Look up an NYC certificate of occupancy
Check the building’s recorded legal use and occupancy documents before you rent, then compare them with the unit, construction and complaint history.
The certificate describes the building’s legal use
A Certificate of Occupancy states the legal use or permitted occupancy recorded for a building. A temporary certificate can allow occupancy while listed items remain outstanding, and later alterations can require an amended certificate.
Some buildings constructed before 1938 may legally exist without a Certificate of Occupancy unless later work changed their use, egress or occupancy. A missing CO is not automatically an illegal building.
What Apartment Fax checks
- 01
Available DOB Certificate of Occupancy records by building identifier
- 02
Issue date, occupancy type and temporary or final status where filed
- 03
Related permits, job applications, complaints and violations
- 04
Building age, recorded use, residential units and ownership context
Final, temporary and amended certificates
A final Certificate of Occupancy reflects a completed approval for the listed use. A Temporary Certificate of Occupancy indicates that the department found the property safe to occupy for a limited period while outstanding items remain. Construction that changes use, egress or occupancy can require an amended certificate.
Read the issue date and listed use beside the building’s permits and job filings. The document is most useful when you compare what it authorizes with the apartment or space you are being offered.
What a missing certificate can mean
DOB explains that some buildings built before 1938 are not required to have a Certificate of Occupancy. In that situation, a Letter of No Objection may be used to establish legal use. A missing search result therefore needs age and alteration context.
Apartment Fax includes the available occupancy record with construction, violation and property facts. Confirm any legal-use concern in DOB NOW or BIS and ask for the underlying document before relying on a listing description.
Confirm important questions with the official record
Frequently asked questions
How do I find a Certificate of Occupancy in NYC?
Search the address in DOB NOW for newer records and BIS for older records. Open the property profile and review the Certificate of Occupancy documents listed there.
What is a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy?
A TCO indicates that DOB found the property safe to occupy temporarily while outstanding items remain. It has an expiration date and should be checked for current status.
Is every NYC building required to have a Certificate of Occupancy?
No. Some buildings constructed before 1938 may not need one unless later alterations changed the building’s use, egress or occupancy.