What is a Letter of No Objection?

A Letter of No Objection (LNO) is a document often requested by banks or mortgage companies as proof of a building’s legal use when no Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) is available. This typically is true of buildings built before 1938 in New York City. While some may have a C of O on file, it was not required by law until 1938. 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?

There can be several reasons why an LNO would be required. One possible reason is if an owner would like to convert a retail space to a restaurant and bar and the building was built prior to 1938 (DOB). The New York State liquor authority will not issue a license to establishments without a C of O.

If not already on file, obtaining a C of O can take 6 months or more. 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 their business much sooner.

Change of Use

However, in order to change 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.