Local Rules Near JFK Airport

Under Admin. Code Sec. 24-231, music from a commercial establishment may not exceed 42 dB(A) measured inside any nearby residential dwelling unit, nor 45 dB in any one-third octave band between 63 and 500 hertz (the bass standard). Separately, Sec. 24-244 bars operating any sound-reproduction device so as to create unreasonable noise or for street advertising.

New York City has no blanket 'quiet hours' curfew, but the Noise Code's general prohibition (Admin. Code Sec. 24-218) makes it unlawful to make any unreasonable noise, and it sets a stricter nighttime threshold: device-attributable sound more than 7 dB(A) above ambient between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. is presumptively unlawful.

Under Admin. Code Sec. 24-222, construction work is unlawful except on weekdays between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Limited weekend work (Sat/Sun 10 a.m.-4 p.m.) is allowed only for owner-occupied one- or two-family homes located more than 300 feet from a house of worship; all other after-hours work needs an authorization.

Under Admin. Code Sec. 24-235, an animal owner may not permit unreasonable animal noise that is plainly audible inside any nearby residential property for 10 continuous minutes or more between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., or 5 continuous minutes or more between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.

The NYC Noise Code prohibits excessive muffler/exhaust sound from motor vehicles on roads with a 35 mph or lower speed limit - defined by 'plainly audible' distances of 150 feet for cars, 200 feet for trucks, and 200 feet for motorcycles - and bans honking except as a warning of imminent danger.

NYC's Noise Code caps music from bars, nightclubs, restaurants, and other commercial establishments at 42 dB(A) measured inside any neighboring residence, plus tighter bass and ambient-increase limits, all enforced by the Department of Environmental Protection.

New York City limits leaf blowers and other lawn care devices to weekday hours of 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (or sunset) and weekend/holiday hours of 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., bars any use hitting 75 dB(A) at a neighbor's property, and requires a functioning muffler. DEP enforces.

NYC will not register a dwelling unit for short-term rental unless the applicant is a natural person who actually lives there permanently, either as the owner or as a lease-eligible tenant. Absentee owners and pure investment units cannot register at all.

New York City revokes a short-term rental registration once a host racks up three or more violations of the registration law or its rules within any 24-month period.

NYC booking platforms like Airbnb cannot collect a fee on a short-term rental unless they first verify the listing against the city's registration system.

New York City taxes short-term rental stays through the Hotel Room Occupancy Tax, charging 5.875% of the nightly rent under Administrative Code § 11-2502, the same levy hotels and booking platforms must collect and remit.

Under NYC Administrative Code Chapter 31 of Title 26 (Local Law 18 of 2022), it is unlawful to offer, manage, or administer the short-term rental of a dwelling unit unless that unit is registered with the Mayor's Office of Special Enforcement (OSE) and has a valid, unique short-term rental registration number. The host must be a permanent occupant of the unit and physically present during each stay.

NYC short-term rentals are limited to a maximum of two paying guests at a time, the permanent occupant (host) must be present and share the dwelling, and every guest must have free and unobstructed access to all rooms and each exit. These limits flow from the Multiple Dwelling Law's prohibition on transient (under-30-day) occupancy of class A units and from the OSE registration rules.

Open burning is broadly prohibited in New York City under both state and city law. New York State regulation 6 NYCRR 215.2 bans burning any material in an open fire except for a short list of exceptions, and the NYSDEC confirms that 'Burning trash is illegal statewide in all cases.' New York City Administrative Code Section 24-149 independently prohibits open fires that emit air contaminants, allowing only narrow exceptions such as small charcoal/gas barbecue grills.

New York City limits LPG (propane) storage in one- to three-family and multiple-dwelling occupancies to four containers per dwelling unit, each capped at 16.4 ounces. Cellar, basement or below-grade storage of any LPG container is flatly prohibited citywide under the Fire Code.

New York City lets homeowners keep a wood-burning fire pit only in a backyard at a detached one- or two-family house sited in a low-density R1, R2 or R3 zoning district. Fire Code § FC 307.7 requires the fire be constantly watched, kept 10 feet from anything combustible, and lets FDNY ban pits citywide during high winds or red-flag fire-weather days.

New York City law requires owners of class A and B multiple dwellings and private rental units to install an approved, operational smoke detecting device in every dwelling unit, per NYC Building Code standards under Administrative Code § 27-2045.

Consumer fireworks are illegal throughout New York City. New York Penal Law Section 270.00 makes possessing, using or exploding any fireworks a violation and selling them a misdemeanor. While a 2014 state amendment lets counties opt in to legalize ground-based 'sparkling devices,' that option is expressly unavailable in any city with a population over one million - which means it is barred in New York City. Only FDNY-permitted professional displays are allowed.

No New York City-specific ordinance imposes wildland-style defensible-space or brush-clearance requirements; the dense urban setting has no mapped fire-hazard severity zones like California's. Overgrown vegetation and debris on private lots are handled through property-maintenance enforcement, and any cleared brush must be hauled away rather than burned, because state rule 6 NYCRR Part 215 and NYC Administrative Code Section 24-149 prohibit open burning of yard waste.

New York City does not map wildfire hazard zones or impose defensible-space rules. Its only wildfire-specific law, Administrative Code § 18-166, requires the parks department to publish a citywide wildfire mitigation planning report and file an annual report listing every wildfire that burned in a city park.

New York City zoning bars grass or dirt driveways: every open off-street parking space in a front, side, or rear yard must be surfaced with permeable pavers, asphalt, concrete, or another hard, dustless material citywide in R1 through R12 districts.

New York City's zoning code lets any accessory parking space in residence or commercial districts host electric vehicle charging equipment by right, with no special permit, for use by owners, employees, customers, residents or visitors.

New York City's Sanitation Department must identify an abandoned vehicle on any street within 24 hours of a report and remove it within 72 hours under Administrative Code Section 16-128.

New York City sets its own towing and storage price ceilings rather than relying on New York State law, because General Business Law § 399-v(5) says its provisions "shall not apply to cities having a population of one million or more." A private tow off a lot or a driveway is capped at $125 for the removal plus the first three days of storage and $15 a day after that, and if you reach your car before the tow truck pulls away the operator must unhook it for no more than half the removal charge and hand you a receipt. A tow to a city pound after a parking violation runs on a separate schedule: $185 for a regular tow, $370 heavy duty, and $20 for every day the car sits.

New York City reserves curb space with dedicated-use signs (including 'Loading Only,' 'Commercial Vehicles Only,' and 'Truck Loading Only') under 34 RCNY 4-08; in a 'Loading Only' zone vehicles may stop only to expeditiously pick up or drop off goods or passengers.

New York City regulates on-street parking under the DOT Traffic Rules (34 RCNY 4-08): vehicles must be parked parallel and close to the curb facing the direction of traffic, posted time limits must be obeyed, and no vehicle may be left on any street more than seven consecutive days.

Commercial vehicles in New York City face strict limits: under 34 RCNY 4-08(k) they must be permanently altered and lettered with the owner's name and address, may not be street-stored more than three hours, and may not park on a residential street between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.

New York City bars street storage of boat trailers, mobile homes, and mobile medical diagnostic vehicles: under 34 RCNY 4-08(m)(8) none may be parked on any street in any area for more than 24 hours, and ordinary recreational vehicles are limited to seven days under the general street-storage rule.

When New York City's Transportation Commissioner declares a snow emergency, standing and parking are banned on every street posted as a snow street until the emergency is lifted, and vehicles driven on those routes must carry snow tires or skid chains.

New York City has no blanket overnight parking ban for ordinary cars; under 34 RCNY 4-08(m)(9) a vehicle may stay parked up to seven consecutive days where parking is not otherwise restricted, but commercial vehicles are barred from residential streets between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. under 4-08(k)(6).

New York City does not impose a cost-sharing 'partition fence' duty on neighbors; boundary fence disputes fall under New York State law. RPAPL 843 makes a fence over 10 feet built to block a neighbor's light or air a private nuisance, and RPAPL 543 treats fences as permissive non-adverse encroachments.

For one- and two-family dwellings, the NYC Department of Buildings does not require a permit for fences 6 feet or less in height, and homeowners may install their own fencing. Taller fences, construction-site fences, and fences extending into the roadway have additional permit requirements.

In New York City, fences in a front yard of a Residence District may not exceed 4 feet above adjoining grade (6 feet allowed on the qualifying portion of a corner lot). The NYC Administrative Code caps residence-district fences at 6 feet overall and non-residence-district fences at 10 feet.

New York City requires an owner who sets their grade higher or lower than a neighbor's to build a retaining wall at their own cost, and walls 10 feet or taller fronting a public right-of-way need a professional condition assessment every five years.

New York City's Administrative Code regulates fences 'whether of masonry, steel, wood, or any other materials,' capping residence-district fences of any material at 6 feet. There is no citywide ban on chain link in the general fence statute, though specific zoning districts impose openness and material limits.

New York City does not restrict dogs by breed. Administrative Code § 17-342 defines a "dangerous dog" purely by conduct, and the old Health Code rule aimed at pit bulls was repealed and replaced by this breed-neutral standard.

New York City bans taking or possessing any wild bird, including pigeons, under Administrative Code § 17-200. Violators face a misdemeanor: up to $1,000 in fines, up to a year in jail, or both, for every bird taken or held. Only park and law-enforcement staff, DEC or Health Department permit holders, and injured-bird rescuers are exempt.

New York City's Zoning Resolution allows veterinary and pet care establishments as-of-right in C1, C2 and C4 through C7 commercial districts, but Section 32-163 bars overnight boarding or accommodations there. Clinics inside a building with residential units cannot share an entrance with the residential portion, and in C8 districts a vet practice must meet M1 industrial performance standards.

New York City requires owners to sterilize any cat allowed to roam outside the home, but the Health Department cannot seize a cat solely for being unsterilized. Violations carry a $500 civil penalty.

New York City requires every cat owner to have their cat sterilized if the cat is ever allowed to roam outside the home, with the Health Department authorized to demand proof on request.

New York City pet shops and animal rescue groups can't release a dog or cat to a buyer or adopter unless it's already implanted with a microchip and the chip is registered to the new owner.

New York City pet shops cannot sell, display for sale, deliver, barter, auction, give away or transfer any dog, cat, rabbit or guinea pig under Administrative Code § 17-1702(b). Stores may still host shelter or rescue adoption events on their premises. Violators face a $500-per-day civil penalty for every animal offered illegally, plus seizure and forfeiture.

New York City lets residents keep female chickens (hens) with no permit and no limit on the flock, but Health Code §161.19 flatly bars roosters, ducks, geese, and turkeys, and §161.01 prohibits livestock such as pigs, goats, sheep, and cattle.

New York City has no law that bans feeding pigeons. In city parks from Central Park to Prospect Park, NYC Parks Rule 56 RCNY §1-04(g)(2) prohibits feeding animals except unconfined squirrels and birds, and pigeons are birds, so feeding them is allowed unless an area is specifically posted "no feeding." Feeding other wildlife in a park, or feeding anywhere the Parks Commissioner has posted a no-feeding area, is a violation carrying a civil penalty of up to $200.

All street and park trees in New York City are under the jurisdiction of the Department of Parks and Recreation. Administrative Code Sec. 18-129 makes it unlawful to cut, remove, or in any way destroy a tree on public property without written consent from the Commissioner, punishable as a misdemeanor by up to a $15,000 fine and one year in jail, plus a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per violation.

New York City imposes year-round outdoor water-use rules under 15 RCNY Sec. 20-08. Using a hose, automatic sprinkler, or other means to water lawns or gardens is prohibited between 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., and from November 1 through March 31 hose, sprinkler, and lawn/garden watering with City water is banned except hand-watering of non-turf plants.

New York City Health Code section 181.11 flatly bars any owner, occupant, or person in charge of a lot or premises from letting poison ivy, ragweed, or other poisonous or allergenic weeds grow there. The Health Department enforces it through OATH.

Removing a street or park tree in New York City requires the written consent of the Parks Commissioner under Administrative Code Sec. 18-129. Unauthorized removal is a misdemeanor (up to $15,000 fine and one year in jail) plus a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per tree, and offenders can be barred from obtaining tree-work consent for up to two years.

New York City lets homeowners use rain barrels without a permit, but larger on-site rainwater collection and reuse systems must be designed, permitted, and kept on the same tax lot under the NYC Plumbing Code.

New York City zoning caps a home business at 49% of a dwelling unit's floor area, up to 1,000 square feet, and treats it as accessory to residential use under Zoning Resolution Section 12-10.

NYC zoning bars home occupations from letting customers or clients queue or wait for service outside the dwelling unit, keeping foot traffic contained indoors.

In New York City zoning, any child care service licensed under Health Code Article 47 is legally defined as a "school", a Use Group 3 community facility, not a simple home-based business, whatever size the operation is.

Every New York swimming pool capable of holding water more than 24 inches deep must be surrounded by a barrier. For one- and two-family homes the NYS Residential Code requires a permanent barrier at least 4 feet (48 inches) high with self-closing, self-latching gates; commercial and multi-family pools regulated by the NYC Health Code must be enclosed by a barrier at least 6 feet high.

Above-ground swimming pools in New York must be surrounded by a barrier just like in-ground pools when they can hold water more than 24 inches deep. The pool's own raised structure may serve as part of the barrier if it is at least 4 feet high, but any ladder or steps must be removable, lockable, or otherwise secured against unsupervised access.

New York City permits sheds, tool rooms, and similar accessory storage buildings in required rear yards in all Residence Districts, provided they do not exceed 10 feet in height above the level of the rear yard. They are permitted only in rear yards, not front or side yards.

New York City legalized Ancillary Dwelling Units (ADUs) citywide on December 5, 2024 through the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity text amendment. An ADU is an additional dwelling unit of up to 800 square feet permitted on the same zoning lot as a single- or two-family residence, limited to one ADU per residence and requiring owner primary-residency.

New York City's Air Pollution Control Code bans open-air fires outdoors but exempts charcoal or gas barbecue equipment with a grate no larger than ten square feet, so backyard smokers and grills must stay under that size cap to be legal.

New York City's Fire Code caps propane grills by building type: apartment buildings may only use 16.4-ounce cylinders, capped at four in indoor storage per unit, while one- and two-family homes may run 20-pound tanks but never on a rooftop or balcony. FDNY enforces both limits.

New York City's Building Code requires new construction and substantially improved buildings in FEMA flood hazard areas to elevate the lowest floor at least 2 feet above the base flood elevation, a citywide freeboard margin set by amendments to ASCE 24-14.

New York City bars idling a parked, standing or stopped motor vehicle's engine for more than three minutes citywide under Administrative Code § 24-163, and cuts that to one minute for any vehicle next to a public or non-public school or inside a Parks Department park. Emergency vehicles are exempt.

NYC zoning treats a private boat dock or mooring as an accessory use to a home, and caps how much of it can be rented out to non-residents at 40 percent of the berths.

New York City's Department of Buildings cannot approve construction documents for building, altering, excavating or filling work inside a coastal special flood hazard area or special flood hazard area unless the application complies with Appendix G of the NYC Building Code. Administrative Code § 28-104.9 also forces every applicant to disclose upfront whether their site sits in a coastal zone or water-sensitive inland zone.

New York City requires a written Department of Transportation permit before grading, clearing, filling, or excavating vacant lots or other land areas that could change surface drainage, unless the work is covered by a DOB building permit or a DEP stormwater construction permit.

New York City requires a stormwater construction permit from the Department of Environmental Protection before any development activity begins on a covered development project, defined as soil disturbance of one acre or more. Admin Code § 24-551 makes it unlawful to commence such work without department approval of a certified stormwater pollution prevention plan first.

Installing rooftop solar panels in New York City requires a Department of Buildings permit before work starts. Photovoltaic installations count as electrical and structural work under the Construction Codes, so they don't qualify for the minor-alteration exemption.

New York City's Zoning Resolution has no separate category for digital billboards; any sign with changing light, color, or images is a legally defined flashing sign, restricted to specific commercial and manufacturing districts citywide.

New York City bars new billboards within 200 feet of a City-designated arterial highway if visible from it, and requires a growing setback beyond that based on the sign's surface area.

New York City's Fire Code caps temporary wiring for outdoor holiday lighting and other seasonal displays at 90 calendar days; wiring may run longer only during construction, remodeling, repair, or demolition work.

New York City makes it unlawful to paste, post, nail or otherwise affix any political sign, poster or sticker to city property, including trees, lampposts, utility poles, bus shelters, hydrants, benches and traffic signs. Administrative Code § 10-119 covers every campaign sign stapled to a pole or zip-tied to a fence, with the Department of Sanitation authorized to subpoena phone records to track down violators.

New York City law requires every owner of a vacant lot to keep it and the abutting sidewalk free of garbage, refuse, and debris, with fines starting at $100.

NYC property owners must clear snow and ice from abutting sidewalks within 4 daytime hours after snow stops falling, or face civil penalties starting at $10.

New York City's Department of Buildings can declare any structurally compromised, fire-hazardous, or dangerous building an 'unsafe building' under Administrative Code Article 216 and order it sealed, repaired, or demolished at the owner's expense.

New York City's Zoning Resolution limits how advertising signs, meaning billboards, can be lit in the commercial districts where they're allowed. Section 32-64 caps illumination at whatever standard the Department of Buildings sets by rule and bars light from spilling onto nearby residences, lofts or artist live-work units. In C8 districts, Section 32-645 permits billboard illumination only by indirect methods, with size caps tied to street frontage.

When a city agency orders a privately owned building vacated for health, safety, or maintenance violations, HPD must provide displaced tenants relocation services, including temporary housing and help toward moving expenses, under Administrative Code Section 26-301.

New York City bans landlords from billing residential tenants for legal fees, notary charges, or building-management admin costs unless a court order allows it.

New York City's Housing Maintenance Code bans landlords from pressuring tenants out through threats, service cutoffs, frivolous lawsuits, lockouts, or repeated buyout offers, with tenants able to pursue harassment claims in Housing Court.

New York City landlords must include a mold-hazard notice in every lease and give tenants a Health Department mold pamphlet before move-in.

Landlords who pay a tenant to vacate under a cash-for-keys buyout deal must electronically file the agreement's terms with HPD within 90 days of signing, reporting the owner's name, unit address, payment amount, and execution date.

NYC landlords must keep apartments at 68°F during the day and 62°F overnight from October 1 through May 31 whenever outside temps drop low enough to trigger the rule.

New York City landlords cannot refuse to rent, discriminate in lease terms, or advertise against tenants because they pay with a Section 8 voucher or other lawful source of income under the city's Human Rights Law.

NYC landlords cannot refuse to rent, or otherwise discriminate, because a tenant pays with Section 8, CityFHEPS, or other lawful income sources.

In New York City, a landlord who plans to raise the rent by 5% or more, or to not renew a tenancy, must give written advance notice of 30, 60, or 90 days depending on how long the tenant has lived there.

Owners of multiple dwellings and non-owner-occupied 1-2 family homes must file an annual registration statement with HPD naming the owner and a local contact.

New York City's rent stabilization law rests on a standing council finding that a housing emergency continues to exist citywide, first enacted in 2015 and reaffirmed by amendment in 2018, 2022 and 2024. Local Law 2024/047 last renewed the declaration effective March 25, 2024, extending it "on and after April 1, 2024" under Administrative Code §§ 26-501 and 26-502, the mechanism keeping the city opted into the state's Emergency Tenant Protection Act.

New York City requires anyone who sets yard waste at the curb to separate, tie, bundle or bag it under Sanitation Department rules before pickup. Administrative Code § 16-308(f) puts that packaging duty on residents, while businesses are banned outright from leaving yard waste for department collection.

New York City runs a mandatory curbside organics collection program citywide under Administrative Code § 16-308.1(a), phased in by sanitation district starting October 2023 and covering the entire city by October 2024. Residential building owners who don't participate face civil penalties under § 16-308.1(g).

New York City requires households to source-separate designated recyclable materials from trash under Sanitation Department rules, with weekly curbside collection and real civil penalties for mixing them into regular refuse.

New York City requires a Department of Transportation permit before any commercial refuse container, the roll-off or dumpster crews leave on the curb, sits on a public street. Administrative Code § 19-123 bars putrescible waste in these containers, requires the owner's name, address and permit number posted on the box, and demands reflective, night-visible paint plus a protective covering shielding the pavement underneath.

New York City bans dumping dirt, debris, trash, or waste from a vehicle onto any street, lot, park, or waterway, public or private, under Administrative Code § 16-119, with fines starting at $4,000 per violation.

In New York City, trash and recycling bags go to the curb no earlier than 8:00 p.m. the night before collection; receptacles with tight-fitting lids may go out at 6:00 p.m. Everything must be out by midnight.

New York City residents on curbside recycling service set bulk metal and bulk plastic, items too heavy or large for a normal bin, right next to their recycling containers on collection day. Buildings served by mechanized bin pickup skip the curb and instead call their Sanitation district garage to schedule bulk metal and plastic recycling collection under 16 RCNY § 1-08(h)(1).

New York City's Housing Maintenance Code sets exactly how often waste has to move out of a dwelling. Owners with dumbwaiter service must empty it into separate receptacles at least once a day. Without a dumbwaiter, the owner must run either a fixed two-hour morning or evening pickup window or a supervised deposit period, and tenants must use whichever method the owner sets up.

New York City requires households and building owners to source-separate designated recyclables for weekly curbside pickup. Under Administrative Code § 16-305(b), the Sanitation Commissioner must designate at least six recyclable materials, including yard waste and organics, and buildings of four or more units must post separation instructions and provide a documented recycling area under §§ 16-305(e)-(f).

New York City requires owners and occupants to pull empty trash and recycling receptacles back from the curb by 9 p.m. on the day of collection, or by 9 a.m. the next morning if collection happens after 4 p.m.

New York City bars bringing, landing, or letting any aerial craft or device, including drones, alight in a city park if it endangers a person or property, under Administrative Code § 18-146(c)(4).

New York City bars taking off or landing any aircraft, a term broad enough to cover drones, anywhere in the five boroughs except sites the Department of Transportation designates, under Administrative Code § 10-126.

New York City restricts where drones can take off or land: Administrative Code § 10-126 bans it anywhere except sites the Department of Transportation or Port Authority designates, with any violation charged as a misdemeanor.

New York City caps mobile food vending at 3,000 full-term permits and requires every vehicle or pushcart to carry a commissioner-issued permit before vending in a public space. Vendors also need a separate $25 annual food vendor license, and operating without either draws steep civil penalties.

New York City limits general-vendor pushcarts to 8 linear feet along the curb, 3 feet toward the property line, and a 5-foot display height, while requiring a 12-foot clear pedestrian path on the sidewalk.

New York City Administrative Code § 17-315 bars food vendors from setting up within 20 feet of building entrances or sidewalk cafes, within 10 feet of driveways and subway entrances, or in bus stops and bike lanes.

Anyone who solicits, canvasses or sells a home improvement contract door-to-door in New York City needs a Department of Consumer and Worker Protection license first. Getting one requires fingerprinting, a $50 fee, and proof of lead-safe certification where required, and unlicensed solicitation draws fines up to $1,000.

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.

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.

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.

Before Parks can dig up any street, including the parkway strip between curb and sidewalk, to plant a tree, it must get the transportation commissioner's written approval, and the planting can't block street use or hit underground utility lines.

New York City has no separate "heritage tree" program: the Landmarks Preservation Commission designates individual trees and landscape features as scenic landmarks under Administrative Code § 25-303. Designation is limited to city-owned property and triggers a maintenance duty and a public review requirement before any alteration.

When a rental building converts to a co-op or condo, city law forces the sponsor, not the new board, to fund the first reserve. Within 30 days of closing the offeror must transfer a reserve fund equal to at least 3% of the offering's total price to the co-op corporation or condo board of managers.

New York City requires a converted building's co-op board or condo board of managers to report to shareholders and unit owners twice a year on every deposit into and withdrawal from the reserve fund the offeror was required to fund at conversion.

New York City's Zoning Resolution defines the flood-resistant construction elevation that buildings in flood zones must meet to qualify for Chapter 64's bulk and parking bonuses: the level set by Appendix G of the NYC Building Code, or two feet above the lowest adjacent grade, whichever is higher. The chapter also maps high-risk (1% annual chance) and moderate-risk (0.2% annual chance) flood zones citywide.

New York City treats film and TV production as commercial activity, so a Noise Control Code ban on unreasonable commercial noise applies around the clock: there is no nighttime-only limit and no film-permit exemption for production crews.

New York City law makes it unlawful to close any street to traffic without a Department of Transportation permit, so film and TV productions that need to shut down a block for a shoot must secure DOT authorization in addition to any Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment filming permit.

The Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment Office of Film Theatre and Broadcasting issues free location permits under 9 RCNY chapter 9 for productions using equipment, crew, or actors on city property, with a minimum 48-hour application notice.

New York City's Building Code requires day care facilities in Group E occupancies caring for more than 10 children to have at least two separate exits, on top of the standard maximum occupant load of 10 per room without them.

NYC Administrative Code § 27-981.2 requires an operational carbon monoxide detecting device in every dwelling unit with a fossil-fuel furnace or boiler, or near a carbon monoxide source, with a unit within 15 feet of every sleeping room. Business, mercantile and storage buildings also need at least one device. DOB, FDNY, DOHMH and HPD all enforce it.

New York City makes it unlawful to install, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace any electrical system without a Department of Buildings permit issued under the city's Construction Codes and Electrical Code.

New York City requires a Department of Buildings permit before any plumbing work, and only a licensed master plumber may perform it, under Administrative Code § 28-105.1 and § 28-408.1.

NYC building code sets exact hardware for apartment building doors: heavy-duty locks on entrance doors, dead bolts with chain guards on unit doors, and peepholes.

New York City requires automatic sprinklers throughout new Group R (residential) buildings under the Building Code, but detached one- and two-family homes and townhouses up to three stories with separate egress are exempt.

City capital projects of $2 million or more must meet LEED-gold-equivalent green building standards under the Charter's green building law.

New York City's Construction Codes require four categories of Department of Buildings inspection on any permitted job, preliminary, compliance, special/progress, and final, with a satisfactory final inspection mandatory before DOB signs off with a letter of completion or certificate of occupancy.

New York City caps the floor area for community-facility buildings in R1 and R2 districts at the same maximum allowed for an ordinary house, closing the loophole that let developers build oversized mansions disguised as schools or religious institutions.

New York City requires every elevator to pass Category 1 safety tests every six months and a periodic inspection every year, performed by a DOB-approved elevator agency.

New York City requires a Department of Buildings permit before installing or using most construction scaffolds, with narrow exceptions for small suspended and low supported scaffolds under Building Code Section 3314.

NYC enforces aggressive lead paint rules under Local Law 1 of 2004 (the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act) and Local Law 123 of 2023, which expands protections. All pre-1960 buildings with children under 6 must undergo annual lead paint inspections and remediation by certified contractors.

Most deck construction in NYC requires a building permit from DOB. Decks attached to buildings or elevated above grade need structural plans. The minimum DOB permit filing fee is $130. Patios at grade level that do not alter the building structure may be exempt. All outdoor structures must comply with zoning setback and lot coverage requirements.

New York City requires a written permit from the NYPD police commissioner before any parade, procession, or race can use a street or public place, applied for at least 36 hours in advance.

New York City Charter Section 1072(q) requires the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications to publish a free interactive map, updated at least weekly, showing every permitted street closure that blocks vehicular traffic, including film shoots alongside special events, construction and paving. Only special-event closures must list a sponsor contact.

New York City's curb-lane "roadway cafés", parklet-style dining platforms built into the parking lane, need a Department of Transportation license and revocable consent, may run only 10 a.m. to midnight, and must shut down entirely every year from November 30 through March 31.

New York City street fair and festival sponsors must obtain a street activity permit and their producer/event manager must supply and empty trash and recycling receptacles throughout the event.

NYC's Dining Out NYC program lets restaurants run permanent sidewalk and roadway cafes under a DOT-issued license and revocable consent.

Portable heaters warming seasonal patio dining, sidewalk cafes or outdoor event spaces need an FDNY fire permit, and natural gas heaters authorized for outdoor use must sit at least 5 feet from any building or structure under the Fire Code.

New York City bars anyone from holding or sponsoring an event that significantly interferes with ordinary park use, or from erecting a structure, stand, booth, platform, or exhibit for an event, without a Parks Department permit. Administrative Code § 18-146(c)(14) sets this citywide rule, covering picnics, gatherings, performances and vendor setups in every park from Central Park to the smallest playground across all five boroughs.

New York City bars hanging or placing goods, wares, or merchandise more than three feet out or five feet high on a sidewalk, and bans leasing sidewalk space next to a building for sales displays.

New York City puts the cost and duty of fixing a defective abutting sidewalk on the property owner, not the city, once DOT orders the repair.

New York City requires a DOT-approved revocable consent before any private structure can occupy the public sidewalk or street: vaults, awnings, planters, fuel pumps and similar encroachments all need one under City Charter § 364.

New York City caps low-frequency bass from commercial music at 45 decibels in one-third octave bands between 63 and 500 hertz inside nearby homes, a separate standard from the general 42 dB(A) limit.

New York City limits sound from air conditioners, fans, pumps and cooling towers to 42 dB(A) inside a neighbor's dwelling unit, with a 45 dB(A) cumulative cap for newly installed or replaced units citywide.

New York City requires any audible car alarm to automatically shut off within three minutes of activation, and bans remote fobs that trigger it from more than 15 feet away.

New York City treats generator exhaust as a regulated noise source: any device, generators included, whose exhaust creates unreasonable noise violates the Administrative Code, measured against the same decibel limits set for construction equipment.

New York City's Alternative Enforcement Program forces HPD to identify chronically neglected rental buildings, order a building-wide inspection, and post public notices until every violation is cleared.

If HPD doesn't issue a violation notice within 30 days of a tenant's complaint, the tenant can take the landlord and HPD to Housing Court to force an inspection order under the Housing Maintenance Code.

New York City requires 311 to give every caller a tracking number under Administrative Code Section 23-301 whenever the call results in a code-violation complaint or service request being filed with a city agency. Call takers must also state a unique call-taker identifier at the start of every call, and complaints about language accessibility get forwarded to both the referenced agency and the Language Services Coordinator.

New York City's Department of Buildings must inspect a construction site within 10 days of receiving a tenant protection plan complaint, or within 24 hours if the complaint alleges uncontrolled construction dust.

New York City classifies every housing code violation as non-hazardous, hazardous, or immediately hazardous, with civil penalties from $50 up to $1,200 per violation plus daily fines until the condition is corrected.

NYC's parks department cannot plant a species that New York State has flagged as invasive or noxious. Administrative Code § 18-141 requires the department's design manual to favor native, drought- and salt-tolerant plants and to bar any species the state Department of Environmental Conservation or Department of Agriculture and Markets has listed as invasive or a noxious weed.

New York City's POST Act treats license plate readers as surveillance technology: NYPD must post a public impact-and-use policy, take 45 days of comments, and disclose whether ALPR data reaches ICE or Customs and Border Protection.

New York City does not ban facial recognition. Under Administrative Code § 22-1202, commercial establishments that scan faces or collect other biometric identifiers must post a conspicuous sign at every customer entrance, and selling or profiting from that biometric data is flatly prohibited.

New York City law gives anyone the explicit right to record NYPD officers performing police activities and to keep the recording and the device used, with officer interference punishable by a private lawsuit.

New York City outlaws retail sale of flavored tobacco products, flavored e-cigarettes, and flavored e-liquid citywide, going well beyond state rules: only menthol, mint, and wintergreen tobacco and licensed tobacco bars are exempt.

New York City food service establishments cannot hand out single-use plastic beverage straws unless a customer asks for one. Administrative Code § 16-401(c)(1) requires restaurants to keep straws on request, stock enough supply to meet demand, and post a required sign at every self-serve station.

New York City bars food service establishments and third-party delivery services from including single-use eating utensils, condiment packets, napkins, or extra containers with takeout and delivery orders unless the customer specifically requests them. The Department of Sanitation enforces the rule citywide.

New York City prohibits food service establishments, mobile food commissaries, and stores from possessing, selling, or offering single-use expanded polystyrene foam containers, cups, plates, and trays, plus foam loose-fill packing peanuts. DSNY enforces the ban, in effect since January 1, 2019.

New York City's Administrative Code prohibits the Department of Correction and the NYPD from honoring civil immigration detainers or holding anyone for ICE past their release time, absent a judicial warrant and a narrow violent-crime carve-out.

New York City has no ordinance banning sitting or lying on a public sidewalk. Police can cite a person only when they actually block pedestrian traffic, which state law treats as disorderly conduct, a non-criminal violation enforced by the NYPD.

New York City dismantles street encampments through a multi-agency cleanup led by the Department of Homeless Services with the NYPD, Sanitation, and Parks. The City posts advance notice, offers services, then clears the site; belongings it vouchers are stored for 90 days.

Riding a bicycle on a New York City sidewalk is illegal unless a sign permits it, carrying a $100 civil penalty, rising to $300 and possible impoundment if the rider endangers anyone.

New York City bars anyone from operating a shared electric scooter fleet without the Department of Transportation's prior written approval. Local Law 74 of 2020 lets DOT select which companies run scooter systems, set the pilot's geographic boundaries, and prioritize neighborhoods without dock-based bike share. Scooters used or parked without DOT sign-off get impounded citywide.

New York City runs red-light and school-zone speed cameras under Administrative Code programs, capping automated red-light enforcement at 600 signalized intersections citywide and escalating penalties, including vehicle impoundment, against repeat offenders.

New York State law defines three e-bike classes by top assisted speed, and New York City is the only jurisdiction where Class 3 throttle e-bikes are legal, capped at 25 mph. Class 1 and Class 2 both cap at 20 mph.

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.

When DEP finds a leak at a water tap or service pipe, it notifies the owner or occupant, who must make repairs to stop the leak or face the tap being shut off.

In R6 through R12 districts, NYC lets buildings reach a higher floor area ratio than the standard cap when the housing built is qualifying affordable or senior housing.

Unlike California's specific plans, NYC uses the Zoning Resolution's Special Purpose Districts (Articles VIII through XIV) to overlay tailored bulk, use, and design rules on neighborhoods such as Hudson Yards, Special Midtown, Theater Subdistrict, and Special Garment Center.

New York City restaurants must conspicuously post their current sanitary inspection letter grade or a grade-pending card; failing to do so draws a flat $500 civil penalty under the Administrative Code.

New York City requires syringe service programs to give participants portable sharps disposal containers, and bars mobile syringe programs from distributing needles within playgrounds, near playgrounds, or on or near school premises.

New York City requires whoever manages or supervises a food service establishment's operations to complete a Department of Health and Mental Hygiene food protection course and hold certification under Health Code § 81.15. Administrative Code § 17-1509 sets a flat $400 civil penalty for noncompliance, with no first-violation waiver.

New York City landlords must give tenants a bedbug infestation history notice before each new or renewal lease and file an annual bedbug report with HPD for every multiple dwelling.

NYC requires chain food service establishments with 15 or more locations nationally to post calorie counts next to every standard menu item on menus and menu boards, plus a 2,000-calorie context statement, enforced by DOHMH under Health Code §81.50.

NYC Health Code Article 151 (§151.02) requires property owners to prevent and manage rodents and pests. The city designates Rat Mitigation Zones with enhanced enforcement, and owners who fail to comply face Commissioner Orders to Abate with mandatory timelines.

NYC imposes a hotel room occupancy tax of roughly 5.875% of the daily room rent plus a per-room daily flat fee, collected by the operator and remitted to the Department of Finance.

Designated NYC landmarks and interior landmarks can't be altered, reconstructed, or demolished without prior approval from the Landmarks Preservation Commission.

New York City pawnbrokers are licensed under Administrative Code Title 20 and must electronically log every pawn, pledge, and redemption in real time, keeping detailed records for at least six years.

New York City tow truck operators cannot tow an accident vehicle without a signed authorization from the person in charge of it or a police officer, on a form disclosing rates and repair rights.

NYC bans adult establishments outright in most commercial districts and confines them to the highest-density C6-4 through C8 districts, subject to a 500-foot buffer from houses of worship, schools, homes, and other adult establishments.

New York City requires anyone who buys, sells, melts or refines second-hand articles, old gold, silver or platinum, pawnbroker tickets, or used electronics to hold a Department of Consumer and Worker Protection license under Administrative Code Section 20-265. There are two license types: a general secondhand dealer license and a separate secondhand automobile dealer license, each running the license period set by Section 20-266.

New York City requires anyone who tattoos for a living to hold a Department of Health and Mental Hygiene license under Administrative Code § 17-357. Applicants must pass a health exam and pay a $100 biennial fee under § 17-358(d). Tattooing anyone under 18 is banned outright, and violators face escalating civil penalties up to $1,000 per offense.

New York City zoning bans automotive repair businesses at homes citywide, permitting minor repairs only inside huge detached garages with 150+ parking spaces.

New York City's Sheriff can inspect, seal, and padlock any storefront selling cannabis without a state license, seize its products, and issue civil summonses. Administrative Code Chapter 5-A, enacted April 2024, powers the citywide 'Operation Padlock to Protect' crackdown.

New York City bans 'aggressive manner' solicitation everywhere in public, defined as intimidating or threatening conduct, unwanted touching, blocking a sidewalk, or violent gestures while asking for money. Administrative Code § 10-136 also bars begging within ten feet of a bank, check-cashing business or ATM during business hours. Violating either rule is a misdemeanor punishable by up to sixteen days in jail or a $100 fine.

New York City bans reckless skateboarding, roller skating and in-line skating on public streets, highways and sidewalks, with violators facing a $50 to $100 fine as a traffic infraction.

New York City bans drinking or carrying an open container of alcohol in any public place, streets, sidewalks, parks, beaches, with narrow exceptions for permitted block parties and licensed premises.

New York City explicitly allows pedestrians to cross mid-block, outside marked or unmarked crosswalks, under Local Law 2024/098: crossing there isn't a violation as long as the pedestrian yields to traffic with the right of way.

New York City's Smoke-Free Air Act bans smoking and e-cigarette use in every city park and pedestrian plaza, plus playgrounds and hospital grounds, whether the space is indoors or outdoors.

New York City bans public urination and defecation as "filthy matter" under the Sanitation Code, with a dedicated lower fine track for the offense set by the City Council in 2016.

Adults 21 and older may legally smoke or vape cannabis anywhere tobacco smoking is allowed under New York's Marihuana Regulation and Taxation Act, but never in city parks, on beaches, on school grounds, or inside workplaces.

New York City adds an 8% tax on top of standard sales tax for parking, garaging, or storing a motor vehicle at a commercial garage or lot in Manhattan.

New York City taxes S-corporations and their qualified subsidiaries under the General Corporation Tax, while every other corporation pays the Corporate Tax of 2015 instead, per Administrative Code § 11-602.1.

New York City licenses bona fide charitable, religious, educational and veterans' groups to run games of chance under its own Games of Chance Licensing Law. A city license costs $25, prizes are capped at $100 per game and $1,000 per occasion, and games are limited to 12 occasions a year.