PROPERTY & BUILDING RECORDS
How I research a property before design begins and why one NYC database is never enough.
Architects and design firms are typically among the first consultants engaged for an alteration or new development project. There are many factors to consider before entering the regulatory filing process. PRIOR to jumping into schematic design, I use the public resources below to establish the building history and prepare a realistic filing strategy.
The practical rule is simple: do not rely on one record, one map, or one Certificate of Occupancy. NYC information is divided between current and legacy systems. I cross-reference the property address, BIN, Borough-Block-Lot, zoning map, Certificate of Occupancy, approved applications, permits, violations, and agency restrictions before drawing conclusions.
QUICK ANSWER
Start with the correct BIN and BBL, then use BOTH BIS and the DOB NOW Public Portal. Cross-reference those results with ZoLa, the Department of Finance Property Information Portal, the latest valid Certificate of Occupancy or Schedule of Occupancy, and any available approved drawings. A tax map or online dimension is useful for preliminary review but is NOT a substitute for a current survey.
KEY TERMS - RECORDS
BIN: Building Identification Number
A tax lot may contain more than one building and therefore more than one BIN.
BBL: Borough, Block, and Lot
The Department of Finance tax-lot identifier.
Zoning lot:
The tract of land used for zoning calculations. It may contain one tax lot or multiple tax lots.
BIS: Building Information System
The legacy Property Records & Profile, still needed for older applications, permits, violations, and records.
DOB NOW: Public Portal
DOB’s current online environment for many filings, permits, Certificates of Occupancy, and related requests.
C of O / CO: Certificate of Occupancy.
It states the approved use, occupancy, egress, stories, and other legal conditions of a building.
OVERVIEW
A property search is not just a data-gathering exercise. It is the first code and filing decision. Selecting the wrong BIN can place an application under the wrong building. Relying on the wrong Certificate of Occupancy can lead the design team to assume a use or occupant load that was never approved. Missing a landmark, environmental, transit, or waterfront restriction can add another agency review after the project schedule has already been established. I treat the information as evidence that needs to agree. If ZoLa, DOF, BIS, DOB NOW, the survey, and the Certificate of Occupancy do not match, I identify the conflict early and determine which record controls the proposed filing.
PRACTICAL REVIEW SEQUENCE
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Confirm the address, borough, BIN, and BBL. Search by BIN when possible because one building may have several addresses, while one lot may contain several buildings.
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Review ZoLa for the zoning district, commercial overlay, special purpose district, limited-height district, zoning map, landmark information, environmental designations, waterfront conditions, and other mapped controls.
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Review the Department of Finance Property Information Portal for the tax lot, assessment and ownership-related information, tax-map history, lot mergers or subdivisions, and recorded changes. Use a survey for legal dimensions and boundary work.
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Search BOTH BIS and the DOB NOW Public Portal. DOB NOW filings do not appear in BIS, and many legacy records remain in BIS. Review jobs, permits, complaints, violations, equipment records, and application status in the system where each record lives.
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Identify the latest valid Certificate of Occupancy, Temporary Certificate of Occupancy, or Schedule of Occupancy. When no Certificate of Occupancy exists, determine whether the building is lawfully occupied based on its age and approved record history and whether a Letter of No Objection may be appropriate.
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Pull the applications and approved plans that matter to the proposed scope. If online records are incomplete, consider a records request for pre-BIS folders, microfilm, or other archived material.
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List every agency or restriction that may affect approval, then build those dependencies into the project schedule before design is advanced.
PROJECT CONDITIONS & TYPICAL DIRECTION
More than one BIN on the lot
Verify the physical building that contains the work. Filing under the wrong BIN may require correction, withdrawal, or a new filing.
No Certificate of Occupancy
Do not assume the use is illegal. Review the construction date and record history; pre-1938 buildings may have lawful occupancy without a CO when later work did not require one.
Several Certificates of Occupancy
Confirm which document is current and whether later Certificates apply to the entire building or only part of it.
ZoLa and survey do not match
Treat ZoLa as a research tool. Use a current title or architectural survey and resolve zoning-lot and boundary issues before final calculations.
Legacy and current filings
Use BIS for legacy history and DOB NOW for current digital filings. Neither system alone provides the complete record.
Agency restrictions
Coordinate required approvals such as LPC, OER, DEP, FDNY, DOT, MTA/Transit, or waterfront review when the property and scope trigger them.
CURRENT ITEMS TO CHECK
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Correct BIN, BBL, address range, and community district
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Zoning district, overlay, special district, and zoning-map changes
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Latest valid CO/TCO or Schedule of Occupancy
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Open and closed BIS and DOB NOW jobs
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Active permits, complaints, DOB/OATH violations, and stop-work orders
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Landmark, environmental, flood, transit, waterfront, or other agency flags
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Approved plans that establish lawful existing conditions
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Survey date, lot dimensions, easements, declarations, zoning-lot documents, and ACRIS records where relevant
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Should I search BIS or DOB NOW?
Both. DOB directs users to search both systems because DOB NOW jobs do not appear in BIS and legacy records remain in BIS.
Can I use the tax-map dimensions for a zoning analysis?
They may help with preliminary research, but DOF states that its GIS information is not a substitute for engineering drawings or surveys. Final zoning and legal-boundary work should use appropriate survey documentation.
What if the building has no Certificate of Occupancy?
Review the building’s age and approved history. Some pre-1938 buildings may be lawfully occupied without a CO, but a Letter of No Objection or other documentation may be needed for a specific use or transaction.
Why is the BIN so important?
The BIN identifies the building, while the BBL identifies the tax lot. On multi-building lots, the wrong BIN can connect the filing to the wrong structure.
Need Help Confirming the Right Code Path?
3C Codes can help review the building history, identify the applicable filing path, and organize the code logic before drawings are submitted. The goal is not just to find a code section; it is to build a DOB-ready compliance strategy that matches the project scope and the building's approved history.