The Complete HPD Required Signs Checklist for 2026
Walk through your building once with this list, and you will know exactly what is missing. It covers every sign HPD lists for apartment buildings, where each one goes and the law behind it, all in plain words.
Print it, grab a pen, and start at the front door. Most owners finish in about 15 minutes.
The quick answer
In short: A typical NYC building with 3 or more apartments needs 8 core signs. Up to 4 more apply depending on your building: a boiler room, no dumbwaiter garbage service, rent stabilized units or a planned shutoff.
Not sure if your building counts? Start with What Are HPD Signs and Who Needs Them. Own a small house? Read HPD Signs for 3 Family Houses or Do 1 and 2 Family Homes Need HPD Signs?
The 8 core signs
Every multiple dwelling needs these. Prices are what we charge per sign on our site.
| Sign | Where it goes | The law | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registration number sign | Entrance hall | HMC Section 27-2104(a) | $48 |
| Superintendent sign | Building entrance | HMC Section 27-2053 | $45 |
| Inspection visits frame | At or near the mailboxes, 48 to 62 in high | MDL Section 329 | $35 |
| Smoke and CO detector no | Common area | 28 RCNY Section 12-12.1 | $45 |
| Gas leak no | Common area, plus a copy with each lease | HMC Section 27-2005 | $45 |
| Fire safety no | Lobby and inside each apartment door | FC 401.6 | $65 |
| Housing information g | Common area | HPD guide | $55 |
| Floor number signs | Every floor | HMC Section 27-2048 | $28 each |
Most full sets go over $200, so shipping is free. See what a full set costs. Shop required signs
The 4 that depend on your building
Boiler room key notice, $90. Says who holds the key. Post two copies, one in the lobby and one on the boiler room door. HMC Section 27-2033.
Garbage collection notice, $42. For buildings without 24 hour dumbwaiter service. Shows collection hours and method, framed or in plastic. HMC Section 27-2022.
Rent stabilized units notice, $55. For buildings with at least one rent stabilized apartment, in English and Spanish. HMC Section 27-2104.
Interruption of service notice, $45. Post 24 hours before work that cuts heat, water, gas or power for 2 hours or more. English and Spanish.
A few more items round out HPD's list: your street number on the front of the building, the bedbug filing receipt and brochure (posted or handed to tenants), and the heat sensor notice if HPD put your building in that program. During major DOB permitted work, the Safe Construction Bill of Rights goes up too. Stairwell doors also need the red close the door sign.
What changed in 2025 and 2026
Rent stabilized notice became a posting requirement under Local Law 86 of 2025.
Digital screens allowed for five notices: bedbugs, smoke and CO, garbage, heat sensors and interruption of service. Go digital for one and all five must be digital.
Natural gas detector notice for buildings with gas piping. The city says the date may move.
Your 15 minute walk through
- Outside.
Is the street number clear from the sidewalk?
- Entrance.
Registration sign and super sign up, with current names and numbers.
- Mailboxes.
Inspection frame between 48 and 62 inches off the floor.
- Lobby wall.
Smoke and CO, gas leak, fire safety and housing guide, plus garbage if it applies.
- Basement and floors.
Boiler key notice on the door, floor numbers on every landing, fire safety notice inside each apartment door.
Want a picture of how it should all look? See Where to Post Each HPD Sign in Your Lobby.
Paper or metal?
HPD wants notices that are easy to see and read in public areas, and a few, like the garbage notice, must be framed or covered. Paper taped to a wall can technically work, but it tears, fades and gets pulled down, usually right before an inspection. Metal signs cost a little more once and then stay up for years. For a lobby that tenants and inspectors walk through every day, metal is the safer bet.
Whatever you choose, make sure the wording is current. Notices like smoke and CO have been updated over the years, so ask your seller which version they print.
Mistakes that lead to violations
The ones we see most: an old super's name still on the wall, an inspection frame mounted too high, paper notices taped up and torn, and old wording on the smoke and CO notice. All easy to fix, but each one can turn into a violation you then have to certify with HPD.
Quick answers
How many signs does a NYC apartment building need?
Usually 8 core signs, plus up to 4 more depending on the building. Floor number signs count once per floor.
Can one notice cover smoke, CO and gas detectors?
Yes. HPD allows one combined notice for all three, which also saves wall space.
Which signs have to be in Spanish?
The rent stabilized, interruption of service, gas leak and housing information guide notices must be in English and Spanish. Digital notices must also show English and Spanish.
Not sure what your building needs?
Send us your address and number of apartments. We will tell you exactly which signs to order.
General information based on the NYC HPD Required Signage page as of November 2026. Not legal advice. HPD Signs NYC is not affiliated with the City of New York or HPD. Prices may change. Check nyc.gov/hpd for the latest rules.