New York City Permit Lookup — Direct Portal Deep-Link
DOB BIS — the Buildings Information System — is the legacy system of record for NYC construction filings, permits, inspections, ECB violations, and Certificates of Occupancy. It covers all five boroughs by Borough/Block/Lot (BBL) and Building Identification Number (BIN). For post-migration filings, pair this with DOB NOW. We deep-link the canonical BIS entry point below.
Opens on a810-bisweb.nyc.gov — official NYC.gov subdomain.
What you can look up
BIS lets you query by address, BIN, or BBL. Each property record surfaces every Job filing, every permit pulled, every inspection outcome, every ECB violation (with hearings, fines, and settlement status), and the full C of O chain. For multifamily properties, BIS also surfaces the Multiple Dwelling Registration and HPD cross-references. The most underused feature is the “Actions” tab on a Job — it shows every plan-examiner objection and every responding amendment, which is where you find evidence that work was substantially redesigned during plan check. For pre-1990 records, BIS coverage is patchy; the DOB Records Room at 280 Broadway holds paper microfilm.
How to read NYC permit codes
NYC filings start with a 9-digit Job Number. The first digit is borough: 1 Manhattan, 2 Bronx, 3 Brooklyn, 4 Queens, 5 Staten Island. Job Type tells you what was filed: NB (New Building), A1 (Alteration Type 1 — major work, often C of O changes), A2 (Alteration Type 2 — multiple work types, no C of O change), A3 (Alteration Type 3 — single minor work item), DM (Demolition), SG (Sign), FA (Foundation Earthwork). Permit subtypes nest below the Job: PL (plumbing), EQ (elevator/ equipment), BL (boiler), MH (mechanical), FA (fire alarm), SD (sprinkler/standpipe). Status reads as P (permit issued), I (in process), R (renewed), X (signed off / complete), Q (suspended). A C of O search returns the temporary or final certificate — temporary CofOs are common and do expire, forcing renewal cycles every 90 days until conditions clear.
Red flags to watch for
The single biggest NYC red flag is open ECB violationson a Job that has no corresponding final sign-off. ECB fines compound and become liens on the property — buyers inherit them. Look for multiple “FAILED” inspections on a Job that nonetheless shows “PA” (Permit Authorized) status — it means the licensed Professional “self-certified” the work, and DOB later audited or re-inspected. Second: illegal SROs and basement apartments. A C of O that says “1 Family” with three meters and three mailboxes outside is a code-enforcement file waiting to open. Third: expired temporary C of Os — common in condo conversions; the building may technically not be legal to occupy. Fourth: a recent Stop Work Order (SWO) that was rescinded but never re-inspected. Fifth, on multifamily, cross-check HPD Online — buildings can be DOB-clean but HPD distressed (lead, mold, harassment cases). Sixth: jobs filed by revoked or suspended Registered Architects or Professional Engineers — DOB publishes the disciplinary list.
Questions LA homeowners actually ask
No. BIS is the legacy system — it covers job filings made before DOB NOW migration (varies by work type and borough). DOB NOW: Build / Inspections / Safety covers newer filings. For comprehensive history on a property, you almost always need to check both BIS and DOB NOW. The link on this page goes to BIS; switch to DOB NOW (a810-dobnow.nyc.gov) for post-migration filings.
AskBaily does not scrape DOB BIS
We have no DOB database mirror, no permit cache, no scraped dataset. The deep-link above is the entire integration — the homeowner reads the NYC DOB record on the NYC DOB system. That is the only way to know what is actually on file.
Last reviewed 2026-04-24.