New York City Building Permits for Homeowners

In New York City the question is often not whether you need a permit but who must do the work: a Licensed Master Plumber, a licensed electrician, or a Registered Design Professional filing plans.

City guide

Last verified against NYC Department of Buildings sources October 4, 2026

If you are used to suburban building codes, New York City feels upside down. There is no neat “IRC exemption list” you can photocopy for a deck, shed, or bathroom swap. Most real construction still goes through the Department of Buildings.

Even some work that does not need a DOB work permit still needs a Licensed Master Plumber, a DCWP-licensed home-improvement contractor, or a filing with another city agency. This guide walks through how NYC building permits work for homeowners, using the city’s own “Do I Need a Permit?” page, Administrative Code §28-105.4, and the one- and two-family rows in 1 RCNY §101-14. Confirm the rule for your address before you buy materials. See our disclaimer.

Related: Do I need a building permit? · 10-minute AHJ checklist · Guides by City

NYC at a glance

Situation	NYC pattern	Source
Default rule	Most construction needs DOB approval and a work permit	DOB “Do I Need a Permit?”
Permit exemptions	Set by Admin. Code §28-105.4 and DOB rule 1 RCNY §101-14 — not a generic IRC table	§28-105.4; 1 RCNY §101-14
Ordinary plumbing	May skip a work permit, but a Licensed Master Plumber must do the work and file a monthly report	§28-105.4.4; DOB owner pages
1–2 family shed (rule example)	Portable freestanding shed ≤120 sq ft, ≤7 ft 6 in high, ≥3 ft from lot lines, storage only, one per tax lot	1 RCNY §101-14, Table 1
1–2 family fence (rule example)	Fences 6 ft or less in height (measured from the higher adjoining grade)	1 RCNY §101-14, Table 1
Where filings live	DOB NOW: Build (nyc.gov/dobnow), with an NYC.ID account	DOB NOW: Build

Who actually issues the permit

Inside the five boroughs, building work is a New York City Department of Buildings question. Alteration filings, plumbing filings, and many trade permits run through DOB NOW: Build. Owners, design professionals, and licensees need an NYC.ID / DOB NOW login. A house outside city limits is not a DOB exemption you can borrow — that address belongs to a different authority having jurisdiction.

Start with our permit lookup by state if you are not sure which counter covers the lot.

Work that often does not need a DOB work permit

DOB’s public “Do I Need a Permit?” page says most construction needs approval, then lists familiar homeowner examples that usually do not need a work permit: painting, plastering, installing new cabinets, plumbing fixture replacement, resurfacing floors, and non-structural roof repair. Contractors doing those home improvements still need a Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) Home Improvement Contractor license. Use DCWP’s Instant License Check before you hire.

Under Administrative Code §28-105.4, permits are also not required for emergency work (§28-105.4.1), minor alterations and ordinary repairs (§28-105.4.2), ordinary plumbing work (§28-105.4.4), and categories DOB describes in rules such as 1 RCNY §101-14 (including certain service equipment). An exemption from a DOB work permit is not a free pass. The same code section says exemptions do not authorize work that violates the Construction Codes, the Zoning Resolution, or other laws, and they do not erase filings other agencies may require.

Sheds and fences on one- and two-family lots

Homeowners hunting for a shed or fence “exemption” will not find a national IRC chart on the DOB site. They will find Table 1 in 1 RCNY §101-14, which lists categories that may be treated as minor alterations or ordinary repairs for one- and two-family dwellings.

For sheds, the rule describes a temporary portable freestanding shed on the same zoning lot as a one- or two-family dwelling when all of these hold: it does not exceed 120 square feet or 7 feet 6 inches in height; it does not obstruct a required window; it stays at least 3 feet from any lot line; it is used for storage of household goods or tools; and there is only one such shed on the tax lot.

Miss any of those limits and you are back in permit territory. Related electrical or plumbing connections can still need their own filings even when the shed shell itself qualifies.

For fences on one- and two-family dwellings, Table 1 lists fences 6 feet or less in height, measured from the higher of the two adjoining grades. Taller fences, sidewalk protection, or work that triggers other agencies are a different conversation. Landmarks, zoning, and Department of Transportation rules can still apply when the DOB work-permit box is empty.

Ordinary plumbing still means a Licensed Master Plumber

This is the trap that catches people who remodeled elsewhere. Administrative Code §28-105.4.4 lets certain “ordinary plumbing work” proceed without a DOB work permit only if a Licensed Master Plumber does the work, files a monthly report (block, lot, address, description, location in the building), pays the fees the code requires, and certifies compliance.

The code’s list includes items such as relocating up to two fixtures in the same room up to 10 feet, replacing or repairing a sump pump or food waste grinder under the listed conditions, limited non-gas branch piping and fixture replacement after a riser shutoff, and certain domestic gas appliance and connector replacements when the existing shutoff valve stays put and meets the code’s condition checks.

Fixture replacement can show up on DOB’s plain-language no-permit examples, and ordinary repairs under §28-105.4.2 include repair or replacement of plumbing fixtures, piping, or faucets from an exposed stop valve to the inlet side of a trap. None of that turns DIY plumbing into a free-for-all. If the work is ordinary plumbing under §28-105.4.4, DOB’s owner pages are clear: hire a Licensed Master Plumber. Work beyond those limits needs a proper plumbing filing and, often, a Registered Design Professional.

When you need a PE or RA and a real DOB filing

For one- and two-family alterations, DOB’s owner project pages draw a hard line: work that exceeds the no-permit categories generally needs a Registered Design Professional (Professional Engineer or Registered Architect) to prepare and submit construction documents before a general contractor can pull a permit. Piping, fuel-burning equipment, ductwork, air-conditioning equipment, electric wiring, and many finish replacements that require permits are issued to the specialized license holders who may do that work.

Electrical work is its own track. New installation, alteration, or repair of electric wiring and related equipment needs a separately submitted electrical permit and a New York City licensed electrician. Larger equipment or Energy Code lighting compliance can pull in extra plan review. Start the job in DOB NOW: Build, keep every stakeholder on the filing, and do not treat a verbal “we’ll handle it” as a permit.

Emergency work

Emergency work under §28-105.4.1 is work that would otherwise need a permit but is done to relieve an emergency. Licensed contractors may start before the permit is issued if an Emergency Work Notification is filed with DOB within two business days (DOB’s public page describes filing after the work is completed; the one- and two-family owner page describes filing after work commences — follow the current DOB instruction on the form you file). Residential examples DOB lists include sidewalk sheds or fences to protect the public, stabilizing unsafe structure, gas-leak repairs, certain standpipe or sprinkler parts, and repair or replacement of heating or hot water equipment serving residential occupancies during the heating season. For how other cities handle repairs after a leak or storm, see our emergency repair permits guide.

Other city rules that still apply

A DOB exemption does not clear Landmarks Preservation Commission review, zoning constraints, Department of Transportation sidewalk rules, DEP filings, or Fire Department approvals where those agencies have jurisdiction. Home-improvement contractors need the DCWP license even on some no-permit jobs. If the house is in a historic district, treat “no DOB permit” as the beginning of the checklist, not the end. For project-type walkthroughs (bathroom, electrical panel, emergency repair), browse permit guides by project — those pages explain the national patterns; NYC still wants you on the DOB sources below for the local call. Our Certificate of Appropriateness vs building permit guide explains how historic review and a building permit fit together.

Who has to do the work on a NYC 1- or 2-family alteration

DOB sorts owner work on 1- and 2-family buildings into tiers (NYC DOB owner requirements for 1- and 2-family alterations):

Tier	What DOB says	Who does it
No permit, no licensee	Minor alterations and ordinary repairs under AC 28-105.4.2, and mechanical work in 1 RCNY 101-14 Table 2	Owner may proceed, but other laws and agencies still apply
No permit, licensee required	Ordinary plumbing work under AC 28-105.4.4	Licensed Master Plumber
Emergency work	Work to relieve an emergency, such as heating or hot water equipment for residential occupancies during the heating season	Licensed contractor may start first and file afterward
Electrical work	New installation, alteration, or repair of wiring or equipment needs a separate electrical permit	NYC licensed electrical contractor
Beyond those limits	Work exceeding the tiers above	Registered Design Professional submits plans before a work permit

Source: NYC DOB owner requirements for 1- and 2-family alterations.

For how these limits compare across cities, see our permit-free limits by city table.

Common homeowner questions

Does New York City follow the IRC permit-exemption list?

No. NYC uses Administrative Code §28-105.4 and DOB rules such as 1 RCNY §101-14. Borrowing another state’s “under 200 square feet / under 30 inches” chart is not how DOB decides your job.

Can I replace a toilet or faucet without a permit?

Plumbing fixture replacement appears on DOB’s public no-permit examples, and ordinary repairs include fixture/piping/faucet work from an exposed stop valve to the trap inlet. Ordinary plumbing categories that rely on §28-105.4.4 still require a Licensed Master Plumber and that plumber’s monthly reporting. When in doubt, ask a Licensed Master Plumber or the borough office before demolition day.

Do I need a permit for a backyard shed in NYC?

A portable freestanding accessory shed on a one- or two-family lot may qualify under 1 RCNY §101-14 Table 1 only if it stays within 120 square feet, 7 feet 6 inches in height, at least 3 feet from lot lines, storage-only use, and one shed per tax lot, among the other listed conditions. Utilities, a second shed, or a larger footprint push you toward a filing. Before you buy one, our shed setback and easement checklist covers the location questions.

Where do I file?

Create or use an NYC.ID account and work in DOB NOW: Build. Owners electronically sign filings; design professionals and licensees submit plans and pull trade permits as the job requires.

Can a contractor replace a broken boiler in winter before filing?

DOB lists repair or replacement of heating or hot water equipment for residential occupancies during the heating season as emergency work, which a licensed contractor may perform before the permit as long as it is filed afterward.

Does electrical work in a NYC house need its own permit?

Yes. DOB says electrical work needs a separately submitted electrical permit and must be done by a NYC licensed electrical contractor.

Bottom line

New York City building permits are a DOB process first. The city publishes narrow no-permit lanes — minor alterations and ordinary repairs, ordinary plumbing with a Licensed Master Plumber, emergency notifications, and the one- and two-family items in 1 RCNY §101-14 — but most real renovations still need a Registered Design Professional, licensed trades, and a DOB NOW filing. Before you start, run the 10-minute AHJ checklist and open the official pages below for your exact scope.

Edited by Ahmed Khalifa, founder of PermitCove. Sources are linked inline; see our Editorial Policy.