DOB

The Department of Buildings administers the construction side of New York City real estate: it reviews and approves construction plans, issues permits and certificates of occupancy, licenses construction trades, conducts inspections, and issues violations when buildings or work sites break the rules. Its records are among the most heavily consulted municipal records in property diligence — permit history reveals what has been legally altered, open violations reveal unresolved compliance problems, and the certificate of occupancy defines a building's legal use and occupancy.

DOB enforcement intersects with other tribunals: many DOB-issued violations are adjudicated through OATH hearings, and unresolved violations can block new permits or certificates. A building's DOB record is, in effect, its regulatory biography.