What is a Letter of No Objection?

A Letter of No Objection (LNO) is a very common document often requested by banks or mortgage companies as proof of a building’s legal use if no Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) is available. This typically is the case with buildings built before 1938 in New York City. While a few might have a Certificate of Occupancy on file, it was not required by law until 1938 so owners of older buildings in New York can run into this quite often. Another common name for an LNO is a “C of O Waiver.”

When do I need a Letter of No Objection?

A good example of when a LNO is needed is if an owner of a building built prior to 1938 would like to convert a retail space to a restaurant and bar and there is owner of a building built prior to 1938 (DOB). The New York State liquor authority will not issue a license to establishments without a C of O.

Obtaining a C of O if one is not already on file can take 6 months or more while a LNO can be processed with S & M Expediting in a matter of weeks. Since the USE of the building did not change (it remained a commercial space) an LNO will allow the owner to open his business much sooner.

Change of Use

However, if an owner is changing the use of a building from residential to commercial or vice versa, a C of O is still required and can be obtained for you with the help of S & M Expediting.

To learn more about Letters of no Objection, Certificate of Occupancy, and Temporary Certificates of Occupancy click here.