Support
Last updated July 25, 2026
Questions, bug reports, and wrong-curb corrections all go to the same place: support@parkingrat.com. We read every message.
Reporting a curb we got wrong is the single most useful thing you can do. Include the cross streets, the side of the street, roughly when you were there, and what the sign actually said. A photo of the sign helps enormously.
Where does ParkingRat work?
New York City only — Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island. Outside the five boroughs the map will show no curb data, because there is none to show. Coverage of other cities is not currently planned.
What do the curb colors mean?
- Free
- Legal to park with no payment for the time window you asked about.
- Metered
- Legal to park, but payment is required. Any posted time limit is shown on the segment.
- No parking
- A rule prohibits parking here for some or all of your requested window.
- Unclear
- We hold sign data for this curb but cannot interpret it confidently enough to advise you. Read the signs.
- No data
- We have no sign data for this stretch of curb at all.
Statuses are calculated for the whole window you ask about, not just the moment you look. Asking for three hours starting now will mark a curb as prohibited if a street-cleaning rule begins partway through that window.
Can I trust it enough to walk away from my car?
Treat ParkingRat as a strong first pass, not the final word. It interprets published city sign and regulation data, which can be incomplete, stale, or contradicted by a sign that was physically changed on the street. The posted signs always win.Read them before you leave your vehicle. When we are not confident, we deliberately say “unclear” instead of guessing — that gray is a feature, not a gap.
Why does it want my location?
To center the map on you, sort nearby curbs by distance, and run cruise guidance. The app asks for location only while in use and never requests background access. You can decline or revoke it in iOS Settings and still search for any destination by name or address. Your coordinates never leave your device — see our privacy policy for specifics.
Does it work without a signal?
Yes. ParkingRat downloads offline data packs so curb rules stay available in parking garages, tunnels, and dead zones. Packs sync when the app is open and connected. If data looks stale, open the app with a connection for a moment and let it catch up.
What is cruise mode?
Cruise mode gives you spoken, turn-by-turn guidance along a route chosen to pass legal curb space near your destination. It runs only while the app is open and on screen. Please set it up before you start driving, and keep your attention on the road — no parking spot is worth a collision.
How do I delete my data?
Delete the app. There are no accounts, so there is nothing stored server-side that belongs to you. You can also clear recent destinations from within the app without deleting it.
Still stuck?
Email support@parkingrat.com with your iOS version, your device model, and what you expected to happen. If it is about a specific curb, include the cross streets and side of the street.