Can Uber and Lyft Drivers Use NYC Relief Stands?

Yes, but only at relief stands signed for FHVs. Of NYC's 110 relief stands, 69 are signed TAXI/FHV and any TLC-licensed driver, including Uber and Lyft drivers, may park there for up to one hour. The other 41 are signed TAXI only. An FHV parked at one of those breaks the posted vehicle-type limit, which TLC can fine $50 under rule §80-19(d)(7).

Read the sign, word by word

DOT relief stand signs carry a taxi symbol at the top, so they all look like "taxi" signs at first glance. The difference is in the middle line. These are the actual sign texts in DOT's data (NYC Open Data):

One stand in Queens, on 37th Street, is signed "FHV RELIEF STAND" and is listed by DOT as a TAXI/FHV stand. Whatever the list says, the sign on the street is what an officer will read.

Where the FHV stands are

So an app driver in Queens has a good chance that the nearest stand is open to them. In Manhattan, about half are not. In Brooklyn there are only three relief stands in total (Beverley Road, 4th Avenue and North 6th Street), and Staten Island has none. The relief stand finder lists every stand with its type, spaces and hours.

Hours and the one-hour limit

Every relief stand sign says 1 HOUR LIMIT. 14 of the 69 FHV-eligible stands also print a time window, such as "7 AM-7 PM ALL DAYS" or "MONDAY-FRIDAY 8AM-6PM". Outside that window the relief stand rule does not apply, and the other signs on the block decide whether you can park.

TLC's rule is short: you may take any vacant spot at a relief stand, but you "must comply with all posted restrictions including the type(s) of Vehicles that may occupy a position at the relief stand and the maximum time a Vehicle may park" (TLC Chapter 80, §80-19(d)(7)).

Don't confuse it with a taxi stand

A taxi stand is where yellow cabs line up for street hails. DOT says relief stands "are not taxi stands" (NYC DOT). For FHV drivers the difference is serious: rule §80-19(d)(2) says an FHV driver must not pick up passengers at any taxi stand. The fine is $350, then $500 for a second within 24 months, then revocation for a third within 36 months. See can Uber drivers pick up at a taxi stand.

What to do next

1. Find the nearest TAXI/FHV stand in the relief stand finder before you need it.
2. At the curb, check the sign says TAXI/FHV and that you are inside any hours shown.
3. Photograph the sign and your car, and be back within the hour.
4. If the sign is missing or damaged, don't park; report it to 311.

The background, including the 2026 commercial-meter parking pilot law, is in our relief stand guide. See also relief stand statistics, the relief stand gap by borough, can green cabs use taxi stands, the relief stand definition, and if you're new, can I use my personal car for Uber in NYC. More on the places hub.