NYC Certificate of Occupancy Search

A Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) is a document issued by the NYC Department of Buildings that certifies a building's legal use and occupancy. It specifies what activities are permitted (residential, commercial, manufacturing), how many units or occupants are allowed, and whether the building meets current code requirements.

Every building constructed after 1938 is required to have a C of O. Buildings can have a final C of O (permanent) or a temporary C of O (issued for a limited period, often during ongoing construction). Some older buildings operate under a letter of no objection instead.

A missing, expired, or incorrect Certificate of Occupancy can create serious problems:

• Buildings used inconsistently with their C of O face DOB violations and fines
• Lenders may refuse to finance properties without a valid C of O
• Insurance coverage may be affected by C of O discrepancies
• Buyers may discover post-closing that a building's use doesn't match its C of O
• Temporary C of O expirations can trigger vacate orders

RegWatch surfaces C of O status in every property profile, flagging potential issues so they can be addressed before they become costly problems.

RegWatch pulls C of O records from DOB and displays them alongside the full property profile. You'll see the occupancy type (permanent vs. temporary), legal use categories, number of stories and units, and any pending C of O applications. This information is cross-referenced with current zoning and permit data to identify potential conflicts.