NYC Boiler Inspection Requirements

If your NYC building has six or more apartments and a central low-pressure boiler, that boiler needs an inspection every calendar year by a qualified inspector, and the report must be filed with the Department of Buildings (DOB) in DOB NOW: Safety. Buildings with five or fewer apartments, boilers that heat a single apartment, and small boilers rated at 100,000 BTUs or less are exempt from the annual filing.

This is separate from your heat-season duties to tenants (see heat and hot water rules for landlords) and from the Local Law 152 gas piping inspection. A boiler can pass inspection and still leave tenants cold, and vice versa.

Does your boiler need an annual inspection?

DOB's low-pressure boiler page lists which equipment is covered and which is exempt:

Exempt does not mean unregulated. A boiler in a three- or four-family house still has to be installed under permit and kept safe, and HPD can still cite the owner for heat or hot water problems. It simply does not need the annual DOB inspection report.

Low-pressure vs high-pressure boilers

Most apartment buildings run low-pressure steam or hot-water boilers. Large buildings, hospitals and some older plants use high-pressure boilers, which follow a stricter schedule.

How the filing works, step by step

1. 1

   Hire a qualified inspector

   The owner is responsible for hiring the inspector. For low-pressure boilers that means a boiler inspector licensed by DOB or an inspector from an authorized insurance company. Your insurer may already include this.
2. 2

   Inspect between January 1 and December 31

   Each calendar year is its own cycle. An inspection done in one year cannot count for the next.
3. 3

   File the initial report in DOB NOW: Safety

   DOB’s boiler pages say the Initial Boiler Inspection Report (formerly the BO9) is due within 45 days of the inspection, with a $30 filing fee per boiler.
4. 4

   Correct any defects

   If the inspector found defects, fix them and have a subsequent inspection report (formerly the BO13) filed within 180 calendar days of the initial inspection. The report is not complete until that subsequent filing confirms the defects were corrected.
5. 5

   Ask for more time before the deadline if you need it

   A defect-correction extension request (formerly BO13E) costs $15 and must be filed in DOB NOW: Safety. Rules allow extensions only for extraordinary circumstances or delays outside your control, not financial or administrative hardship.
6. 6

   Report a removed boiler

   If you remove or disconnect a boiler, file a Self-Certification of Boiler Removal (OP49) within 30 days. The fee is $45.

Fees and penalties

Late penalties apply to reports filed after the deadline but within 12 months of the inspection. A report filed more than 12 months after the inspection is treated as expired and carries the full $1,000 penalty per boiler, and you will need a new inspection for the current cycle. The rule caps late-filing penalties at $600 per boiler and sets a $1,000 penalty for failing to correct defects and file the affirmation of correction on time. The rule also says annual inspections must be at least six months apart.

Can a penalty be waived?

Waiver requests are filed in the Violations portal of DOB NOW: Safety. The rule allows waivers for situations such as:

• A new owner who took title, shown by a recorded deed, after the penalties were incurred.
• Property owned entirely by a government entity during the period.
• An owner in bankruptcy, with the petition and court decision.
• A one-time waiver for a small business (fewer than 100 employees) whose boiler serves only its own space, for a failure to file on or after November 20, 2022. Real estate, property management, construction and expediting businesses are not eligible.
• Device status, such as a boiler that was removed or disconnected, with proof.

You can also challenge a penalty within 30 days of the violation being served if you have proof of a timely inspection and filing, such as the filed report and DOB NOW tracking number.

When a boiler is dangerous

If an inspector finds a condition that threatens life or safety and requires shutting the boiler down, the inspector must notify DOB's boiler division immediately. During heat season a shutdown also triggers your duty to restore heat quickly, so line up a licensed contractor before you need one. If tenants report no heat, see what tenants can do when there is no heat to understand the complaints you may get.

Keep the year in order

Boiler, elevator, gas piping and facade filings all run on different cycles. The landlord compliance calendar pulls them together, and the elevator inspection rules and Local Law 152 gas piping guide cover the other two DOB filings most apartment buildings owe. To check whether a building has open boiler violations, search the address on Roofy's building lookup and read DOB violations explained.

This is general information, not legal advice. DOB's Boiler Unit can confirm requirements for your equipment.