The 12 recurring regulatory obligations that shape NYC real estate operations. Every rule below cites the source local law — and links to the agency portal where you file.
12 deadlines · LL97, FISP, LL84, LL87, boiler, elevator, HPD registration · current laws as of May 2026
NYC property owners must meet a recurring calendar of compliance deadlines: Local Law 97 (annual carbon emissions report, May 1), Façade Inspection (FISP, every 5 years), LL84 Energy Benchmarking (annual, May 1), LL87 Energy Audit (every 10 years), boiler inspection (annual), elevator Category 1 (annual) and Category 5 (every 5 years), HPD multiple-dwelling registration (annual, Sept 1), sprinkler system inspection (annual full, quarterly visual), and LL152 gas piping inspection (every 4 years). Missing any of these triggers DOB, HPD, or ECB violations that become judgment liens on the property.
Covered buildings must report annual greenhouse gas emissions and stay under category-specific carbon limits. The 2024–2029 limits are in effect now; stricter 2030 limits begin January 1, 2030.
Annual reporting of whole-building energy and water use to NYC via ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager. Data is published publicly on NYC Open Data.
Every ten years, covered buildings must complete an ASHRAE Level 2 energy audit and a retro-commissioning study, then file an Energy Efficiency Report (EER) with DOB.
Every five years, a Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector (QEWI) must inspect the building exterior and file a report classifying conditions as Safe, Safe With a Repair & Maintenance Program (SWARMP), or Unsafe.
Owners must conduct annual visual parapet inspections and retain the inspection record. Unsafe parapets must be remedied within 90 days.
Every boiler must be inspected annually by an approved inspector, and the report must be filed with DOB within 45 days of the inspection.
Category 1 (annual) inspections cover routine operational safety. Category 5 (five-year) inspections are comprehensive, including load testing and safety device verification.
Every four years, a licensed master plumber must inspect all exposed gas piping in public spaces and submit a Gas Piping Inspection Report to DOB.
Sprinkler systems must be inspected quarterly, tested annually, and internally inspected every 5 years per NFPA 25. Documentation must be retained and available to FDNY on request.
Owners must annually investigate apartments with children under 6 for deteriorated paint and lead hazards, and notify DOHMH of any chipping, flaking, or peeling paint conditions within specific timeframes.
Each installed backflow prevention assembly must be tested annually by a licensed master plumber with DEP-approved backflow tester certification.
Owners must register annually with HPD, providing owner/agent contact info, number of units, and certain building characteristics. Failure to register blocks access to housing court and certain lending.
Most residential buildings over 3 units have 6–8 recurring compliance obligations every year, plus 2–3 five-year cyclical filings like FISP and LL87. Commercial buildings add more (fire alarm, sprinkler, sometimes USTs, elevators). We track 12 of the most-cited NYC obligations — enough to cover the filings that create the overwhelming majority of DOB/HPD/ECB violations.
Most deadlines carry specific DOB/HPD/FDNY violation codes and escalating fines — typically $250–$1,000 per year for filing lapses, with some (like LL97 carbon penalties and ECB hearings) running into five figures. Unpaid penalties become judgment liens on the property, which appear on title searches and can block refinance or sale closings.
Applicability depends on building size (square footage), occupancy type, building age, number of units, stories, mechanical systems, and location. RegWatch property reports include a personalized compliance calendar for each building based on its actual characteristics — so you see only the deadlines that apply, with due dates calculated from your building's FISP cycle, LL97 occupancy category, HPD registration history, and more.
RegWatch is a data intelligence platform — we don't file compliance reports on your behalf. But we do surface every upcoming deadline, flag any open violation, and partner with vetted compliance vendors (façade engineers, boiler inspectors, energy consultants) who handle the filings. Visit /compliance-cure for our vendor directory.
Every deadline on this page is sourced from the NYC Administrative Code, published DOB/HPD/DEP/FDNY rules, and the applicable local law. We cite the legal authority for each deadline and link to the official agency page. If you see an error or outdated info, email [email protected] — we update this catalog as laws and rules change.
LL84 (2009) requires annual energy and water benchmarking for 25,000+ sqft buildings. LL87 (2009) requires a full energy audit and retro-commissioning every 10 years for the same buildings. LL97 (2019) takes it further — setting hard carbon emission limits (not just reporting) with $268/tCO₂e penalties starting in 2024, and tighter limits in 2030. All three can apply to the same building simultaneously.
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