NYC parking rules to know on moving day

You’ve got your stuff packed away in boxes. Check. You’ve made arrangements to have a truck available to get your belongings to your next destination. Check. You’ve made it to your moving day. Check. If you have decided to move yourself, having an understanding of the NYC parking rules ahead of time will help ensure your moving day goes as smoothly as possible.

If you’re wary of nailing the parking job with a moving truck on your own, you can always turn the wheel over to Piece of Cake Moving & Storage to take care of the details.

Here’s a listing of some rules to keep in mind if you decide to move yourself, regarding figuring out where your moving truck can be parked while you load (and unload if you’re moving to another location within the 5 boroughs).

It may also help you sharing specific parking restrictions at your pick up and drop off location when preparing your moving company moving day.

• Know the signs. No Stopping. No Parking. No Standing. These may all be familiar sights if you’ve lived in the city for some time. But do you know what they mean? Some will indicate where you are prohibited from parking or stopping anytime or for a duration of time on particular days. The city’s Department of Transportation has a helpful guide to help you decode these signs.
• Heed the call for alternate side parking (ASP). On certain times and days of the week, legal parking will switch to the other side of the street to allow for street cleaning. These times differ from street to street. That said, there are also 34 times a year in observance of holidays in addition to any weather- or emergency-related conditions, where alternate side parking is officially suspended. Parking tickets for those who violate alternate side parking can run about $65. Not sure if ASP is suspended on a given day? You can always call 311 and find out.
• Be aware of fire hydrants. It is illegal in the city to park less than 15 feet on either side of a fire hydrant, so it’s wise to keep your eyes (or remind your driver) to keep their distance from the hydrants adjacent to the street.
• Parking in school zone rules. When school is not in session, it may be possible to park in an area designated as a school zone. However, it’s good to note that if the school is open (even during holidays) that means that parking there is a no-go. There may be functions or teacher meetings happening during a time when school is not in session that would prohibit anyone from parking in those zones. Again, call or go online to ask 311 about a specific school will help you learn whether they are in “recess” and thus, the school zone can be a location where you can park your truck.
• Consider the curb cuts. These curb features are spots where the curb has been lowered or “cut out” to allow easier access to the street, such as a driveway. If there’s a curb cut that is a driveway that you park in front of, it’s possible that whomever that driveway or parking spot is designated for may contact the police if it’s blocked and call a towing company… which can lead to a ticket and finding that your truck has been towed away.
• Take a second look when parking at T-intersections. If there’s a T-shaped intersection near where you’d like to park, it’s good to know that you can park all the way to the point of the stop sign, near the beginning of the intersection. You can do this even if there’s a curb cut. However, the ability to park in this way only applies to T-intersections without traffic signal lights, all way stop signs or crosswalk markings.
• Different blocks have different parking regulations. With all of these rules and signs (NYC DOT manages over 1 million traffic signs) to consider, each block has a different combination of rules in effect. To ensure you’re familiar with the rules where you’re located (and where you’re going if you’re moving within the city), you can consult the Parking Regulations map.

As you can tell, there’s a lot of ground to cover when it comes to simply parking a truck on your street. And, in many NYC neighborhoods, street parking can be a challenge to find in general!

If reviewing these rules ramped up your nerves, you can leave it to the experts to put the moving truck in park for you. Piece of Cake Moving & Storage has extensive knowledge of navigating within and around the city. Pair that with truck sizes to fit your needs and expert moving professionals — who can assist you with the other relocation-related items on your list such as moving supplies, packing, unpacking, and even storage — and you’ve got a recipe for a smooth moving day!

You can trust us to help you navigate your next move.