NYC Alternate Side Parking Rules, Explained (2026)

Updated 2026-10-05

Alternate side parking (ASP) is how New York City gets its streets swept. On most residential blocks in Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Manhattan, each side of the street is closed to parking for a short window once or twice a week so a Sanitation sweeper can reach the curb. Miss it and you get a $65 ticket.

How to read the sign

Look for the red sign with the broom symbol. It says NO PARKING, the days and the hours — for example Tuesday Friday 8:30AM–10AM. The rule applies only to the side of the street the sign is on, and the arrows show which stretch of curb it covers. A sign with a moon and stars means a night regulation, typically on commercial streets swept after midnight.

Why the two sides have different days

Blocks are swept one side at a time, so the two curbs almost always have different days — say Monday & Thursday on the north side and Tuesday & Friday on the south side. That is where the name comes from, and it is why parking on “the other side” is usually the fix. Always check the sign on the curb where your car actually is.

How long you have to stay away

The rule applies for the entire time on the sign, typically 90 minutes. You can get a ticket even after the sweeper has passed — see can you park after the sweeper passes? Double-parking to wait it out is also illegal: NYC DOT says double parking of passenger vehicles is illegal at all times, including street cleaning days.

When ASP is suspended

• Sundays — never in effect.
• Holidays — about 40 legal and religious holidays a year. See the full 2026 ASP calendar.
• Snow and emergencies — the city announces these through 311 and @NYCASP. Our ASP today page shows the live status.

On major legal holidays (like Thanksgiving or Christmas) parking meters are suspended as well. No-standing and no-stopping rules always stay in effect.

Find your street's schedule

Every NYC block with a broom sign is listed in our street-by-street schedule, built from NYC DOT sign records, with the next cleaning date for each side.

Sources

NYC311: Alternate Side Parking and Street Cleaning · NYC DOT 2026 suspension calendar · NYC DOF violation codes