A Certificate of Occupancy or a CO is a very important document for every building in New York, it states the legal use of the buildings and its type of permitted occupancy. And no one can legally occupy a building unless the DOB has issued the CO or at the very least a temporary Certificate of Occupancy.
Why The Need For a CO
New buildings require a CO and existing buildings will have to have a current or amended CO if any construction or alteration has been done to the building that changes the use, egress or type of occupancy of that particular building. The CO proves that the building was completed properly and that the work completed on the building is the same with what was approved by the DOB during plan submission, a letter of completion is also issued upon completion of minor works/alterations on the building. These documentation shows that the property complies with applicable laws and all paperwork has been duly submitted and received by pertinent departments, fees paid and any violation has been resolved and that the building is ready to be occupied and used accordingly.
Checking A Building's CO
You can easily check for the property's CO through DOB's BIS system. You simply go online through the DOB's website and check for your property's CO there, through the applications link, if you have the project's job or co number then you can enter that there, or through the jobs/filings link, if you only have the property's address. You can print the CO directly from your own computer or you can visit DOB's customer service counter to get a copy.
Buildings Without CO
Yes, there are buildings that you can legally occupy without a CO and these are buildings built before 1938, and these buildings remain generally unchanged, since any later alterations that changes its use, egress or occupancy will then require the building to have a CO even if it was originally built before 1938. If you want to ensure that your building is exempt from the CO requirement, then you can visit the borough office where the building is located and request from them for a Letter of No Objection.
The issuance of Certificate of Occupancy for a particular property proves that the building is safe for use and is constructed particularly for the specific purpose as noted in the certificate, this ensures the safety of the occupants and the neighborhood.