NYC Building Rules

HPD signs are the notices NYC requires residential buildings to post. See which buildings need them, the 8 signs most buildings use and what changed in 2026.

A printable checklist of every HPD sign a NYC apartment building needs, where each one goes, the law behind it and what it costs. Updated for 2026.

Own a 3 family house in NYC? It counts as a multiple dwelling, even if you live there. See every HPD sign you need, where each one goes and what it costs.

Most NYC 1 and 2 family homes skip the lobby signs, but rented homes still have a few rules. See what applies, what to skip and when a house becomes a 3 family.

What the NYC suspected gas leak notice must say, the letter size and material rules, whether it must be in Spanish and why it must stay in hard copy.

HPD lets owners post one combined notice for smoke, CO, natural gas and gas leak. How it works, the digital screen exception and when it makes sense.

NYC buildings with gas piping must install natural gas detectors and post a notice by January 1, 2027, a date the city may extend. Who it applies to, placement, fees and how to prepare.

Which smoke, CO, gas leak and natural gas notices apply to all electric NYC buildings, how to claim the natural gas exemption and what to do mid conversion.

NYC CO rules for landlords: where alarms go, owner and tenant duties, what owners may charge and the notice to post. Based on HMC 27-2045 and HPD rules.

The FDNY fire safety notice comes in two versions. How to tell if your building is fireproof, where each notice goes and the size and format rules.

The FDNY fire safety notice goes inside every apartment door, 5.5 x 8.5 inches, between 4 and 5.5 feet high. How to install it and when to replace it.

Local Law 115 of 2018 requires a red close the door notice on the hallway side of every stairwell door. Size, colors, wording and where it goes.

FDNY expects Part I of your Emergency Preparedness Guide posted in the lobby by the fire safety notice. What goes in it, where it goes and when to update.

Is an e-bike sign required in NYC apartment buildings? What the law says, which battery safety signs help most and where to post them.

Co-ops and condos with 3+ units need the same lobby signs as rentals. What is the same, what is different for boards and who handles what.

Class A multiple dwellings are for permanent residence, Class B for transient stays like hotels and rooming houses. What each means for your signs.

How to tell if your NYC building is fireproof: check the C of O, a Letter of No Objection or a design professional. Why it changes your fire notices.

NYC rules require halls, stairs, exits and fire escapes to stay clear. What that means for bikes and strollers, and the signs that help enforce it.

Brownstones, 2 family homes, garden apartments and prewar elevator buildings: the common building types in each borough and the signs to watch.

The DOB side of NYC building signs: elevator fire signs, stair letters, FISP and energy grade certificates, elevator certificates and construction panels.