Building Setbacks & Zoning in New York, NY (2026)
3 verified building setbacks & zoning rules for New York, New York, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Setback Rules
New York City's Zoning Resolution sets minimum front, side and rear yard depths by residence district, from 20-foot front yards in R1 to none in R6-R12, plus a citywide 20-to-30-foot rear yard rule.
New York City Yard Setback Minimums by Zone
Some RestrictionsNew York City Zoning Resolution § 23-342
In all districts, rear yards shall be provided on interior lots in accordance with this Section... a rear yard shall be provided as follows: For detached and zero lot line buildings, for buildings or portions thereof at or below a height of 75 feet, as measured from base plane, a rear yard with a depth of not less than 20 feet shall be provided at every rear lot line on any zoning lot, and for ...
Structure Height Limits
NYC's Zoning Resolution controls building height through sky exposure planes, base heights, maximum building heights, and floor area ratios (FAR). Heights vary dramatically by district: from 35 feet in R1 to effectively unlimited in R10/C6 districts. Contextual zoning districts have firm height caps.
New York City Structure Height Limit Regulations
Heavy RestrictionsNYC Zoning Resolution §23-40 et seq.
23-40 HEIGHT AND SETBACK REGULATIONS 23-41 Permitted Obstructions 23-411 General permitted obstructions 23-412 Additional permitted obstructions 23-413 Permitted obstructions in certain districts 23-42 Height and Setback Requirements in R1 Through R5 Districts 23-421 Basic pitched-roof envelopes for certain districts 23-422 Basic flat-roof envelopes for certain districts 23-423 Standard setback...
Lot Coverage Limits
In New York City's R6 through R12 residence districts, a building on an interior or through lot can cover no more than 80 percent of the zoning lot; corner lots may be covered up to 100 percent. Lower-density R1 through R5 districts cap interior-lot coverage between 40 and 60 percent, with corner lots at 80 percent.
NYC Zoning Maximum Lot Coverage by District
Some RestrictionsNew York City Zoning Resolution § 23-362
23-362 - Maximum lot coverage in R6 through R12 Districts R6 R7 R8 R9 R10 R11 R12 (a) For standard lots In the districts indicated, the maximum residential lot coverage for interior lots or through lots shall be 80 percent and the maximum residential lot coverage for corner lots shall be 100 percent. (b) For eligible sites In the districts indicated, for zoning lots with buildings utilizing the...