The Truth About NYC Parking Rules for Holidays and Sundays

Dear Clare,
Good morning.
Excellent question because you’ve articulated a challenge faced by a multitude of drivers in NYC. Here’s the scoop:
The ubiquitous street cleaning signs serve one purpose and one purpose only. They tell us when we have to move our car because of street cleaning. That’s it. Simply because a parking space is regulated by a street cleaning sign does not mean that parking is ok all other times.

We are required to patrol the battlefield and see whether our tiny little parking space is regulated by any other parking signs, either on the same pole as the street cleaning sign or on another pole located at the other end of our chariot. For example, if a street cleaning sign prohibits parking on Tuesdays between 9-11A and you unearth another parking sign that limits parking to commercial vehicles M-F, 7A-4P, we must obey both signs! In other words, it may be ok to park On Tuesdays at 11:30A (per the street cleaning sign), but parking is still not permitted for passenger vehicles because the parking space if limited to commercial vehicles on M-F between 7A-4P.

Question #2 seems to refer to parking on Sundays or on a Major Legal Parking Holiday when you don’t have to obey rules that are NOT in effect all days/all times. You don’t have to pay the meter and yes, you can park your passenger vehicle in a space reserved for commercial vehicles on Sundays or Major Legal Parking Holidays.

The commons mistake we make is to cloth a street cleaning sign with the power to overrule other parking signs. Remember, in the valley of parking rules, the stricter rule is King.

Good luck.
Park safely,
Larry

PS…Purchasing time from an MM for an “illegal” parking space is double the pain. The cost of renting the illegal space and the cost of a parking ticket. Yikes!

Dear Bill,
Alas, I wish it were so. Sadly, the Evil Empire doesn’t grant amnesty for ambiguity. Knowledge of a parking rule is not an element of the offense.
I would check for omitted, misdescribed, or illegible required elements. If you find one or more, you win subject to application and proof.
Good luck.
Regards,
Larry

Hi Oxford,
I hear you loud and clear.
Thanks for sharing your comment.
Regards,
Larry

Hi Cherrish,
Good morning.
Did you check the official ASP Suspension Calendar to see who was right?
Here’s a linkASP Suspension Calendar
Regards,
Larry

Hi, June,
Good morning.
Sorry for your parking pain.
If there aren’t any taxi stand signs regulating your parking space, I would fight the ticket.
But, if possible, you should check the location on the NYC DOT Parking Regulations Map (There is a link to the Map from my website on the resources page).
Simply plug in the place of occurrence entered on the ticket and the borough.
Good luck.
Regards,
Larry

Hi, Ben,
Ouch!
Generally, a parking sign that restricts parking between 8 am-6 pm is not an alternate side parking rule. It’s a no-parking rule.
A no-parking rule from 8 am -6 pm is suspended on a Major Legal Parking Holiday in NYC, but not on a legal parking holiday.

Good luck.
Regards,
Larry

Hi, Dustin,
MLK’s Birthday is a legal parking holiday in NYC. The only benefit for drivers is that ASP rules are suspended.
Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Regards,
Larry

My wife and I, my dog and cat are moving to Seattle.
I won’t be able to reply to comments until after October 1, 2020.
Sorry!

Regards,
Larry

Hi Roy,
Good afternoon.
What a great question!
A muni-meter that collects money for the Evil Empire, even if it lives in a muni-parking lot, don’t eat when its curbside cousins don’t eat.
The suspension rule applies to muni-parking lots.

Be safe.
Regards,
Larry

Hi Ryan,
Good evening.
Happy holiday to you, too!

-A driver is never permitted to park in a bus stop zone, even on Sundays, legal holidays, or major legal holidays.
A bus stop regulates the curb space from a bus stop sign, in the direction of the arrow(s) until the next parking sign, or if none, the end of the block.

-There doesn’t have to be any signage on the block that restricts or permits parking on Sundays. The Sunday parking rule allows us to disobey a parking rule, as long as the parking rule is not in effect “all days.” Like a bus stop rule. Or, a sign specifically allows parking on Sundays.

Judges will refer to R. 4-08(a)(1)(i) when they think a driver claimed that there wasn’t a bus stop sign on the block. So, in your case, a judge may have thought you were claiming there was no bus stop sign on the block. He or she checked and found there was a bus stop sign on the block. The judges will add weight to their skinny opinion by citing that rule to say there only has to be one sign, anywhere on the entire block, and a driver has to find it.

In other words, a bus stop sign does not have to state that the bus stop rule is in effect on Sundays. If no specific days or times are displayed, the rule is in effect all days and all times (even Sundays).

Sorry for the not helpful news.
Be safe.
Regards,
Larry

Hi Patrick,
Good evening.
Nicely done!

Friday and Saturday are both major legal parking holidays in celebration of Christmas Day falling on a Saturday. ASP rules are suspended. You don’t have to pay for the muni-meter. And, you don’t have to obey parking signs, unless the rule on the sign is in effect all days.

Happy Holiday.
Regards,
Larry

Hi Alice,
Good afternoon.
The benefits bestowed by the Evil Empire vary depending on the type of parking holiday:
-Legal Holiday (for example, MLK Day)_ASP Rules are suspended. But, that’s all. You must obey parking signs.
-Major Legal Holiday (for example, Christmas)_The Full Monty. 1) ASP Rules are suspended 2) You don’t have to feed the parking meters 3) You don’t have to obey parking signs unless the rule is in effect all days or anytime.

Be safe.
Regards,
Larry

Hi Jim,
Yes!
Monday, today, is a major legal parking holiday in NYC. This means:
-ASP rules are suspended
-You don’t have to pay for parking
-You don’t have to obey parking signs, UNLESS, they are in effect all days.

Enjoy!
Regards,
Larry

Hi Julienne,
Good afternoon.
I am sorry to learn about your parking pain. Indeed, you deserve a major thank you for your service, especially during these troubling times.

I wish I had the power to grant your reasonable wish, but sadly, I don’t. Have you contacted the DOF or your councilperson?

Please keep us posted.
Good luck.
Regards,
Larry

Hi Marty,

Good afternoon.
I despise booting and towing for dollars. Moreover, it is an ugly way to raise revenue for the Evil Empire.
But, with that said, in the 1950s, all of NYC was declared a tow-away zone by the NY State Legislature. And no notice was required.

Currently, the Evil Empire has added booting to its arsenal of weapons against illegal parking. In other words:
-Your car can be immobilized (booted)
-For a parking violation

Here’s the NYC Traffic Rule, 4-08(a)(9)

(9) Immobilization and towing of illegally parked vehicles.
(i) Time and manner of immobilization. Any illegally parked vehicle found parked at any
time upon any public highway in the City may, by or under the direction of any person
authorized by the Commissioner, be immobilized in such manner as to prevent its operation, and thereafter may be removed to a tow pound as provided in these rules; provided, however, that no such vehicle shall be immobilized by any means other than by the use of a device or other mechanism which will cause no damage to such vehicle unless such vehicle is moved while such device or mechanism is in place.
(ii) Notice. Notice of immobilization pursuant to this paragraph shall be placed in a
conspicuous place on the vehicle. Such notice shall contain the following:
(A) a warning that any attempt to move the vehicle may result in damage to the vehicle;
and
(B) the time, place and manner in which the vehicle may be redeemed.

Please don’t shoot the messenger, Marty.
Regards,
Larry