actuation and release possible and in which high mechanical loads on the release device are avoided is provided according to the invention in that the push rod (14) is assigned a damping element, and in that the damping element interacts with the guide element (18) at least in the inoperative position of the push rod (14).