Beginning on January 2, 2018, the Department of Buildings Licensing unit will no longer accept insurance submission at the counter. All insurance updates and new tracking number issuance will be done electronically.
S&M Expediting can still provide this assistance when required.
In the City of New York, in order for a building to be legally occupied the building must first have a Certificate of Occupancy (CO). The CO must state a building’s legal use and type of permitted occupancy. New buildings must have a CO. Older, pre-existing buildings may not have a CO if built prior to 1938. Those older building may file for a Letter of No Objection or Verification letter which is issued by the Dept. Of buildings to establish legal use of the building or a particular space in the building.
If you are selling a property that pre-dates the CO requirement, the potential buyer will ask for one as proof of current use. If you are opening a business in a building without a CO, and your business requires a license from another government agency, you will have to file for an LNO.
An LNO is fairly easy to obtain and on average takes approximately 3-4 weeks. A LNO can be issued if the proposed and actual use of the space/building in question are the same use group and occupancy group as dictated by the city zoning regulations and building code. If either the use or occupancy group changes, a new certificate of occupancy must be applied for.
The types of agencies interested in Letters of No Objections are the liquor authority, banks and consumer affairs. The liquor board requires proof of use as an eating and drinking establishment in a building prior to awarding a license.
What is required to acquire a LNO? Some requirements to receive an LNO include but are not limited to the following:
Buildings with a Certificfate of Occupancy
Buildings without a Certificate of Occupancy
Buildings with Child Related Special Occupancy
Need help applying for Certificates of Occupancy (COs), TCOs, and Letters of No Objection? Call us today at 718-833-2333.
If you have an unfinished basement in your one- or two- family home, you may be wondering what you could do with the available space. Perhaps a basement conversion / renovation has crossed your mind, but how would you even get started? As with any other project that require compliance with the department of buildings , S&M Expediting can guide you through it. If you’re on the fence about basement conversion, below is an overview of the process to turn your basement into a compliant, occupiable space.
The first step to basement conversion to make sure your basement qualifies as a basement under NYC building codes. Although basements and cellars are interchangeable terms for many people, for the DOB, they are not. Basements are considered by the Department of Buildings as a floor with more than half of its height above curb level. If you have a basement, you can file to convert the space to a habitable unit. Floors with less than half of its height above curb level are considered cellars, and in most cases cannot be converted. With pre-approval from the DOB, a secondary kitchen may be located in the cellar, however, use of a cellar for sleeping, eating, or general occupancy is illegal.
After confirming that you have what the Department of Buildings considers a basement, you can address the requirements set by the DOB and the Housing Maintenance Code to convert it. Some of those requirements are that the basement has access to running water, appropriate heating, and meet the minimum room size. The basement unit must also have its own entry and exit, be water- and damp-proofed, be able to accommodate a toilet, tub, and sink, and every room must have at least one window.
When the conditions set by the DOB are met, and you get their approval, your basement can now be legally occupied/rented. Occupancy is legal within a one- or two-family dwelling only by members of the family or families that currently occupy the dwelling. In a one-family dwelling, the basement can be rented if it complies with the DOB’s requirements.
Now, it gets a litter trickier when you start with a two-family dwelling. If you are converting the basement of a two-family dwelling for the purpose of renting it out, you would be changing the status of the building from a private dwelling to a multiple (three-family or more) dwelling. To do that, you would need to ensure the entire building is in compliance with the New York State Multiple Dwelling Law. Once compliant in that aspect, renting out the basement of an originally two-family dwelling is legal.
If you’ve decided that you want to go through with basement conversion, trust in S&M Expediting to see your project through from start to finish. They can help you draw up plans with an architect, and navigate through the permit process, from obtaining your Certificate of Occupancy to filing for all other related construction permits. Most importantly, they will help you do it correctly. Call S&M Expediting to start your basement conversion today.
Learn how you can connect with us and Save up to 25%
