Digest

Dear DOB Community:

I'm excited to share the first DOB NOW Digest of 2019! We are dedicated to making this digest a helpful tool to learn about upcoming activity, get tips for using our systems and provide more opportunities to address the needs of our stakeholders. Today we are sharing some of the new features arriving in May and other updates to help you make the most of your DOB NOW experience.

 New Features Arriving May 2, 2019

Enhancements to Place of Assembly (PA) and Temporary Place of Assembly (TPA) filings

Based on industry feedback, we are making a number of improvements to the PA and TPA filings. The Delegated Associate (either a Filing Representative Class II or another design professional) will be able to enter data, handle objections and appointments, as well as upload plans and documents. Other improvements include increasing the number that can be entered in the Maximum Occupancy field.

For TPAs, applicants will be able to make changes to the event dates even if the review has started. Additionally, the TR Inspection (emergency lighting) requirement is being eliminated, which will reduce the number of steps to request a Temporary Place of Assembly Certificate of Operation (TPACO).

Making it easier to extend permits for Elevator filings

By updating your insurance and license information before the permit expires, you can keep all elevator permits active in DOB NOW: Build. See below for more information about how permits will expire.

 All You Need to Know About Permit Expiration Dates

Permits issued in DOB NOW: Build have an expiration date that is the earliest of:

  • Insurances expiration (general liability, disability, or workers' compensation)

  • License expiration

  • One year from date of permit issuance

If the permit expiration date is less than one year from date of issuance because of expiration of insurance or the license, it is extended automatically at no cost if the insurance or license is renewed before the expiration date.

To get the automatic permit extension, renewal information must be submitted in advance to the DOB Licensing Unit to ensure sufficient time for processing. (See instructions to submit new insurance certificates and license renewal information.) If there is a lapse in insurance or license, then the licensee will need to renew the permit and pay the $100 fee. For permits that expire because it has been more than one year since the date of issuance, the licensee must also continue to renew and pay the $100 fee.

 A Quicker, Cleaner and Smarter Summons

In August 2018, DOB began a pilot Mobile Electronic Violations program to replace handwritten OATH summonses and DOB violations with electronic forms that are generated onsite by the inspector using a wireless printer. The goal of the pilot was to streamline the creation of violations/summonses for DOB inspectors and to make sure respondents received an accurate, clear, easy to read document with steps to take corrective action. After a successful pilot program, DOB has started rolling out this technology across the agency. We are reducing the amount of data entry errors and more importantly the amount of time it takes to make the data publicly available, in some cases from weeks to just 2 days.

View the new format. The process for respondents to cure conditions and respond to violations has not changed and the violation and summons information is still available in the Buildings Information System (BIS).

 Upcoming Releases

DOB NOW: Build ━ Mechanical Systems (MS) filings ━ launches July 2019

DOB NOW: Build ━ Structural (ST) filings ━ launches July 2019

More information will be coming soon regarding these releases. Until then, please continue to review DOB NOW training and support information that is available on the website. If you have questions or comments, please use the DOB NOW Help Form.

Best,


Archana Jayaram
Deputy Commissioner of Strategic Planning and Policy

build safe | live safe

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