The parking policies for the District of Columbia and the City of New York are based on the principal that persons enjoying privileges and immunities in the United States are nevertheless obliged to respect United States laws and regulations. The policies further rest on the principle that the operation of a motor vehicle in the United States by such persons is not a right but a privilege that may be withdrawn in cases of abuse.
District of Columbia Parking Policy
The Department will withhold the registration renewal for any vehicle with unpaid or unadjudicated DC parking tickets that are more than one year old. For example, if a vehicle receives a DC parking ticket in January 2015, and its normal registration renewal date is in March, that ticket must be paid or adjudicated by March 2016. If it is not, the vehicle will not receive new decals or registration documents, it may no longer be operated legally in the United States, and is subject to issuance of a citation by law enforcement for expired registration.
City of New York Parking Policy
The Department will suspend the next motor vehicle registration or registration renewal for any registered owner who has accumulated three or more New York City parking tickets that have remained unpaid or unadjudicated for more than 100 days. For example, a foreign mission member would like to register a new vehicle (or receive the registration renewal for their current vehicle). However, he or she currently has four unsatisfied New York City parking tickets that are more than 100 days old. The Department will not issue the registration for the new vehicle (or issue a registration renewal of the current vehicle) until at least two of the parking tickets are satisfied. As noted above, should the currently-registered vehicle not receive its registration renewal, it may not be operated legally in the United States and is subject to issuance of a citation by law enforcement for expired registration.