A new method to pay parking meters on city streets by using a smartphone app has rolled out in Brooklyn. Shown: Zone numbers now appear on parking signs at the end of each block. Photo by Mary Frost

No more dashing out from restaurants, shopping or movie theaters to load the parking meter. Without much fanfare, a new method to pay Muni-Meters on city streets by using smartphones has rolled out in Brooklyn.

By using the ParkNYC app, drivers can use their phones to pay for parking, check how much time remains on the meter, keep an eye on a countdown clock and extend their parking time without returning to the car.

The New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) launched ParkNYC last December in Midtown Manhattan. The program went live in Brooklyn roughly two weeks ago, and is in operation in the Bronx and Staten Island. It’s expected to come to Queens sometime this summer.

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To use ParkNYC, download the app (or go to www.parknyc.org to register an account). You’ll need to enter your license plate and phone number, and set preferences. Then load your wallet using a credit or debit card. (Like EZPass, ParkNYC can be reloaded in increments starting at $25 and going to $150.)

Those with sharp eyes may have noticed that a row of zone numbers now appears on Muni-Meters and signs at the end of each block. To pay for meters using the phone app, enter the zone number and expected length of parking time. Confirm and go enjoy yourself.

If your minutes are running out (and the maximum limit has not been reached), you can use the app to add time without running to the car. Traffic cops will check the status of your parking by using devices that check license plates.

If you’re not into apps, the meters will still take quarters and plastic, according to DOT. If you don’t have a smartphone, you can still use ParkNYC by using an Interactive Voice Response system to pay for your parking. Set up an account online at www.parknyc.org using a computer or tablet. Then call 877-727-5307 to start your parking session. The system will walk you through the payment process.

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The goal is to upgrade all 85,000 Muni-Meter spots by the end of this summer, DOT said in a statement.