New York City law requires the installation and maintenance of smoke, carbon monoxide, and natural gas detectors. Both property owners and tenants have responsibilities to ensure that all New Yorkers remain safe in their homes from the dangers of smoke inhalation, carbon monoxide, and gas poisoning (carbon monoxide natural gas are odorless and highly toxic gases).
Click a topic, or press the enter key on a topic, to reveal its answer.
Required Detectors
Smoke: Owners of all multiple dwellings (Class A and Class B Multiple Dwellings) are required to provide and install at least one approved and operational smoke detector within each dwelling unit.
Carbon monoxide: Owners of all multiple dwellings (Class A and Class B Multiple Dwellings) and one- and two-family homes (non-owner occupied) that have fossil fuel burning devices are required to provide and install at least one approved and operational carbon monoxide detector within each dwelling unit.
Natural gas: Owners of all multiple dwellings (Class A and Class B Multiple Dwellings) and one- and two-family homes (non-owner occupied) that have gas piping are required to provide and install at least one approved and operational natural gas detector pursuant to the requirements of the New York City Building Code.
Owners may install a device that combines smoke, carbon monoxide and gas detecting capabilities instead of three separate devices. When detectors are combined, the alarms' installation must conform to applicable requirements to be compliant.
Exemptions: There will be a process through which you may file for an exemption from some of the above requirements under the circumstances outlined below. More information will be provided on this later this year.
Device and Notification Requirements: Summary
Requirements | Smoke Detector | Carbon Monoxide Detector if the building has fossil fuel (gas or oil) burning devices |
Natural Gas Detector if the building has natural gas piping |
---|---|---|---|
Install within fifteen feet of the primary entrance to each room lawfully used for sleeping purposes in Class A multiple dwelling (3 or more units) | Yes | Yes | Yes, if there is a fuel-gas burning appliance in the room. |
Install within fifteen feet of the primary entrance to each room lawfully used for sleeping purposes in Class B multiple dwellings or provide and install a line operated zoned detecting system with central annunciation for all public corridors and spaces | Yes | Yes | Yes, if there is a fuel-gas burning appliance in the room. |
Install within fifteen feet of the primary entrance to each room lawfully used for sleeping purposes in Class A private dwelling (1-2 family home non-owner occupied) | No | Yes | No |
Install in area where the fossil fuel burning device or natural gas burning device is located | NA | Install in every dwelling unit in a building that contains a fossil fuel burning device. | Yes |
End of life alarm required as part of the detector | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Never paint over detectors | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Replace periodically upon the expiration of its useful life or when it has been stolen, removed, is missing, or rendered inoperable before a new tenant moves in if the prior tenant did not replace it. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Replace within 30 days if it becomes inoperable within one year of installation due to a defect and no fault to the occupant | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Upon installation, provide a notice to at least one adult occupant of each dwelling unit regarding the testing and maintenance of the smoke detector, the carbon monoxide detector, and, if necessary, the natural gas detector, including general information concerning carbon monoxide poisoning and what to do if an alarm goes off, that carbon monoxide detectors have a useful life limitation, and that the owner has a duty to replace such alarms upon the expiration of such useful life. If natural gas detectors are required to be installed, then a similar notice must be provided regarding natural gas |
Yes | Yes | Yes, if natural gas detectors are required to be installed. |
Posting notice required (see below for samples of each or combined notices) in the entrance area of the building (multiple dwellings only) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
May charge the tenant per device type for initial installation (combine charges for combined devices) (excluding class B buildings) as follows:
|
Yes | Yes | Yes |
Record Keeping Regarding Installation and Maintenance
Record Keeping: Detectors | Smoke | Carbon Monoxide | Natural Gas |
---|---|---|---|
Date notice posted in the building | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Date device installed for each unit, common area or area where the fossil fuel burning device or natural gas burning device is located | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Expiration date of the manufacturer's suggested useful life of each device | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Smoke, Carbon Monoxide, and Natural Gas Posting Notices
Property owners are required to post notices regarding carbon monoxide and natural gas detectors in Class A Multiple Dwellings and one- and two-family homes and smoke detectors in Class A Multiple Dwellings only. A combined smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and natural gas notice may also be posted.
Tenant Responsibilities
Tenants are responsible for maintaining any of the above devices:
Tenants are required to pay for the initial installation of devices: