Parking facilities in the United States

Rules of the road: United States

Different rules in each state, 25 mph in NYC

Osmopark covers the New York area: the city, the Hudson Valley and Long Island, part of New Jersey and the Connecticut coast. Each state has its own traffic code and New York City adds rules of its own, so always read the signs. Since 7 November 2014, any city street without a posted limit is capped at 25 mph; large avenues and expressways show their own limit. Speed cameras in school zones operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and the US$50 fine is mailed to the vehicle's registered owner.

No right turn on red in the city

Elsewhere in New York State, you may turn right on a steady red light after coming to a full stop and yielding to pedestrians and other traffic, unless a NO TURN ON RED sign forbids it. New York City reverses the rule: that turn is illegal unless a sign at the intersection explicitly allows it, which happens mainly at some junctions on Staten Island. A flashing red light works like a STOP sign: stop, yield, and go on when it is safe.

Stopped school buses

When a school bus stops with its red lights flashing, New York State law requires traffic coming from both directions to stop before reaching it, divided highways included. Keep at least 20 feet away from the bus and wait until it moves off or until the driver or a police officer signals that you may go. Many school buses carry stop arm cameras: the vehicle owner then gets the fine by mail, starting at US$250 for a first violation.

Alcohol: 0.08, and lower for young drivers

In all 3 states, driving with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 or more is an offence. New York also penalizes impaired driving from above 0.05, and drivers under 21 face penalties from 0.02 in New York and Connecticut and from 0.01 in New Jersey. Police may also rely on other evidence of intoxication, whatever the reading. In New York, drinking or holding an open container of alcohol in a vehicle on a public road is itself an infraction, for passengers too.

Manhattan congestion toll

Since January 2025, vehicles entering Manhattan at or south of 60th Street pay the Congestion Relief Zone toll; the FDR Drive and the West Side Highway are excluded as long as you stay on them. Cameras read every plate. For a car with E-ZPass, the 2025 to 2027 rate is US$9 at peak times (5:00 to 21:00 on weekdays, 9:00 to 21:00 at weekends) and US$2.25 overnight; without E-ZPass, the mailed bill is US$13.50 or US$3.30. A car is charged at most once per day. Rates are scheduled to rise in 2028.

Cashless bridges and tunnels

Every MTA bridge and tunnel uses cashless open road tolling: no booths, no cash. With an E-ZPass tag the charge is automatic; otherwise a camera records the plate and the registered owner receives a bill by mail (Tolls by Mail), at a higher rate than E-ZPass. In a rental car, that owner is the rental company, which then passes the toll on to you under its own terms, so check its toll policy before driving off. Plates from other states can be linked to an E-ZPass New York account to pay the E-ZPass rate.

No Parking, No Standing, No Stopping

New York City signs come in 3 levels. NO PARKING: you may stop briefly to load or unload goods at the curb or let passengers get in and out. NO STANDING: only a quick passenger drop off or pick up is allowed, with no waiting and no deliveries. NO STOPPING: not even that. Never stop within 15 feet of a fire hydrant. Double parking, standing where it is banned and the hydrant rule each cost US$115 per ticket, and not having seen the sign is no defense unless it was illegible.

Alternate side parking: street cleaning

On many city streets, a sign showing a broom bans parking on one side during set hours, for example Tuesday 8:00 to 11:00, so the sweepers can pass: this is alternate side parking. The rule is suspended on holidays and sometimes for bad weather; on major legal holidays you may also park at No Parking, No Standing or No Stopping signs unless the rule applies 7 days a week. Check the status on NYC 311 or the @NYCASP account before leaving the car, and read every sign along the block.

New Jersey: no pumping your own fuel

New Jersey law states that only a trained station attendant may put fuel into a vehicle's tank: customers are not allowed to work the pump themselves, at any filling station in the state. When you pull in, tell the attendant which grade and how much you want, then pay as instructed. This remains the rule in October 2026, despite recurring proposals to change it. The New Jersey Department of Labor publishes the text of the law and its regulations.

Sources:NYC DOT, 25 MPH speed limit FAQ, NYC311, Speed Cameras, NYC311, Right Turn on Red, New York State DMV, Driver's Manual, Chapter 4: Traffic Control, New York State DMV, School Bus Safety, New York State DMV, Driver's Manual, Chapter 9: Alcohol and Other Drugs, New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, Suspensions, Connecticut DMV, Driving Under the Influence, MTA, Congestion Relief Zone, MTA, Congestion Relief Zone FAQ, MTA Bridges and Tunnels, CBD toll schedule, MTA, Tolls, NYC DOT, Parking Regulations Sign Legend, NYC Department of Finance, Violation codes and fines, NYC Department of Finance, Common Misconceptions, NYC DOT, Alternate Side Parking, New Jersey Department of Labor, Retail Gasoline Dispensing Safety Act. Information checked in October 2026.