Curb Sign Decoder: Can I Stop Here for a Passenger?

On this page (7)

Decode a sign
How to use it
What each answer means
Mistakes the decoder can't see for you
Related pages
FAQ
Sources

In short: Choose the sign or curb in front of you, then answer one or two questions. The decoder tells you whether you can pick up or drop off a passenger, whether you can wait, and which rule says so. The short version: passengers may get in or out at No Standing and No Parking signs but not at No Stopping signs; nobody may double park; FHVs may never pick up at a taxi stand.

Decode a sign

Can I stop here?

Answer a few questions · general information, not legal advice

Question 1What is at the curb where you want to stop?

What is at the curb where you want to stop?

NO STOPPING sign
Important: What this means for you
No. DOT: at a No Stopping sign you may not wait, load packages, or pick up or drop off passengers. Find another curb. A TLC charge for this would fall under §80-13(a)(1) (stationary vehicles).
NO STANDING sign (includes hotel zones)
Do you only need the passenger to get in or out, or do you need to wait?
- Quick pickup or drop-off
  Good to know: What this means for you
  Yes. DOT allows passenger pick-up and drop-off at No Standing signs. Hotel Loading Zones are No Standing zones that allow quick guest pickups and baggage. Keep it quick.
- Wait for a passenger
  Important: What this means for you
  No. DOT: waiting is not allowed at a No Standing sign. Circle the block or arrive when the passenger is at the curb.
NO PARKING sign
Quick passenger stop, or waiting?
- Quick pickup or drop-off
  Good to know: What this means for you
  Yes. DOT allows passenger pick-up and drop-off (and loading packages) at No Parking signs.
- Wait
  Important: What this means for you
  No. DOT says waiting is not allowed at a No Parking sign either.
LOADING ONLY / Neighborhood Loading Zone
Quick passenger stop, or waiting?
- Quick pickup or drop-off
  Good to know: What this means for you
  Yes. DOT says Neighborhood Loading Zones are for package deliveries, 'Taxi and car service pick-up and drop-off' and active loading. New ones use Loading Only signs. Check the hours on the sign.
- Wait
  Watch out: What this means for you
  Not as a waiting spot. A loading zone is for active pickup, drop-off and loading. Move on once the passenger is in.
TAXI STAND
What are you driving?
- Yellow taxi
  Good to know: What this means for you
  Yes. Join at the back of the line (§80-19(d)(4)). The first two drivers must stay in the seat (§80-19(d)(6)). Off duty or on a break: 1 hour maximum (§80-19(d)(5)).
- Green cab
  Watch out: What this means for you
  Only if the stand is in the Hail Zone, not in Manhattan south of East 96th / West 110th Streets or at an airport (§80-19(d)(1)(i)).
- FHV (Uber, Lyft, black car, livery)
  Important: What this means for you
  No pickups. §80-19(d)(2): an FHV driver must not pick up passengers at any taxi stand. $350 first violation, $500 second within 24 months, revocation third within 36 months.
TAXI/FHV PICK-UP/DROP-OFF ONLY or FOR-HIRE VEHICLES ONLY
What are you driving?
- Yellow or green cab
  Watch out: What this means for you
  If the sign says TAXI/FHV, yes, within the posted hours. If it says FOR-HIRE VEHICLES ONLY, taxis are not named — find another curb.
- FHV
  Good to know: What this means for you
  Yes, within the hours on the sign. These are pickup and drop-off zones, so don't park and wait there.
RELIEF STAND
What are you driving, and what does the sign say?
- Taxi, any relief stand
  Good to know: What this means for you
  Yes, you may park and leave the car for up to 1 hour, within any hours on the sign (§80-19(d)(7), $50 if you break a posted limit). Relief stands are for breaks, not pickups.
- FHV, sign says TAXI/FHV
  Good to know: What this means for you
  Yes, you may park and leave the car for up to 1 hour, within any hours on the sign (§80-19(d)(7), $50 if you break a posted limit). Relief stands are for breaks, not pickups.
- FHV, sign says TAXI only
  Important: What this means for you
  No. A TAXI RELIEF STAND is for taxis only. §80-19(d)(7) requires you to follow the posted vehicle types ($50).
Bus lane (red paint / BUS ONLY)
What do you need to do?
- Passenger getting in or out at the curb
  Good to know: What this means for you
  Yes, briefly. DOT: you may stop in a curbside bus lane for the time it takes a passenger at the curb to get in or out and onto the sidewalk. Don't stop in a bus stop.
- Turn right at the next street
  Good to know: What this means for you
  Yes. DOT: you may enter a bus lane to make a right turn at the next street or to reach a curb cut or driveway within 200 feet.
- Wait for a passenger
  Important: What this means for you
  No. Driving, standing or parking in a bus lane while it is in effect can bring a $50 to $250 fine, and bus-mounted ACE cameras ticket vehicles in bus lanes.
Bus stop
Important: What this means for you
No. MTA bus cameras (ACE) ticket vehicles standing or stopping in a bus stop or blocking access to one. Fines start at $50 and rise by $50 per violation to $250.
Fire hydrant
Will you stay in the driver's seat, ready to move, the whole time? And is there no sign forbidding it?
- Yes to both
  Good to know: What this means for you
  Yes, you may stop and wait for a passenger in the space immediately in front of the hydrant (TLC §80-13(a)(1)(i)). This is a TLC driver exception to DOT's 15-foot no-parking rule.
- No — I'll step out, or a sign forbids it
  Important: What this means for you
  No. DOT: no parking within 15 feet of either side of a hydrant. The TLC exception only covers a seated driver, ready to go, where not expressly forbidden.
Commercial vehicles only / commercial meter
Watch out: What this means for you
Not for parking. Commercial Metered Parking is for commercial vehicles. A 2026 law (Local Law 24) set up a pilot for FHVs at commercial meters, with payment and a 3-hour cap, but check that DOT has started it before you rely on it.
No space — I'd have to stop in the traffic lane
Important: What this means for you
No. DOT: double parking is illegal at all times, regardless of location, purpose or duration, even with you in the car. On bus routes, bus cameras also ticket double parking. Go around the block.

How to use it

Read every sign on the block first. DOT says "the more restrictive one is the one in effect," and if a sign is missing, the remaining signs still apply (NYC DOT). Run the decoder for the strictest sign.
Check the hours. Most signs only apply at the times shown. Outside them, the next sign down applies.
Choose your action honestly. A drop-off of 20 seconds and five minutes of waiting are different things in the law.
Look for temporary signs for events, film shoots and construction. The event days guide shows where to check closures.

What each answer means

Green (yes): the general rule allows it. You can still be ticketed if a temporary sign, an officer's direction or a hazard (a crosswalk, a bus stop) applies.
Amber (only if): the answer depends on your license type, the hours on the sign, or staying in the seat.
Red (no): don't stop. If you are charged, the TLC penalty for stationary-vehicle violations is rule §80-13(a)(1): $100 if you plead guilty, $200 after a hearing for a first violation in 15 months, with points from the second (TLC Chapter 80).

Bus-lane answers come from DOT's bus lane rules and the MTA's Automated Camera Enforcement page. Loading-zone answers come from DOT's Loading Zones page, and relief-stand answers from DOT's relief stand page.

Mistakes the decoder can't see for you

Reading only the nearest sign. A block can have three or four signs with different hours. The decoder only knows the one you pick.
Hours on a different day. "MONDAY-FRIDAY 7AM-10AM" on a Saturday means that sign is not in effect, and the next sign on the pole decides.
Holidays. DOT says that on major legal holidays, stopping, standing and parking are allowed except where the rule applies seven days a week, such as "No Standing Anytime." Don't assume a holiday makes every curb legal.
"Waiting" with the passenger on the phone. If the passenger isn't at the curb, you are waiting, not picking up.

The full sign-by-sign explanation is in where you can stop for passengers. Short answers: can I double park to pick up a passenger, can I drop off passengers in a bus lane, can a taxi wait at a fire hydrant, and can I pick up a street hail on my way home. Stand counts are on taxi stands by borough. More on the places hub.

Frequently asked questions

Is this tool's answer a guarantee?

No. It applies the general DOT sign rules and TLC rules to the sign you choose. The actual signs on the block, any temporary signs, and police or traffic agent directions on the spot come first.

Why does the tool ask if I want to wait?

Because most curbs that allow a passenger to get in or out do not allow waiting. DOT says waiting is not allowed at No Stopping, No Standing or No Parking signs.

Why does it ask what vehicle I drive?

Some curbs depend on your license. FHVs must never pick up at a taxi stand, green cabs may use stands only in the Hail Zone, and relief stands can be taxi-only.

What if there are two signs?

Run the tool for the stricter one. DOT says the more restrictive sign is the one in effect.

Sources

Last reviewed against the official sources on Oct 12, 2026.

NYC DOT: Parking Regulations nyc.gov
NYC DOT: Loading Zones nyc.gov
NYC DOT Bus Rapid Transit: Enforcement (bus lane rules) nyc.gov
MTA: Automated Camera Enforcement mta.info
TLC Rule Book, Chapter 80 (PDF dated June 5, 2025), §80-13(a)(1), §80-19(d) nyc.gov
NYC DOT: Taxi and For-Hire Vehicle Relief Stands nyc.gov

Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll check it against the official source.

TLC Help is not a law firm and is not affiliated with the NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission or OATH. Explanations on this site are general information, not legal advice. Legal representation is provided by independent attorneys and OATH-registered representatives in our network.