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Parallel parking is part of every New York road test, and the New York State Driver’s Manual says your wheels must finish no more than one foot (30 cm) from the curb. The examiner marks you down for not signaling, not observing, ending too far from the curb, or taking too many moves. This guide gives the DMV’s method step by step, the scoring errors to avoid, hill parking, pulling out, and the New York no-parking distances that also turn up on the permit test.
How to parallel park, the New York DMV method
- Pick a space on your side of the road that is big enough for your car. Check mirrors and signal.
- Pull up alongside the vehicle in front of the space, leaving about two feet between the two cars.
- Look over both shoulders for pedestrians and oncoming traffic.
- Back slowly and turn the wheel fully toward the near curb. Look through the rear window, not just the mirrors, glancing to the side and front so you do not touch the car ahead.
- When your front wheels are level with the back bumper of the car ahead, turn the wheel the other way as you keep backing. Make sure you clear that car, and stop before you touch the car behind.
- Straighten the wheels and pull forward, leaving room ahead and behind.
- Check your position: no more than one foot from the curb. To get closer, pull forward and back alternately, turning toward the curb and then quickly straightening.
When you get out, do not open the roadside door if it would get in the way of bicyclists or other traffic.
What the examiner marks on parallel parking
| Error on the scoring sheet | How to avoid it |
|---|---|
| Fails to signal | Signal before you stop beside the space |
| Fails to adequately observe or use caution | Turn your head both ways before and during the reverse |
| Unable to park properly | Practice the reference point: front wheels level with the other car’s rear bumper |
| Excessive space for parking or too far from curb | Finish within one foot of the curb |
| Excessive maneuvers | Aim for one reverse and one small correction |
Backup cameras and parking sensors are allowed on the test, but automatic parallel parking is not, and the examiner checks you did not rely on the technology. See what is on the New York road test.
Pulling out of a parallel space
Straighten your wheels, back up toward the car behind, then turn your wheels away from the curb. Then:
- Look over your right shoulder through the rear window.
- Check the interior mirror.
- Signal.
- Check side mirrors for vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists.
- Look over your left shoulder and move slowly forward, clearing the car ahead.
- Look over your left shoulder again and enter the lane when it is safe.
“Fails to check blind spot” when leaving the curb is a listed road test error, so make the head turn obvious.
Parking on a hill in New York
- Set the parking brake.
- Put the car in Park (or first gear in a manual).
- Turn the wheels toward the curb or side of the road, so the car will not roll into traffic.
New York no-parking distances
No parking, stopping or standing
- Within 15 feet of a fire hydrant, unless a licensed driver stays in the vehicle to move it
- Double parked beside a parked vehicle
- On a sidewalk or in a crosswalk
- In an intersection, unless signs or meters allow it
- On railroad tracks
- Within 30 feet of a pedestrian safety area, unless another distance is marked
- On a bridge or in a tunnel
No parking or standing
- In front of a driveway
- Within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection
- Within 30 feet of a traffic light, STOP sign or YIELD sign
- Within 20 feet of a fire station driveway, or 75 feet on the opposite side of the road
- Along a curb cut for sidewalk access
- Within 50 feet of a railroad crossing (no parking)
NO PARKING vs NO STANDING vs NO STOPPING
| Sign | You may |
|---|---|
| NO PARKING | Stop briefly to load or unload goods or passengers |
| NO STANDING | Stop briefly to pick up or drop off passengers only; the driver cannot leave the vehicle |
| NO STOPPING | Stop only to obey a sign, signal or officer, or to avoid other traffic |
Disability parking
You may use a reserved space only with disability plates or a parking permit, and only when the person they were issued to is in the vehicle. Do not park in the striped access spaces beside them. Unless a municipality sets higher fines, a shopping center violation costs $50 to $75 for a first offense and $75 to $150 for a second within two years in the same municipality, plus a $30 mandatory surcharge.
Common questions
How close to the curb do you have to be on the New York road test?
No more than one foot (30 cm).
Is parallel parking on every New York road test?
Yes. The manual says it is part of every road test.
Can I open my door on the street side if no cars are coming?
Only if it will not interfere with bicyclists or other traffic.
Can I stop at a NO STANDING sign to drop off a friend?
Yes, briefly, to pick up or drop off passengers, as long as you stay in the car.
Can I park in the middle of a block on a crosswalk?
No. Parking, stopping or standing in any crosswalk is not allowed.
What about curb colors and other states’ rules?
See US parking rules for new drivers.
Back to the full New York learning to drive guide. Practice these skills within the New York learner permit rules.
Sources
- New York State DMV, “New York State Driver’s Manual and Practice Tests: Chapter 7, Parallel Parking” (dmv.ny.gov)
- New York State DMV, “New York State Driver’s Manual (MV-21)” (dmv.ny.gov)
- New York State DMV, “Road Test Results” (dmv.ny.gov)
- New York State DMV, “Guidelines for Testing Drivers in Vehicles with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems” (dmv.ny.gov)