Effective June 15 2021, the State's health guidance and New York Forward industry specific guidelines—including social gathering limits, capacity restrictions, social distancing, cleaning and disinfection, health screening, and contact information for tracing—are now optional for businesses and other commercial settings, including:

• Retail
• Food services
• Offices
• Gyms and fitness centers
• Amusement and family entertainment
• Hair salons, barber shops and other personal care services
• Small-scale indoor event venues (capacity of under 5,000 attendees)

Businesses are free to choose to lift all or some restrictions, continue to adhere to the State's archived guidance, or implement other health precautions for their employees and patrons.

Businesses are also allowed to require masks and six feet of social distancing for employees and customers within their establishments, regardless of vaccination status.

Learn more about COVID-19 restrictions being lifted in New York State.

The City has issued public health social distancing and face covering rules to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Social Distancing and Gatherings

Residential gatherings of more than 50 people indoors are not allowed in private homes.

Any non-residential gatherings of more than 250 people indoors and 500 people outdoors are not allowed.

Any event gatherings in excess of the social gathering limits may only occur if all individuals present proof of full vaccination status or recent negative COVID-19 test result.

You must still keep at least 6 feet of distance between yourself and others and wear a mask or a face covering when social distancing is not possible. Social distancing guidelines and cleaning and disinfection guidelines required by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) must be followed.

Social distancing rules are also still in effect for City employees.

Face Coverings

Face covering rules are still in effect for:

• City buildings and spaces for employees, clients, and visitors
• City employees
• Correctional facilities
• Health care settings
• Homeless shelters
• Large-scale indoor event venues
• Public transit
• Schools Pre-K-12

Businesses can choose to require masks for all customers.

Fully vaccinated people can:

• Attend private indoor gatherings without wearing a face covering or staying 6 feet apart from:
  • People who are fully vaccinated
  • People from a different household who are unvaccinated and at low risk for severe COVID-19 illness
• Choose to not wear a face covering when outdoors, except in crowded settings and venues. Vaccinated people should consider using a face covering when around unvaccinated people who are at increased risk for severe COVID-19.

Learn more about face coverings on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Health and Safety page.

Complaints

To report a lack of social distancing or face coverings, visit the Social Distancing or Face Covering Complaint page. Complaints are not accepted for businesses that require customers to wear a mask.

City government employees can report agencies that are not following Return to Work guidelines for social distancing or face coverings on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Workers page.

Public Parks

New York City parks and playgrounds are open, but some other facilities and spaces are closed. For a list of closures, visit the Parks page.

Open Restaurants

The Open Restaurants program aims to expand outdoor seating options for restaurants and bars. Bar and restaurant owners may apply to place outdoor seating in front of their food establishments on the sidewalk or roadway.

Learn more on the Open Restaurants page.

Open Streets

The Open Streets program closes streets to vehicle traffic to make it safer and easier for pedestrians and cyclists to stay active while maintaining social distancing.

Open Streets are available daily from 8 AM to 8 PM (unless otherwise noted).

Learn more on the Open Streets page.

COVID-19 is currently impacting many government offices and non-emergency services. Although the City is still available for essential services, many government offices are closed or offering limited in-person assistance.

We encourage you to:

• Use an Agency’s online services
• Contact them through their website, by email, or by phone
• Check their website for the latest service updates

Visit the following pages to learn about closures or service changes for:

• Adult Protective Services
• Beaches
• Birth Certificates
• Child Support
• ​Court
• Department of Finance Business Centers
• Department of Health Clinics:
  • Adult Vaccination and Immunization
  • Sexual and Reproductive Health
  • Tuberculosis
• Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
• Department of Transportation Permits and Customer Service:
  • City Parking Permit for People with Disabilities
  • Parking Permit
• Elections and Voting
• Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Card
• Fair Fares NYC
• Family Justice Centers
• Funeral Financial Assistance
• Health Insurance for People with Disabilities
• Health Insurance for Seniors
• HIV and AIDS Services
• Home Care
• Housing Court for Tenants and Landlords
• IDNYC Municipal ID Card
• Immigration and Citizenship
• Inmate Visit
• Jury Duty
• Libraries
• Marriage License
• Medicaid
• NYC Ferry
• Parks
• Public Assistance or Welfare
• Schools
• Senior Centers
• SNAP (Food Stamp) Centers
• Social Security Offices

City Worker Return to Office

City government employees began to return to offices on May 3. Each Agency developed a "Return to Office Plan" to bring workers back safely, approved by the Mayoral Restart Taskforce.

Learn more about "Return to Office" guidance.

If you have any questions about returning to your workplace, please contact your Agency's Human Resources office.

Visit the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Schools page for information about:

• In-person and remote learning
• Health and safety precautions
• School schedules and programming models

Visit the School Calendar and Closures page for a list of school holidays and key dates.

Visit the School Reopening Complaint page to report a school not following COVID-19 health and safety rules or to make a complaint about New York City's public school reopening policy.

As of February 26, 2021, nursing home indoor visitations have the following restrictions:

• Maximum number of visitors is 20% of the residents
• If there is less than 5% of positivity in the county, no testing is required but is encouraged
• If the county has 5% to 10% positivity, then testing must be done in 72 hours
• If the county is greater than 10%, no visitation is allowed except for companionate care
• If there has been a COVID case in the nursing home in the past 14 days, no visitation is allowed
• If a visitor has had both vaccine doses and has gone more than 14 days since getting the second dose, testing is not required

Learn more about nursing home visitation policies.

To report a problem with a nursing home, visit the Nursing Home Complaint page.

Child care centers must follow strict safety guidelines including:

• No more than 15 children per room, social distancing
• Face coverings for staff and children
• Daily health screenings
• Frequent cleanings and disinfection
• Limited sharing of items including toys

The Department of Health will inspect programs to verify compliance.

Contact your child care provider for more information about reopening.

Get health and safety guidelines for child care centers.

Building Space for Child Care Facilities

Property owners with available building space that could potentially be used for child care facilities can submit application to rent or sell space to the City.

Submit an application.

Service Status

Online

Get the latest information about MTA service during the outbreak.

By Phone

Parking Rules

Alternate Side Parking Schedule

For information about Alternate Side Parking (street cleaning) changes or suspensions, visit the Alternate Side Parking (ASP) page.

Parking Tickets

Any New Yorker under isolation who has received a ticket can request a hearing with the Department of Finance and should provide medical documentation or testimony, which will be taken into consideration when their case is reviewed. To learn how to dispute a parking ticket, visit the Parking Ticket or Camera Violation Dispute page.

Taxis and Car Services

Face Coverings

Protect yourself and others. All Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) drivers and passengers must wear a face covering. You can use a homemade mask, bandana, or a scarf.

Pooled Rides

For the safety of drivers and passengers, the City has temporarily banned pooled rides in TLC-licensed high volume for-hire vehicles such as Uber, Lyft, and Via.

This ban does not apply to paratransit vehicles.

Travel to New York State

As of April 10, 2021, asymptomatic travelers entering New York from another country, U.S. state, or territory are no longer required to test or quarantine.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends:

• Fully vaccinated travelers who have not recovered from COVID-19 in the past 3 months to get tested 3-5 days after arrival in New York from international travel.
• All unvaccinated travelers who have not recovered from COVID-19 in the past 3 months to get tested 3-5 days after arrival in New York, consider non-mandated self-quarantine (7 days if tested on day 3-5, otherwise 10 days), and avoid contact with people at higher risk for severe disease for 14 days, regardless of test result.

Travelers that are symptomatic must immediately self-isolate and contact the local health department or their healthcare providers to determine if they should seek COVID-19 testing.

All travelers must continue to fill out Traveler Health Form upon arrival into New York State, unless they left New York for less than 24 hours or are coming to New York from either Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts or Vermont.

Regardless of quarantine status, all individuals exposed to COVID-19 or returning from travel must:

• Continue daily symptom monitoring through Day 14;
• Continue strict adherence to all recommended non-pharmaceutical interventions, including hand hygiene and the use of face coverings, through Day 14 (even if fully vaccinated);
• Must immediately self-isolate if any symptoms develop and contact the local public health authority or their healthcare provider to report this change in clinical status and determine if they should seek testing.

Quarantine Checkpoints

The City has COVID-19 quarantine checkpoints at key entry points into New York City to ensure compliance with New York State quarantine orders and continue to contain COVID-19. The New York City Sheriff’s Office, working with other law enforcement agencies, will operate traveler registration checkpoints at major bridge and tunnel crossings into New York City. Checkpoint locations may change on a daily basis.

When a vehicle is stopped at a checkpoint, the driver and passengers will be asked where they are traveling from and how long they were in that location. If you are not traveling from New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts or Vermont, you will be instructed to complete an online New York State Health Department Travel Form as soon as possible. Travelers can expect to spend less than 5 minutes at the checkpoint. If you have already completed the travel form and can show the email confirmation that you have done so, you will be dismissed from the checkpoint faster.

The Mayor's Public Engagement Unit is engaging in outreach at Penn Station to educate incoming passengers from states with high COVID-19 transmission rates about New York State home-quarantine orders.

Hotels or Short-Term Rentals

As of Friday, August 21, 2020 anyone who has visited a restricted state or territory within the last 14 days is required to complete the New York State Traveler Health Form before checking into a hotel, motel, inn, or a short-term rental in New York City. 

If you have already filled out the form, you may show proof, such as a screenshot of the certification page of a completed form.

You will not be allowed access to a room until you have completed the form electronically or on paper.

Travelers who do not complete the form may be subject to significant fines and a misdemeanor violation.

Online

Learn more about the State’s restrictions for travel.

Complete the New York State Traveler Health Form.

Learn more about mandatory traveler health form completion at hotels and short-term rentals.

By Phone

You can report people who are not complying with self-quarantine traveling guidelines by phone.