Draft of No Penalty Inspections

  Related links
NYC311 Home Report Problems Look Up Service Requests Browse Topics

The Department of Buildings (DOB) offers property owners free, no penalty inspections for:

  • Boilers
  • Decks and Porches
  • Facades
  • Private Elevators
  • Retaining Wall
  • Signs

The program accepts inspection requests for one month.

Boilers must be registered with the City and an annual boiler inspection is required for: 

  • Residential buildings with 6 or more units
  • Residential buildings classified as Single Room Occupancy (SRO)
  • Commercial or mixed-use buildings 

The New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) No-Penalty Safety Inspection Program for Boilers began on June 20, 2024 and runs through July 31, 2024. 

Property owners can request a free, no penalty boiler inspection from DOB by email or phone.

By Email

Send a message to BoilerTechnical@buildings.nyc.gov.

By Phone

Call 311 for assistance.

The program allows private property owners in all five boroughs to request visual safety inspections of their decks and porches without the threat of receiving violations for the duration of the program. The inspection is free of charge.

The program only includes inspections for decks and porches. A deck or porch is an un-enclosed, un-roofed, relatively level paved or planted area adjoining a building. It is supported by structural framing above the surrounding ground at the level of the first story of a house. Balconies and terraces, which are above the ground level, are not included.

Every homeowner is required by law to maintain their decks and their properties in a safe condition at all times. By law, property owners must address the safety and maintenance of decks and porches on their properties.

The New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) No Penalty Deck and Porch Inspection Program begins on July 31, 2020.

What You Need

You must provide contact information so DOB can contact you to schedule an inspection.

What Happens Next

The Department of Buildings will respond within 40 days as long as you submitted your request before the July 31 deadline.

Need something else?

Property owners with building façade concerns are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity. DOB inspectors will also be available during the scheduled inspection to discuss any additional building concerns and advise on how to receive additional DOB assistance.

For a limited time, if DOB finds any violating conditions, they may not issue violations with penalties. Instead, DOB may provide guidance on how to correct the conditions and give property owners the chance to make corrective safety repairs.

The New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) offers a No-Penalty Safety Inspection Program for Façades for buildings under 6 stories in height. The program began on June 20, 2024 and runs through July 31, 2024.

What You Need

You must provide contact information so DOB can contact you to schedule an inspection.

You can request a free, no-penalty façade inspection for a building 6 stories and under by email or phone.

By Email

Send a message to MNConstEnf@buildings.nyc.gov.

By Phone

Call 311 for assistance.

What Happens Next

The Department of Buildings will respond within 40 days as long as you submitted your request before the July 31 deadline.

Property owners are legally required to register these devices and have a certificate of compliance from the Department of Buildings to ensure they can be operated safely.

Unregistered elevators, and ones that aren’t properly maintained, may pose a serious safety risk to passengers. Property owners with private elevator devices in their buildings are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity, not only for their own safety, but also for the safety of their friends and families.

This safety inspection does not exempt jurisdictional elevators from code-required category 1 and category 5 cycle inspections.

The New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) offers a No-Penalty Safety Inspection Program for Private Elevators and other private elevator devices, including:

  • Dumbwaiters
  • Platform lifts
  • Stairway chair lifts

The program began on June 20, 2024 and runs through July 31, 2024.

Building owners who wish to receive a free, no penalty safety inspection can contact DOB by email or phone.

By Email

Send a message to ElevatorTechnical@buildings.nyc.gov.

By Phone

Call 311 for assistance.

This program allows private property owners in all five boroughs to request visual safety inspections of their retaining walls without the threat of receiving violations for the duration of the program. The inspection is free of charge.

By law, property owners must address the safety and maintenance of retaining walls on their properties.

The New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) No-Penalty Retaining Wall Program begins July 31, 2020 and runs through September 15, 2020.

What You Need

You must provide contact information so DOB can contact you to schedule an inspection.

What Happens Next

The Department of Buildings will respond within 40 days as long as you submitted your request before the July 31 deadline.

This program allows small business owners in all five boroughs to request visual safety inspections of their accessory signs without the threat of receiving violations for the duration of the program. The inspection is free of charge.

By law, business owners must address the safety and maintenance of signs on their properties.

The New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) No-Penalty Business Accessory Sign Inspection Program began on June 20, 2024 and runs through July 31, 2024.

What You Need

You must provide contact information so DOB can contact you to schedule an inspection.

Property owners can request an inspection by email or phone.

By Email

Send a message to SpecialOperations@buildings.nyc.gov.

By Phone

Call 311 for assistance.

 Was this information helpful?   Yes    No

Follow NYC311

Download the NYC311 Mobile App

About NYC311 Send Feedback NYC311 Privacy Policy