Los Angeles vs New York
How do dibs & space saving rules compare between Los Angeles, CA and New York, NY?
Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles County
No data available yet for Los Angeles.
New York, NY
New York County
NYC does not allow the practice of 'dibs' or saving public parking spaces with personal items. The city enforces alternate side parking rules and public streets are first-come, first-served. Items left in the roadway to reserve spaces may be removed by DSNY.
View full New York rules โKey Facts Comparison
| Fact | Los Angeles | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Dibs Practice | - | Not legally permitted |
| Street Spaces | - | First-come, first-served |
| Enforcement | - | DSNY removal of items |
| Code | - | Admin Code ยง16-120 |
| Snow Rules | - | Snow Emergency Routes only |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Los Angeles FAQ
No FAQs available.
New York FAQ
Can I save a parking spot after shoveling in NYC?
No. NYC does not permit space-saving or 'dibs.' Public parking is first-come, first-served. Items placed in the roadway to reserve a spot can be removed by DSNY and may result in a littering fine.
What happens during snow emergencies?
NYC activates Snow Emergency Rules that restrict parking on designated arterial routes to facilitate plowing. Even during snow emergencies, saving shoveled spaces is not sanctioned.
Is there any informal tolerance of space-saving?
Some outer-borough neighborhoods have informal community norms around saving shoveled spots, but there is no legal basis for this. Enforcement discretion may apply, but officially the practice is prohibited.
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