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Most New Yorkers have a bit of a love-hate relationship with alternate side parking laws in the city. Like them or not, these laws are here to stay, so the best thing we can do now is learn to live with them. This article will explain what alternate side parking is and how you can prevent yourself from getting a costly ticket.
What Is Alternate Side Parking in NYC?
Alternate side parking rules are essentially limited no-parking areas. Unlike general no-parking areas, alternate side parking areas allow parking most of the time—just not during the posted times. During select times, however, a full ban on parking is in effect in these areas.
The point of alternate side parking laws is to make it easier for street cleaners to do their thing, making the city a little bit cleaner (or at least working to stop it from getting worse). When these rules are in effect, you will need to move your vehicle from one side of the street to the other. That is, you’ll need to park on the alternate side of the road.
What Does an Alternate Side Parking Sign Look Like?
Alternate side parking signs can easily be mistaken for standard no-parking signs. They sport a capital letter P enclosed within a red circle and crossed out with a street-sweeping broom. You might also see “DON’T LITTER” in white text labeled within the top arc of the red circle or “DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION” in red below the circle. The rest of the sign is typically on a white rectangular sheet of metal, with a red outline.
How Do You Know When Somewhere Has Alternate Side Parking?
This can be tricky. Not all street signs are well-maintained in the city. After all, there are more than eight million people in the city and only about 5,000 Department of Transportation (DOT) employees. That being said, in most cases, there should be a second sign accompanying the main alternate side parking sign. That second sign should include the times when the law is in effect for that area.
When Is Alternate Side Parking Suspended?
On certain days, including some holidays, the city suspends alternate side parking restrictions. When these restrictions are suspended, there will be no cleaners passing through those areas. When there are no cleaners passing through those areas, you’re more than welcome to park there. The following table includes the days and dates of each:
| Day | Date |
| New Year’s Day | January 1st |
| Three Kings Day | January 6th |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Third Monday in January |
| Lunar New Year’s Eve | Varies (sometime between January 21st and February 20th) |
| Lunar New Year | The Day After Lunar New Year’s Eve |
| Lincoln’s Birthday | February 12th |
| Presidents’ Day | Third Monday in February |
| Ash Wednesday | Between February 4th and March 10th |
| Purim | Typically mid-March |
| Independence Day | July 4th and 5th |
| Labor Day | First Monday in September |
| Indigenous Peoples’ Day (formerly known as Columbus Day) | Second Monday in October |
| Diwali | Typically October or November |
| Veterans Day | November 11th |
| Thanksgiving Day | Fourth Thursday in November |
| Christmas Day | December 25th |
| Sundays | The first day of every week |
Is There a Grace Period?
Yes and no. Legally, there is a grace period of five minutes in alternate side parking zones. However, five minutes is typically not enough time to enable you to get down to the first floor of your building, out to your car, and out of the way of a ticket.
That being said, any tickets issued within that grace period are invalid. Always be sure to check the issue date and time on any ticket you get for parking in an alternate side parking zone. If, for example, the zone goes into effect at noon but you got a ticket dated that day at 12:03 p.m., it would not stand up in court.
Where Do You Park During Alternate Side Parking Times?
During alternate side parking times, the affected zone’s parking regulations function differently. Double parking is no longer a ticketable offense, meaning that you are free to double park on the other side of the street. Just be sure to leave ample room for the cleaners on the other side of the street.
However, you might still receive a ticket if you “box in” the vehicle or vehicles that you double parked next to. To box in another vehicle (or a box another vehicle in) is to block them from leaving their space. This is still illegal and can still result in a separate ticket. But, as long as the other vehicles have ample room to pull out of their spaces, you are free to double park next them during the alternate side parking times.
How Much Is an Alternate Side Parking Ticket in NYC?
Alternate side parking tickets are parking tickets. As such, they cost much less than traffic tickets, but they can still cost a pretty penny. For example, a conviction for one of these tickets can run you about $65. Although that’s still a sizeable chunk of change, it cannot impose any of the following penalties:
- License suspension or revocation
- Points on your driver license
- Insurance premium increases
- Jail time
However, failure to pay your alternate side parking ticket can result in more serious penalties, potentially including all of those mentioned above—and then some.
If you’ve received an alternate side parking ticket in NYC and can’t afford (or don’t want) to pay it, you have options. You can find safe, affordable, and efficient legal assistance on the WinIt app or at www.appwinit.com. Choose from countless local attorneys who know the law and understand how it applies to your specific situation.
Why pay so much for a parking ticket when you could have an attorney take your case to court and potentially win it with WinIt?
