Wireless communications systems and methods related to channel occupancy management for new radio side-link supporting star topology of user equipment devices are provided. In some aspects, a user equipment (UE) determines a communication resources pool including a channel occupancy ratio (CR) gap of each UE of a plurality of UEs in communication with the first UE, a CR gap of each UE representing a difference between a CR limit of that UE and a CR of that UE, The UE also can communicate, to a second UE of the plurality of UEs, a first CR command configured to allow the second UE to access a first portion of the communication resources pool. In some aspects, an amount of the first portion can be different from an amount of the CR gap of the second UE in the communication resources pool.