In the City of New York, most applications to do construction must be filed with the Department of Buildings by a New York State licensed Professional Engineer (PE) or Registered Architect (RA). Most applications require the submission of plans along with forms. The plans and forms are usually submitted to the Department on behalf of the building owner.

Once an application to do construction work has been approved, a contractor can apply for a building permit to begin the work. All contractors are required to have insurance, but not all are required to be licensed.

For detailed information on the application and permit process see our Applications and Permits section, How to File an Application and Get a Permit. For information on checking the status of an application or an applicant on the Buildings Information System please review the  Application Status (96 kb) and List of Jobs Filed by Applicant pages. 

The Department also reviews applications related to materials and equipment. See Materials and Equipment Acceptance (“MEA”) Unit to learn about its review process. See Cranes and Derricks Unit to learn about its approval process.