Revocable Consents

If you intend to install a structure on, under, or over a City street or sidewalk, you must petition for a revocable consent from the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT). This page gives an overview of revocable consents and the revocable consent review process. DOT will only grant revocable consents for certain types of improvements.

The revocable consent approval process, including any necessary Public Design Commission or Landmarks Preservation Commission review, of above-ground structures generally takes one year. The review process is formally described in the Rules Relating to Revocable Consents.

What is a Revocable Consent?

A revocable consent is the grant of a right to an individual or organization to construct and maintain certain structures on, over, or under the inalienable property (streets and sidewalks) of the City. Generally, revocable consents are granted for a term of ten years, at the end of which time they may be renewed. As the name implies, the City retains the right to revoke a revocable consent at any time.

Revocable consents are generally for the sole use and benefit of the applicant, who in most cases is required to own or lease the property that is benefited by the structure. A revocable consent cannot be issued for the purpose of generating revenue. The revocable consent cannot be sublet, assigned, or transferred without the prior written approval of DOT.

DOT only issues certain types of revocable consents as listed above. Revocable Consents for sidewalk cafes are granted by the Department of Consumer Affairs.

There is an annual charge for all revocable consents, except security structures approved by NYPD.

Petitioning for a New Revocable Consent

To petition for a new revocable consent, you must first submit the following forms and documents:

Initial Submission (Documents Required): Final Submission (Additional Documents Required):

Petition Forms

There are several types of petition forms depending upon your needs. Please choose from one of the options below: Translations of NYC DOT Licenses, Permit Applications & Registrations

Plan

Your petition must be accompanied by a plan drawn by a professional engineer or registered architect licensed by the State of New York. Plan requirements are spelled out in the Rules Relating to Revocable Consents and the plan review checklist.

Filing Fees

Filing fees range from $100 to $750, depending on the type of proposed structure. A complete schedule of the filing fees for revocable consent applications appears in the Rules Relating to Revocable Consents.

Petition Review

Upon receiving a complete petition for a revocable consent, DOT will immediately distribute it to the appropriate City agencies for review. If an agency objects to a proposed revocable consent structure, changes to the plans may be required in order to rectify the cause of the objection. However, such objections are fairly unusual, and almost never result in the rejection of a petition.

The Department of City Planning may determine through their review that a proposed revocable consent requires land use review pursuant to the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP). If ULURP is needed, the petitioner will be required to complete any of the additional paperwork and submit the petition for ULURP review, which in most cases takes approximately six months.

Most above-ground structures require the approval of the New York City Public Design Commission. Structures proposed within a designated New York City Historic District or adjacent to a designated New York City Landmark require the approval of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. DOT will provide you with guidance in obtaining these approvals when necessary.

DOT will also check to see if the applicant has any outstanding warrants, liens or unpaid taxes. If applicable, DOT will also check to see if a business is registered with the New York Secretary of State and licensed to do business within the State of New York.

Public Hearing

Once all the documents are received, DOT and other agencies will review them. Following document review, a public hearing will be held by DOT. Public hearings, required by law, are held on the last Wednesday of each month at 2PM. Petitioners are not required to attend.

A notice of the hearing is published by DOT, at the expense of the petitioner. Notice will be posted in one daily newspaper and one local area newspaper. The combined cost of these advertisements varies may be as high as $1200.

If no issues arise at the hearing or during the subsequent 10-day comment period, DOT will prepare a revocable consent agreement and send it to the petitioner for their signature. The signed and sealed agreement (original and copies) along with all required documentation, should be returned by the petitioner within two weeks. The agreement will then be executed by DOT, sent to the Mayor for approval and registered with the New York City Comptroller.

Paying for a Revocable Consent Online

DOT accepts online electronic payments for annual revocable consent fees. To take advantage of the secure, paperless payment service, you must know your DOT account number, which is listed on your invoice. If you don't have your invoice, please contact DOT at 212-839-6550 or franchisepay@dot.nyc.gov. To set up the electronic payment service you will also need to have your bank routing number and your bank account number handy. Click on the link below to access the electronic payment service.

PAY YOUR REVOCABLE CONSENT FEE ONLINE NOW