Are there differences between NYC parking rules for holidays and Sundays?
Raise your cyber hand if you were among the furious members of the driving public who got an NYC parking ticket because they believed parking rules were suspended on Martin Luther King’s Birthday? (Monday, January 18, 2010). Parking rules were not suspended on MLK’s birthday because it is not a “Major Legal Holiday.” It is classified as a “Legal Holiday.” Different rules for different holidays.
What are the differences between the parking rules for Major Legal Holiday, Legal Holiday, and Sunday Parking?
Hopefully, this will help: On major legal holidays and Sundays:
- Alternate side parking rules are NOT in effect
- You do NOT have to feed the meters
- Stopping, standing or parking are permitted, except in areas where stopping, standing or parking is prohibited seven (7) days per week. For example, if a parking sign says, “No Standing Anytime,” keep driving
On just plain Legal Holidays, your only reward is alternate side parking rules are NOT in effect. You must obey all parking signs, and feed the meter.
If you’d like a look at the 2017 ASP Rules Suspension Calendar, click this link and ye shall find.
President’s Day is a Legal Parking Holiday in NYC
The only benefit for NYC drivers is ASP Rules are suspended. You still have to pay muni-meters and obey all parking signs.
Can you identify the 6-Major Legal Parking Holidays?
Sure…
- New Year’s Day
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Christmas Day
What are some common holiday parking mistakes?
- Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve are not parking holidays. No benefits (UNLESS THEY FALL ON A SUNDAY THEN SUNDAY PARKING RULES APPLY)
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is a legal parking holiday, not a major legal parking holiday
- Black Friday is not a parking holiday in NYC
- Larry’s birthday is not a parking holiday in NYC…sad but true
- Regardless of the Holiday or on Sunday, you can never, ever park in a space regulated by a sign that prohibits parking at all times. Generally, this sign will be a red parking sign.
- On Sundays, you do not have to pay a muni-meter
- Please be sure you check whether a holiday is a “Major Legal Holiday” or a “Legal Holiday,” before you decide which parking rules are in effect on that day. Here’s a link to the NYC DOT list of Major Legal Holidays and Legal Holidays.
Commentary
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Lawrence Berezin
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This guide will set you free from the uncertainty surrounding Sunday, Major Legal Holiday, and Legal Holiday parking rules
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Hi, How does ASP suspension work when I want to park my PASSENGER vehicle in a COMMERICAL spot? For example, during the recent snow blizzard day on Saturday, “ASP rules were suspended but meters were in effect”. I read a sign that states “No parking 7am – 7pm except Comm Vehicles Metered 3 Hr Parking Except Sunday”.
When “ASP rules are suspended, and meters in effect”on a Saturday, can I
1) Park my Passenger vehicle in the commercial spot at 8am?
1a) If yes to (1), must I feed the meters at the commercial rate? Note, the rules mention you can’t park when the rule says “NO {STANDING/STOPPING/PARKING]ANYTIME”; nothing is mentioned about parking in a commercial spot during ASP suspension.
2) If “ASP rules are suspended, and meters NOT in effect”, can I park my passenger vehicle in the commercial spot, and not pay the meter?
thanks
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!
So can we get out of the MLK day tickets due to this being somewhat ambiguous?
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
I would take it that MLK day Is not a “Major Legal Holiday” .As I just spotted a ticket on my vehicle on Park Ave & 40th St also on the vehicle behind me. I normally park in Queens & ride the subway into NYC to avoid this situation.
Dear Larry,
There is no ambiguity here, Martin Luther King is a Federal Holiday.
I don’t know what NYC considers as a “major league holiday” but as MLK fought for civil rights and is deemed worthy of a “Major League Holiday” recognition by the Federal Government which NY state is one of 50 States.
There needs to be a correction for accuracy of the qualification of a major league holiday. Or the offense will be more than a parking ticket
Oxford
Hi Oxford,
I hear you loud and clear.
Thanks for sharing your comment.
Regards,
Larry
On the news it was said alternate side parking are in effect but yet I received a ticket
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
I just got a ticket for parking in a taxi rest spot no sign two card behind me almost to curb and all cars after me.. Its Sunday I was told by hotel that it was safe to park. No one got a ticket except me. I have a NJ license plate. My brother is staying at hotel saw them toe a NJ car yesterday but it was nearer top of street. They were the only NJ plate too. It does not say anything about taxi rest.
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
I received a ticket today, the sign says No parking 8am-6pm mon-fri so I’m aware but my car was parked the entire morning along with other vehicles as well and on the 311 app, it states that alternate side parking is suspended. My ticket was written around 2pm so am I wrong or did the traffic officer forget it’s a holiday and make a mistake ?
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