Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for sidelink synchronization in a network. A method that may be performed by a remote user equipment (UE) includes determining at least one synchronization priority associated with synchronization signals for synchronizing to a network, determining relay capability information associated with multiple relay UEs, selecting one relay UE of the multiple relay UEs, based on the synchronization priority and relay capability, and synchronizing to the network using at least one synchronization signal received from the selected one relay UE.