NYC opens the first 2 of 17 free public bathrooms, with a 10-minute limit

New York City opened the first two of 17 free modular public bathrooms on Wednesday, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced. The rest are set to open in all five boroughs over the coming months.

The restrooms are part of a $4 million, yearlong pilot. In June, the New York City Economic Development Corporation chose Throne Labs to supply, run and service them. The company operates public bathroom networks in other major cities. Each unit works without hookups to water, sewer or power lines. That makes it cheaper to install than a standard public restroom, and the city can move or remove a unit as neighborhood needs change.

How to unlock NYC’s new public bathrooms

The doors do not open with a push. To get in, send a text message, scan a QR code, use the Throne Bathroom Network app or tap a card handed out by community partners. The app also shows the nearest unit, live cleanliness ratings and whether a bathroom is in use. The bathrooms are open every day from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Everything inside is touchless. Each unit has a flushing toilet, a sink with running water, climate control, a baby-changing station and free pad dispensers.

The 10-minute time limit

Each visit is capped at 10 minutes. A speaker warns users as their time runs low. When time is up, it announces in English and Spanish that the session is over, and the automatic door slides open. If someone still won’t leave, Throne Labs staff get an alert to check in person, and officials said the workers could call police. “This is not a place to scroll,” Mamdani said.

Planned locations include:

• Bronx: Yankee Stadium, Admiral Farragut Playground, Mapes Park and Monsignor Raul Del Valle Square
• Brooklyn: Columbus Park, Milestone Park, Fulton Street and Truxton Street, and Avenue C Plaza
• Manhattan: Cooper Square, Malcolm X Plaza, Delancey Street and Suffolk Street, and Plaza Alianza Dominicana
• Queens: Astoria Boulevard South and 31st Street, Northern Boulevard and 31st Street, Northern Boulevard and 54th Street, and 34th Avenue and 64th Street
• Staten Island: North Shore Esplanade

The Free to Pee Coalition, led by VOCAL-NY and the Coalition for the Homeless, welcomed the toilets. The group also warned that needing a phone or tap card to get in could shut out homeless New Yorkers who may not have a smartphone or be able to get a card easily. Officials estimate the city has around 1,000 public bathrooms across the five boroughs.