Turns, lanes, passing and parking
You want to park near an intersection controlled by a STOP sign. What is the closest you may legally park to the STOP sign?
- 30 feet. Correct answer
- 20 feet.
- 15 feet.
Why
Parking or standing is not allowed within 30 feet of a traffic light, a STOP sign or a YIELD sign, so 30 feet is the closest legal spot. The two shorter distances are real numbers from the same list, but they belong to other things. 20 feet is the limit for a crosswalk at an intersection and for a fire station driveway on the same side of the road. 15 feet is the distance from a fire hydrant. At 20 or 15 feet from a STOP sign you would still be within the 30-foot zone. The 30-foot figure goes with anything that controls the intersection, whether a traffic light, a STOP sign or a YIELD sign.
Where this comes from
New York State Driver's Manual (MV-21), April 2026 version. The correct answer is 30 feet.
More on turns, lanes, passing and parking
- There is a fire station driveway on the opposite side of the street from where you want to park. What is the closest you may park to it?
- You need to stop briefly at the curb to unload a box of merchandise for a store. Which of these signs still allows that stop?
- You plan to change lanes on a multi-lane road. What is the minimum distance the law sets for signaling before the lane change?
- You are making a right turn onto a road with several lanes, and no signs tell you otherwise. Which lane should you turn into?