ParkNYC

Parking in New York City can be tricky, but with the right tools and a little planning you can save time, avoid stress, and get where you need to be.

Paying for parking

The city's official system for metered street parking and municipal lots is ParkNYC. You will see a zone number on nearby signs which you enter in the app or website to start your session. ParkMobile is also widely accepted at garages, commuter lots, and private facilities. Booking through ParkMobile means your space is guaranteed in advance, saving you time when you arrive.

Extending your stay

With ParkNYC, you can extend your session in the app as long as it has not expired and you have not reached the posted maximum time. If you need more time than meters allow, ParkMobile garages and lots give you the flexibility for all-day or overnight parking.

Street parking rules

On-street meters have maximum stay limits, and many blocks also have a 30-minute “no return” rule, which means you cannot restart a session in the same spot straight away. You will also see Alternate Side Parking (ASP) signs for street cleaning. ASP is lifted on certain holidays and sometimes during severe weather, but in most cases meter rules still apply. Parking in a garage or lot through ParkMobile means you don’t have to think about ASP at all.

Enforcement for street parking

For metered street parking, payments don't show on the meter itself. Parking enforcement officers check your license plate and zone number on their handheld devices. As long as your details are correct in the app, your session will show as active.

Local rules to know

Beyond meters and ASP, a few city-wide rules catch out visitors most often. Planning ahead helps you avoid them.

• Tow-away zone: any car parked illegally or with expired registration can be towed.

• Fire hydrants: never park within 15 feet of a hydrant.

• Double parking: leaving your car alongside another parked vehicle is not permitted, even during ASP hours.

• Signs take priority: always follow posted signs. If rules seem to conflict, the stricter one applies.

If you would rather not worry about time limits, street cleaning, or local restrictions, booking ahead at a ParkMobile garage or lot gives you peace of mind and makes moving around the city much easier.