Reopening Status

The “New York State on PAUSE" executive order is still in effect for New York City. Only essential businesses or services can operate.

The City is on target to reopen and enter Phase 1 on June 8th if it meets the required criteria to reopen. 

Reopening Phases

Under the New York Forward Plan, non-essential businesses in New York City will reopen in phases.

Within each phase, non-essential businesses may reopen if they belong to certain industries:

There will be at least two weeks between each phase so the State and City can monitor the effects of the reopening to ensure that it is safe to move on to the next phase.

Essential businesses and business activities that are open may remain open, but they must follow health and safety rules.

Reopening Guidelines

All business sectors must follow these health and safety rules once they are eligible to reopen:

• Require 6 feet of distance unless safety or core function of the work activity requires less
• Reduce occupancy to under 50% and limit confined spaces to one person (elevators, behind cash registers, etc.)
• Post a safety plan where everyone can see it
• Train employees on hygiene and safety practices
• Conduct employee health screenings every day and make sure sick employees go home
• Give employees free face coverings and proper protective equipment and provide replacements
• Provide and maintain hand hygiene stations that include soap, water, and paper towels, and/or contact-free hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol
• Ensure frequent cleaning and disinfecting of any shared surfaces
• Post signs and put tape or other markers to show people where to stand
• Limit all in-person gatherings and meetings, and only hold them in large, well-ventilated areas with social distancing

These rules apply to both non-essential businesses in regions that are permitted to reopen and essential businesses throughout the state that were previously permitted to remain open.

Businesses must also follow guidelines specific to their industry. Visit the following web pages to learn more:

• Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting
• Commercial Building Management
• Construction
• Hair Salons and Barbershops
• Manufacturing
• Offices
• Real Estate
• Retail (curbside/in-store pickup/drop-off only)
• Retail (in-store)
• Retail Rental, Repair, and Cleaning
• Vehicle Sales, Leases, and Rentals
• Wholesale Trade

Further Assistance

Online

• Read the New York Forward Plan to learn more about how the State plans to reopen.
• Use the Business Reopening Lookup Tool to learn when your business is eligible to reopen and which public health and safety guidelines you must follow.

By Phone

The NYC Business Restart Hotline can provide you with information on:

• Guidelines to reopen your business, including licensing, permits and inspections
• Accessing PPE, hand sanitizer, or other supplies for your business
• Applying for financial assistance for your business, including resources from Federal, State and City programs
• Getting legal assistance, including help reviewing or negotiating your commercial lease
• Recruiting employees

The "New York State on PAUSE" executive order is still in effect for New York City. Only essential businesses or services can operate.

Under "New York State on PAUSE," all non-essential businesses must close in-personnel functions. Businesses that rely on in-office workers must decrease their in-office workforce by 100%, excluding essential services.

Non-essential services include:

• Casinos, gyms, nightclubs, movie theaters, small theater houses, and concert and entertainment venues
• Shopping malls, amusement parks, and bowling alleys
• Barbershops, hair salons, tattoo or piercing salons, nail salons, hair removal services, and related personal care services

Essential services exempt from the order include:

• Banks and related financial institutions
• Bike repair shops
• Dentists
• Grocery and food production
• Healthcare providers
• Laundromats
• Media
• Restaurants, bars, and cafes (Limited to food take-out and delivery only. These establishments will be provided a waiver for carry-out alcohol.)
• Pharmacies
• Shipping
• Taxis and car services
• Utilities
• Warehousing

Essential businesses must continue to follow the Department of Health’s safety and social distancing guidelines and maintain a clean and safe work environment.

Get information and guidance on essential services under the State Executive Order.

Complaints

Visit the Social Distancing Complaint page to report:

• A business or location that's open but is required to be closed
• An essential business that's open but isn’t complying with necessary restrictions
• Overcrowding at a business, park, or other location

Beginning Monday, June 8, 2020, as part of Phase 1, the following businesses can reopen in New York City:

• Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting
• Construction
• Manufacturing
• Retail – Curbside or in-store pickup or drop off only
• Wholesale Trade

If you work at a business that is allowed to be open, below are just some of the requirements your employer must follow.

Your employer must:

• Post a safety plan at your worksite where you can see it
• Conduct an employee health screening every day
• Give you and your coworkers free face coverings and provide replacements
• Provide and maintain hand hygiene stations for personnel, including handwashing with soap, water, and paper towels, as well as an alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing 60% or more alcohol for areas where handwashing is not feasible
• Regularly clean shared equipment and frequently touched surfaces
• Post signs and put tape or other markers to show people where to stand

You:

• Should stay home if sick or go home if you become sick at work
• Must stay at least 6 feet from others and wear a face covering or mask if you are less than 6 feet from others

You can get detailed industry-specific guidance by reading the New York Forward Plan.

Starting on Monday, June 8, you can speak with a City representative if you have reopening questions or want to report an employer that is not following reopening requirements.

Learn about other worker rights and workplace laws in NYC.

Social Distancing Requirements

To keep New Yorkers healthy and safe during the pandemic, the State and City have issued new guidelines and are enforcing rules related to social distancing.

Stay home except for:

• Essential needs and tasks, such as getting groceries
• Getting medical care
• Solitary exercise
• Work, if you work for an essential business or service

If you must leave your home:

• Keep at least 6 feet of distance between yourself and others.
• Wear a mask or a face covering when social distancing is not possible, including on public transportation, in stores, and on crowded sidewalks.
• Bike or walk if possible. Don’t take public transportation unless you need to.
• Stagger working hours, if possible. For example, instead of 9 AM to 5 PM, change some work hours to 10 AM to 6 PM or 8 AM to 4 PM.

Face Coverings

As part of Governor Cuomo’s executive order, as of May 28th, any business operator or building owner, and those authorized on their behalf, can deny access to individuals who fails to wear a face covering on the premises. 

Face coverings are required for any individual over the age of two and those who do not have a medical condition that can prevent them from wearing a face covering.

Matilda’s Law

The State has enacted Matilda’s Law to protect New Yorkers age 70 and older and those with compromised immune systems.

If you are in one of these groups, please:

• Remain indoors
• Go outside only for solitary exercise
• Pre-screen all visitors by taking their temperature
• Wear a mask in the company of others
• Stay at least 6 feet from others
• Do not take public transportation unless urgent and absolutely necessary

Gatherings of 10 or Fewer

Any gatherings of no more than 10 people will be allowed statewide beginning Friday, May 22nd.

Religious gatherings of no more than 10 people and drive-in and parking lot services will be allowed statewide beginning Thursday, May 21st.

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 must be followed.

Learn more about cleaning and disinfecting guidelines.

Posters

You can get posters displaying reminders of the need to wear a face covering when outside the home.

Online

Download a social distance poster.

Download a social distance poster for grocery stores.

By Mail

The Governor has ordered that all non-essential construction must shut down as of March 27, 2020. Essential and Emergency Construction may continue.

The Executive Order defines Essential Construction as work on:

• Roads
• Bridges
• Transit facilities
• Utilities
• Hospitals or health care facilities
• Affordable housing and homeless shelters

Emergency Construction is defined as:

• Projects necessary to protect the health and safety of the occupants
• Continuing a project that would be unsafe to allow to remain undone, until it is safe to shut the site

This order doesn't apply to work being done by a single worker or if there is only one employee or worker at a job site.

Learn more about the Executive Order.

Complaints

To report non-essential construction or demolition work in progress, visit the Non-Essential Construction Complaint 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
• 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

Public Colleges

CUNY

CUNY schools, dorms, and libraries are open, but no on-campus classes will be held for the rest of the semester. Distance learning began on March 19.

You can get more information online about CUNY colleges or contact the college directly.

Visit your CUNY College website to learn about closures.

Get CUNY coronavirus updates.

SUNY

SUNY began distance learning and reducing in-person classes on March 19.

Visit SUNY's website.

Private Colleges

Contact your private college directly for any questions related to coronavirus preparation and handling, including school closures and graduation.

Public Schools

All public schools, including 3-K and pre-K programs, closed on Monday, March 16. They will be closed for the rest of the 2019-2020 school year.

Get the latest information about coronavirus in public schools.

Download COVID-19 information and guidance for schools and families.

Submit a comment to the Mayor about public school closure policy.

Graduation

Families should contact their school for any questions about graduation. To look up contact information for a public school, go to the School Finder page.

Summer School

For information about schedules and programming, go to the Summer School page.

Testing

New York State Student Assessment exams have been cancelled for the 2019-2020 school year, including Regents exams. There will be more guidance provided for students regarding Regents exams. For more information, go to the School Testing page.

Remote Learning

Remote learning began on Monday, March 23rd and will continue for the rest of the 2019-2020 school year. The last day of remote learning is Friday, June 26.

To support remote learning and help students stay connected during emergencies, the Department of Education (DOE) is lending internet-enabled iPads to:

• Public school students
• Private, charter, and parochial school students with disabilities
• Charter school students who are living in temporary housing or in foster care

To request an iPad for an NYC student in your family, please fill out the request form.

Priority will be given to students most in need. All iPads are granted on a temporary basis and will later need to be returned. There is a limit of one iPad per student.

It may take a few weeks to process your request and deliver the iPad. You can get learn-at-home materials and activities on DOE's website for your student to work on without a device.

Request an iPad for an NYC student.

Get answers to some remote learning device (iPad) questions.

Learn about the new grading policy for remote learning.

You can get help with filling out the iPad request form, setting up the device, accessing applications, and resolving technical issues by phone.

The Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) is operating the MTA Essential Service Plan until further notice. 

Beginning Wednesday, May 6, at 1 AM there will be no subway service daily from 1 AM to 5 AM while trains and stations are disinfected. Bus service will continue to run 24/7.

If you are an essential worker and bus alternatives aren’t an option for you, the MTA will be providing Essential Connector service. Essential workers will be eligible for one free trip in a for-hire vehicle per night.

Get the latest information about MTA subway and bus service.

Learn more about MTA resources for Overnight Essential Workers.

Sign up to receive updates about the Essential Connector Service.

Rules for Traveling

Face Coverings

Governor Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order requiring everyone in New York to wear masks or face coverings when they’re out in public.

All passengers using public transportation must wear a face covering at all times. To report passengers not wearing masks or face coverings, visit the Face Covering Violation page.

Social Distancing

If you're not traveling for work related to an essential business, or for urgent personal business like a medical appointment, do not use the subway or take the bus in order to keep limited capacity available for people who must travel.

To keep a safe distance between riders and drivers during the coronavirus outbreak, the MTA is temporarily changing their procedures on how customers use their buses:

• Local bus and Select Bus Service (SBS) customers will board and exit using the rear doors. You must still pay the fare if on-board payment boxes or SBS off-board ticket machines are accessible.
• Express bus customers will board and pay as normal but are not allowed to sit in the first three rows of the bus.
• ADA customers may still board at the front of all local and SBS buses and as usual on express buses.

Learn more about the bus boarding policy.

To report overcrowding or social distancing violations on the subway or buses, contact the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) online or by Twitter to @NYCTSubway or @NYCTBus.

Cleaning

MTA trains, stations, and buses are normally cleaned every day and sanitized as needed. The MTA is increasing the frequency and intensity of their procedures and are sanitizing high-touch surfaces more often.

These surfaces include:

• Poles
• Handrails
• Seats
• Benches
• Grab bars

MTA cleaners will be working on this every day, with the full fleet being covered every 72 hours. MTA is using cleaners endorsed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Paratransit Services

Paratransit services, including Access-A-Ride and ambulettes, continue to operate. If you are not traveling for essential business or essential personal business, please stay home and do not use paratransit services at this time.

For your safety and the drivers safety, to maximize social distancing, collection of fare payment for Access-A-Ride trips is temporarily suspended at this time for COVID-19 precautions.

Parking Rules

Alternate Side Parking Schedule (through June 7)

• May 18 - May 20: ASP, meters, and all other parking rules are in effect.
• May 21: ASP suspended for Solemnity of the Ascension; meters and all other parking rules are in effect.
• May 22 - May 23rd: ASP, meters, and all other parking rules are in effect.
• May 24: ASP suspended for Idul-al-Fitr; meters not in effect; all other parking rules are in effect.
• May 25: ASP and meters suspended for Memorial Day. Stopping, standing, and parking are also allowed, except in areas where these rules are in effect 7 days a week.
• May 26 - May 30: ASP suspended; meters and all other parking rules are in effect.
• May 31: ASP and meters not in effect; all other parking rules are in effect.
• June 1 - 6: ASP suspended; meters and all other parking rules are in effect.
• June 7: ASP and meters not in effect; all other parking rules are in effect.

The City may extend the suspension past June 7th based on street cleanliness and workforce availability.

Open Streets

When ASP is in effect on an Open Street, vehicles should leave the street and may return after ASP is over. If barriers are in place, they should be set up in a way that cars can drive around them.

While driving in and out of the street, please watch for pedestrians and travel at 5 MPH.

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.

Domestic Travel

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advise residents to be mindful of domestic travel. If you decide to travel for non-essential tasks, try to protect yourself and others by following proper health and social distancing guidelines.

Learn more about how to plan for domestic travel.

International Travel

The Department of State advises United States citizens to reconsider travel abroad at this time due to the global impact of coronavirus.

As of March 11, foreign nationals who have recently been in certain European countries are restricted from traveling to the United States. This does not apply to United States citizens or legal permanent residents.

Learn more about international travel restrictions and advisories.

The City is collecting voluntary information about your experience with the coronavirus to better understand the impact of the virus on New York City.

You are encouraged to sign up if you fit any of the following criteria:

• Are experiencing symptoms (coughing, fever, shortness of breath)
• Feel you may have been exposed to COVID-19 or come in contact with someone who is infected
• Have tested positive for COVID-19
• Were, are, or will be placed under mandatory or voluntary quarantine or self-isolation

You can provide information for yourself, a child, or a family member if you are authorized to do so.

The information collected will be used to follow up about your coronavirus inquiry and make sure you're appropriately connected to the Department of Health. It will also help us get you the support and care you need if you want to voluntarily self-isolate as a precaution.

If you need to update your status information, call 311 for assistance.

Your personal information will not be given to third parties, and will not be used for marketing or any other commercial purpose. All information collected is encrypted for security.