How to Get a No Parking Sign Put Up on Your Street

AvatarByEric Dawson Parking

To learn how to get a no parking sign put up, ask the government agency that manages your street or the local transportation authority to assess the location. Road managers install traffic-control devices under the Federal Highway Administration’s MUTCD standards, rather than residents selecting and installing signs themselves.

Local procedures differ. Toronto residents can petition their Councillor for changed parking rules with support from at least 25 percent of affected households, while Seattle lists SDOT at (206) 684-7623 and 684-Road@seattle.gov. Give the exact street segment and explain whether the issue calls for no parking, no standing, no stopping, a loading zone, or a temporary restriction for construction or an event.

How to Get a No Parking Sign Put up by Starting with the Road Manager

Contact the government agency that manages the street to ask directly for a no parking sign on your street. That road manager, often a municipal transportation authority, evaluates locations and installs and maintains traffic-control devices under the applicable local rules.

Federal standards guide this work across the United States. FHWA publishes the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, which covers road markings, highway signs, traffic signals, and devices on streets, highways, pedestrian and bicycle facilities, plus site roadways open to public travel. States must adopt the 11th Edition as their legal standard within two years of its January 18, 2024, effective date.

Follow these steps to direct the request to the appropriate office:

  1. Identify who owns or manages the specific street segment.
  2. Check the city’s transportation or public works pages for its parking-regulation contact.
  3. Send the location and requested restriction to that office, and ask how it evaluates a permanent sign.
  4. Confirm whether the street is city-managed or under another road manager before pursuing the request.

City responsibilities can be split even when the issue appears straightforward. In New York City, NYC DOT manages more than one million traffic signs, whereas the New York City Police Department handles parking enforcement. Questions about placement therefore belong with the sign manager, while police policy, ticket enforcement, and towed-vehicle retrieval follow separate routes. Seattle identifies SDOT as the transportation department for city parking regulations and lists (206) 684-7623 and 684-Road@seattle.gov as contact options.

Local procedures can differ substantially. Toronto tells residents seeking changed parking time limits or regulations to submit a petition to their Councillor, supported by at least 25 percent of affected households, although a Councillor may seek more support. Long-duration parking areas require signatures from a majority of affected property owners. Neither threshold establishes a rule for other municipalities.

Requests should go to the road manager rather than to a resident-installed sign solution. Road managers use the applicable device standards, but no nationwide resident application form is supplied for a permanent no-parking sign. NYC provides a Borough Office route for a related crosswalk review at a T-intersection, demonstrating that location requests may be evaluated by the transportation agency. Online NYC311 service-request forms were unavailable when its page was read in September 2026; phone assistance is available through 311 or 212-NEW-YORK (212-639-9675).

Choose the Right Curb Restriction

Choosing the right curb restriction is a key part of how to get a no parking sign put up on your street. A no-parking rule, a no-standing rule, and a no-stopping rule can produce different results for drivers and curb access. Rather than asking for a sign by name alone, describe the activity that needs to be limited, such as long-term parking, loading, passenger pickup, or any vehicle stopping.

Know What Each Restriction Means

Toronto lists “No Parking,” “No Standing,” and “No Stopping” from least to most restrictive. By that framework, the request should distinguish between preventing vehicles from parking, preventing curbside standing, and preventing all stopping. NYC uses its own descriptions: all three restrictions prohibit waiting at the curb to load or unload packages or merchandise, while a “No Parking” rule allows drivers to wait while picking up or dropping off passengers.

Under NYC rules, the more restrictive sign controls when several signs apply to the same curb area. Unlike a broad request for a no-parking sign, a request tied to a specific curb problem can help identify the restriction that fits the location. Meanwhile, posted limits may apply only at certain times, and Seattle notes that no-parking or no-stopping signs can operate during designated hours or before a stop sign.

Match the Control to the Need

Temporary curb controls may fit a short-term need better than a permanent parking-regulation change. Seattle uses temporary no-parking zones to reserve curb space for events or construction. Load zones serve another purpose by setting aside curb space for loading and unloading people and goods.

Existing restrictions can also address a concern without a new sign. When a tow-away-zone sign applies in Seattle, parking or stopping is prohibited even temporarily, and vehicles may be removed immediately. Because local rules differ, NYC’s passenger pickup and drop-off allowance under “No Parking” should not be treated as the rule for Toronto, Seattle, the United Kingdom, or another jurisdiction.

I would start by asking for the least restrictive rule that solves the actual curb problem. If the concern is vehicles left for long periods, no parking seems more proportionate than no standing or no stopping, especially where passenger pickup and drop-off may still be useful. I would only seek a stronger restriction if stopping itself creates the problem, such as blocking a needed access point or disrupting a specific curb use. A precise request is more convincing than treating every parking conflict as a reason to ban all stopping.

Describe the Exact Street Problem

A no parking sign request should identify the exact street segment and the parking condition affecting that location. Pinpoint the block, curb space, and adjacent use so the road manager can assess the right restriction. Include the times of day when the issue occurs, since curb rules can differ by block and time. Note whether the concern involves vehicles parking, standing, stopping, loading, or preserving curb space. Name the adjacent use that makes the curb condition relevant. State how the condition changes during the day.

Specify which curb space is affected, because Seattle recognizes separate conditions for load zones, food-truck zones, taxi zones, shuttle-bus zones, paid parking, peak restrictions, time-limited parking, tow-away zones, and temporary no-parking zones. Explain if the requested curb control relates to loading and unloading people or goods, as Seattle reserves load zones for that purpose. Distinguish a permanent regulation change from a temporary no-parking zone, which Seattle uses to provide curb space for events or construction.

Record any nearby stop sign if the concern involves stopping in advance of it, because Seattle says no-parking or no-stopping signs can apply there or at certain times of day. Describe the practical outcome sought without assuming that every problem calls for the same sign. Where curb space is needed for a short-term activity, a temporary zone may address that purpose rather than a permanent restriction. Likewise, loading needs can point to a load zone instead of a broad parking prohibition.

Review the full block before framing the request, since NYC tells motorists to read all posted signs and says the more restrictive sign governs when multiple signs apply. Consider whether existing regulations already cover the stated concern, because a missing sign on one part of an NYC block does not cancel remaining posted regulations. Check for rules that apply without a requested sign in the relevant city, such as Toronto’s maximum three-hour limit on public roads unless signage says otherwise.

Present the location and condition as a site-specific issue for evaluation by the road manager. Avoid treating a sign request as an enforcement question, since NYC assigns sign management to NYC DOT and parking enforcement to the Police Department. Direct ticket, police-policy, or towed-vehicle questions to the appropriate agency rather than using them to define the requested curb regulation. Clear details help separate placement of a traffic-control device from enforcement of the rules already posted. That distinction matters because NYC directs police-policy questions to the Police Department, while ticket payment and appeals go directly to the Department of Finance.

Check Existing Parking Rules First

Posted signs and local rules may already prohibit the parking, standing, or stopping causing the problem, so check them before seeking another restriction. Before requesting a change, inspect the entire block, every curb space, and all time-of-day limits that apply.

NYC tells motorists to check the entire block and read all signs carefully before parking. When multiple signs apply to the same area, the more restrictive sign governs. Even if a sign is missing on a block, NYC says the remaining posted regulations stay in effect. Under NYC’s explanation, a No Parking sign allows waiting to drop off or pick up passengers, but No Stopping, No Standing, and No Parking each bar waiting to load or unload packages or merchandise.

Seattle’s parking rules cover load zones, food-truck zones, taxi zones, shuttle-bus zones, paid parking, peak restrictions, time-limited parking, tow-away zones, and temporary no-parking zones. Temporary no-parking zones reserve curb space for events or construction rather than creating a permanent regulation. Tow-away-zone signs mean no parking or stopping, even temporarily, and vehicles may be removed immediately. Likewise, a no-parking or no-stopping sign may apply only during certain hours or in advance of a stop sign.

Toronto has an unsigned maximum three-hour parking limit on public roads unless signs say otherwise. Parking within three metres of a fire hydrant is prohibited, measured from the point on the roadway directly in front of the hydrant. Chapter 950 orders restrictions from least to most restrictive as No Parking, No Standing, then No Stopping. That ordering helps distinguish a concern about leaving a vehicle from one about curbside standing or all stopping.

Across jurisdictions, terms and markings do not carry the same meaning. Rule 238 of the UK Highway Code prohibits waiting or parking on yellow lines during the operating times shown on nearby time plates or zone entry signs. Double yellow lines prohibit waiting at any time, even without upright signs. Drivers also must not stop or park on pedestrian crossings, clearways, taxi bays marked by signs and markings, or red-route red lines unless signs say otherwise.

Existing rules may therefore address the issue without a new sign. Seattle prohibits parking in front of, or within 5 feet of the edge of, a driveway or alley. NYC also prohibits parking within 15 feet of either side of a fire hydrant, including on floating parking lanes next to protected bike lanes.

Compare Local Request Routes

Local procedures for getting a no-parking sign put up differ sharply: FHWA provides national traffic-control-device standards, while cities and countries set their own request channels and requirements. Toronto supplies the clearest resident route, Seattle supplies direct transportation-department contact information, NYC supplies a related location-review contact route, and the United Kingdom material supplies rules but no sign-request path.

Federal standards do not create a nationwide resident application: the MUTCD tells road managers how to install and maintain traffic-control devices on public-travel roadways, but it does not set out a personal sign-request workflow. Instead, the controlling city, town, or road manager determines how a location is evaluated. States must adopt the 11th Edition as their legal traffic-control-device standard within two years of its January 18, 2024 effective date. Revision 1 to the 11th Edition is FHWA’s most current official publication, adopted March 5, 2026; that status does not add a federal petition process.

Location or Authority Supplied Request Route Requirement Key Limitation
FHWA MUTCD standards for road managers Not stated No resident sign-request form supplied
New York City NYC DOT Borough Office for T-intersection crosswalk consideration Not stated for no-parking signs No specific no-parking-sign process supplied
Seattle SDOT phone and email contact Not stated No permanent-sign form or timeline supplied
Toronto Petition to the resident’s Councillor At least 25 per cent of affected households Higher threshold for long-duration parking
United Kingdom No sign-request route supplied Not stated Highway Code explains restrictions, not applications

Toronto offers the most specific example. Residents seeking changed parking time limits or regulations submit a petition to their Councillor, with support from at least 25 per cent of affected households; a Councillor can seek greater support. For long-duration parking, the threshold rises to a majority of affected property owners. That arrangement applies only where long-duration parking puts the restriction on one side of the street and prohibits parking on the other side. No similar threshold can be assumed elsewhere.

New York City offers no supplied no-parking-sign application, price, timeline, or approval criteria. When a T-intersection crosswalk is under consideration, NYC directs residents to the DOT Borough Office, which illustrates a location-specific review route rather than a stated no-parking process. DOT manages more than one million traffic signs, but the supplied information gives no equivalent sign-request procedure. Questions requiring help with an unavailable NYC311 online service request can go by phone to 311 or 212-NEW-YORK (212-639-9675).

Seattle identifies SDOT as the transportation department for city parking regulations and provides (206) 684-7623 and 684-Road@seattle.gov. Its materials do not give a permanent resident-requested no-parking-sign form, support threshold, price, or approval timeline. SDOT is at 700 5th Ave, Suite 3800, Seattle, WA 98104. Temporary no-parking zones serve events or construction, so that route is distinct from a permanent regulation change.

United Kingdom material likewise provides no sign-request route or eligibility test. Double yellow lines prohibit waiting at any time, even without upright signs. Consequently, its Highway Code rules explain where waiting, parking, or stopping is restricted, rather than describing how a resident obtains a new sign. Requests should be directed to the authority that controls the relevant street, with the requested curb control stated precisely.

If I lived where a petition is required, I would speak with nearby affected households before framing the request as a permanent restriction. Toronto’s 25 percent threshold is a useful sign that local backing can matter, while a long-duration parking area needs support from more than half of affected property owners. That jump is at least twice the lower threshold, so I would not assume that a narrow personal inconvenience will justify a broader curb change.

Separate Sign Requests from Enforcement

Contact the street manager or municipal transportation authority when the concern is a new sign, a changed curb rule, or an evaluation of parking conditions. Use the parking enforcement agency when an existing restriction is being ignored and the issue involves tickets, towing, or enforcement procedures.

In New York City, NYC DOT manages more than one million traffic signs, while the New York City Police Department handles parking enforcement. That division means a missing, damaged, or potentially needed sign is different from a complaint about vehicles violating a posted rule. Questions about police policy, traffic-regulation enforcement, or ticket issuance belong with the Police Department. Payment and appeals for parking tickets go through the Department of Finance, while towed-vehicle retrieval is handled through the Police Department.

Existing signs still control even when a resident believes additional restrictions are needed. NYC advises motorists to check the full block and read every posted sign before parking. Where more than one sign applies, the more restrictive sign governs. Missing signage on part of a block does not cancel the regulations shown on the remaining signs.

Some parking situations already have separate rules that may not require a new no-parking sign. Seattle prohibits parking in front of, or within 5 feet of the edge of, a driveway or alley, and vehicles cannot remain on a city street for more than 72 hours. Toronto has an unsigned three-hour maximum on public roads unless signs state otherwise, along with restrictions near fire hydrants. NYC also prohibits parking within 15 feet of either side of a fire hydrant and bans passenger-vehicle double parking at all times.

City service channels can help direct a resident when the proper department is unclear. NYC311 online service-request forms are unavailable because of technical issues, but phone assistance is available through 311 or 212-NEW-YORK, (212-639-9675). Temporary needs may follow a different route from a permanent sign request, particularly where curb space is needed for construction or an event. Seattle identifies temporary no-parking zones as a way to reserve curb space for those purposes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who Decides Whether a No-Parking Sign Can Be Installed?

How to get a no-parking sign on your street begins with the government agency that manages the road. Road managers install and maintain traffic-control devices under applicable standards, while local transportation authorities evaluate location-specific requests.

Can a Resident Install a No-Parking Sign?

Residents generally should ask the local road manager or municipal transportation authority to evaluate the location. Instead of personally selecting and installing a sign, a resident can request a review of the parking or safety concern.

What Is the Difference Between No Parking and No Stopping?

The labels have different meanings that depend on the local jurisdiction. Toronto ranks No Parking, No Standing, and No Stopping from least to most restrictive, while NYC says No Parking allows waiting to pick up or drop off passengers.

Does Toronto Require Neighborhood Support for Changed Parking Rules?

Toronto residents seeking changed parking time limits or regulations must submit a petition to their Councillor. At least 25 percent of affected households must support the petition, although a Councillor may require greater support.

Who Enforces Parking Signs in New York City?

NYC DOT manages more than one million traffic signs. The New York City Police Department is responsible for parking enforcement, including questions about traffic-regulation enforcement and ticket issuance.

Can a Temporary No-Parking Zone Be Used for Construction or an Event?

Seattle uses temporary no-parking zones to restrict regular parking and provide curb space for events or construction. That tool differs from a permanent parking-regulation change.

Start with the agency that manages the street, then provide the exact block or curb location and explain the parking or safety issue. Local rules determine which restriction fits the problem, since No Parking, No Standing, and No Stopping can carry different limits. Existing signs and restrictions may already control the location. Toronto offers a petition route for changed parking rules, while Seattle lists SDOT contact options for parking-regulation questions.

What This Page Does Not Publish

  • I don’t publish a nationwide form, fee, or approval timeline because each road manager sets its own process.
  • I don’t prescribe the evidence or petition support your city may require for a sign request.
  • I don’t provide a complete city-by-city guide; use your local road manager’s instructions for the next step.

References

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I'm Eric Dawson, the writer behind The Money Watch. I live in the Columbus, Ohio area and I write about the ordinary questions that turn out to be complicated: computers, shopping, food, travel, parking, small businesses, fees, rules and products. Every article starts with the official page, the maker or the agency, then the sources that check it, and I say plainly where they disagree and what I would do. More about how I work is on the About page.