Street parking in NYC is free at meters every Sunday, in all five boroughs, with no coin, muni-meter, or ParkNYC session required.1NYC.gov. NYC DOT – Parking Meters Alternate side parking for street cleaning is suspended too, so you don’t have to move the car for sweepers.2NYC311. Alternate Side Parking and Street Cleaning Free meters do not mean free parking, though. Plenty of other rules stay active on Sundays, and one wrong spot can cost you $65 to $115 or a tow.
What the Sunday Meter Suspension Actually Covers
NYC Administrative Code §19-167 prohibits the city from ticketing you solely for failing to activate a parking meter on a Sunday.3NYC Administrative Code. Title 19 – Transportation Chapter 1 – Streets and Sidewalks Subchapter 2 – Parking and Other Uses of Streets The posted time limit on a metered spot (two hours, three hours, whatever it says) is part of that same metered regulation and also isn’t enforced. Park at a meter Sunday morning, come back after dinner, and you won’t get an expired-meter ticket. If you accidentally start a ParkNYC session, you’re just spending money for nothing.1NYC.gov. NYC DOT – Parking Meters
That is the whole scope of the Sunday break at meters. Every other rule on the street operates as usual.
Rules That Still Get You Ticketed on Sunday
This is where the fines come from. None of these care what day it is.
No Stopping, No Standing, and No Parking Signs
If a sign covers Sunday in its listed hours or says “Anytime,” the restriction applies. The three levels mean different things:4NYC.gov. Parking Regulations
- No Stopping: you can’t stop at all, not even briefly.
- No Standing: you can pause to pick up or drop off passengers, but you can’t load cargo, wait, or leave the vehicle.
- No Parking: you can stop to load or unload passengers and goods, but you can’t leave the car unattended or just wait at the curb.
“No Standing Anytime” means Sunday too. “No Standing 7 AM–7 PM Except Sunday” gives you the day off, but only because it says so in writing.
Fire Hydrants
Parking within 15 feet of either side of a hydrant is illegal every day of the year. The rule covers floating parking lanes next to protected bike lanes as well. The fine is $115, and no sign is required for enforcement.4NYC.gov. Parking Regulations
Double Parking
Double parking is illegal at all times regardless of location, purpose, or duration.4NYC.gov. Parking Regulations “Only a minute” is not a defense. The fine is $115.5NYC Department of Finance. Stipulated Fines Fee Schedule
Bike Lanes, Bus Stops, and Crosswalks
Stopping, standing, or parking in a designated bike lane counts as a no-stopping violation and is enforced every day. Bus stops function as no-standing zones, and crosswalks are off-limits to any stopped vehicle. None of these lift on Sunday, even if the bus route runs a reduced Sunday schedule.
Driveways
Blocking a driveway is a violation on Sundays. Once 311 receives a report, police can ticket the car and the property owner can request a tow.6NYC311. Blocked Driveway One narrow exception exists: if a driveway serves only one or two residential units, the owner or a tenant whose vehicle is registered to that address can park across their own driveway. It doesn’t help anyone else.
Commercial Vehicles
Commercial vehicles can’t park on residential streets between 9 PM and 5 AM on any night, Saturday into Sunday included. On all streets, a three-hour limit applies unless signs say otherwise.7NYC311. Parking Signs and Rules
School Zones
School-related restrictions are tied to whether the school is in session, not to the day of the week. Most schools are closed Sunday, so the rules usually don’t apply. If a school is running summer classes, weekend programs, or staff meetings, the restrictions are live.7NYC311. Parking Signs and Rules
Reading the Sign at Your Spot
The text on the pole is always the final word. A few things to check before you walk away from the car:
- Every sign on the pole applies, not just the biggest or most visible one. Multiple signs can cover different times, days, and vehicle types.
- A restriction only applies during the days and hours listed. If Sunday isn’t mentioned and the sign doesn’t say “Anytime” or “7 Days,” the rule is off.
- Arrows show which stretch of curb the sign governs, running to the next sign or the end of the block.
“2-Hour Metered Parking 8 AM–7 PM Except Sunday” means no payment and no time limit on Sunday. “No Standing 8 AM–6 PM Including Sunday” means you can’t park there during those hours even though meters are free nearby.
What Sunday Tickets Cost
Stipulated fines for the violations you’re most likely to catch on a Sunday:5NYC Department of Finance. Stipulated Fines Fee Schedule
- Fire hydrant: $115
- No standing zone: $115
- No stopping zone: $115
- Double parking: $115
- No parking zone: $65
Those figures apply if you pay promptly. Ignore the ticket for more than 30 days and late penalties start piling on.
Disputing a Sunday Meter Ticket
If you were ticketed at a metered spot on a Sunday for nothing more than not paying the meter, §19-167 explicitly forbids that ticket.3NYC Administrative Code. Title 19 – Transportation Chapter 1 – Streets and Sidewalks Subchapter 2 – Parking and Other Uses of Streets Request a hearing within 30 days to avoid late penalties. You can file online, by mail, or through the Pay or Dispute mobile app. An administrative law judge reviews the evidence and emails a decision; if three weeks pass with nothing, contact the Department of Finance.8NYC.gov/Finance. Dispute a Ticket
Before disputing, read the violation code on the ticket. A no-standing or hydrant ticket issued on a Sunday is fully valid. The meter suspension doesn’t protect you from other rules.
Legal Holidays Go Further Than Sundays
Six major legal holidays give drivers more room than a normal Sunday: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.1NYC.gov. NYC DOT – Parking Meters On those days, meters are suspended and “No Stopping,” “No Standing,” and “No Parking” restrictions are also relaxed, unless the sign applies seven days a week.4NYC.gov. Parking Regulations “No Standing 8 AM–6 PM Mon–Sat” is off on Thanksgiving. “No Standing Anytime” still applies. Other holidays scattered across the calendar suspend only alternate side rules; meters and standing rules stay in force. NYC DOT publishes the full ASP suspension calendar each year.9NYC DOT. Alternate Side Parking Suspensions
Temporary Signs Override Everything
Film shoots, street fairs, construction, and emergencies can shut down a block on short notice. Temporary signs (usually orange or yellow) posted near the affected curb override the permanent sign underneath. A stretch of free Sunday metered parking can become a no-parking zone for the weekend. Check NYC 311 or sign up for Notify NYC alerts before parking anywhere with posted event or work notices.