New York, NY Data Centers & Crypto Mining: Data Center Zoning & Siting (2026)
Key Facts
- Use classification
- NAICS 5182, Use Group VI
- Permitted districts
- C1, C2, C4, C5, C6
- Barred district
- C3 Commercial Districts
- Size cap
- 3,000 sq ft, C1 overlay only
- Manufacturing districts
- Also permitted in M1, M2
Summary
New York City has no separate 'data center' zoning category. The Zoning Resolution classifies them as 'computing infrastructure providers, data processing, web hosting' under Use Group VI, permitted as-of-right in most Commercial Districts but capped at 3,000 square feet in C1 select commercial overlays.
For uses denoted with an "S" in Section 32-161 (Use Group VI - general use allowances), a limit of 10,000 square feet of floor area per establishment shall apply except that: ... (c) computing infrastructure providers, data processing, web hosting, and related services in C1 Districts that are select commercial overlays, shall be limited to 3,000 square feet of floor area per establishment;
Full Breakdown
NYC's Zoning Resolution has no standalone data-center use. Server farms and colocation facilities fall under NAICS 5182, 'computing infrastructure providers, data processing, web hosting, and related services,' inside Use Group VI (retail and service uses). Section 32-161 allows this use as-of-right in Commercial Districts C1, C2, C4, C5 and C6, but bars it outright in C3 (marked with a dash in the use table). Section 32-162(c) caps floor area at 3,000 square feet per establishment when the site sits in a C1 district that is a select commercial overlay. Manufacturing Districts M1 and M2 also permit the use, without that size cap.
Violations & Fines
Operating without a certificate of occupancy matching the use, or exceeding the 3,000-square-foot cap in a capped C1 overlay, is a zoning violation the Department of Buildings can cite and order corrected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does NYC have a specific zoning category for data centers?
Is there a size limit on data centers in NYC?
Can a data center locate in a C3 district?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in New York
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