North Hempstead, NY Building Safety: Elevator Maintenance (2026)
Key Facts
- Passenger elevator inspection
- Every 6 months
- Freight elevator/dumbwaiter inspection
- Every 12 months
- Dead-weight test
- At least once every 12 months
- Missing certificate
- Town inspects; fee becomes a lien
- Failed elevator
- Building Dept. can order use stopped
Summary
Town Code Article IIA of Chapter 28 requires the owner or agent of any building with an elevator to furnish the Building Department a certificate of inspection every six months for passenger elevators and escalators, every twelve months for freight elevators and dumbwaiters, plus an annual dead-weight test.
It shall be the duty of the owner or agent of any building in which an elevator is located to furnish the Department with a certificate of inspection from an elevator manufacturer, insurance company, recognized elevator maintenance company or recognized testing agency. The required inspection and testing shall be made at intervals as follows: Six months for passenger elevators, escalators and travelators. Twelve months for power freight elevators, hand elevators and power and hand dumbwaiters. A dead weight test once every 12 months.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4892187; v82 updated 2026-04-21; through 04-21-2026).
Full Breakdown
2A requires the certificate to come from an elevator manufacturer, insurance company, recognized elevator maintenance company, or recognized testing agency, and the certificate must confirm the equipment complies with the New York State Building Construction Code as adopted by the Town in Chapter 7. Passenger elevators, escalators, and travelators must be certified every six months; power freight elevators, hand elevators, and power and hand dumbwaiters every twelve months; and a dead-weight test must be performed at least once every twelve months regardless of elevator type.
1. 3A lets the Building Official have the elevator inspected at the owner's expense, with the inspection fee set by Town Board resolution becoming a lien on the property if unpaid. If an elevator is not inspected as required, or is inspected and found not in good working order, the Commissioner of the Building Department can issue a written order, posted on both the interior and exterior of the elevator, requiring that its use stop until it is inspected or repaired to good working condition.
Violations & Fines
Failing to supply the required inspection certificate exposes the owner or agent to a Building Official inspection at the owner's cost under § 28-20.3A, with the fee becoming a lien on the property. Continued unauthorized use of an elevator after a stop-use order is posted is enforceable under Chapter 28's general penalty scheme at § 28-40: a $50-$1,000 fine or up to five days in jail for a first offense, escalating for repeat offenses within five years, with each week of continued violation a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often must an elevator be inspected in North Hempstead?
What happens if a building owner doesn't provide an elevator inspection certificate?
Can the Town shut down a faulty elevator?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in North Hempstead
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