After the Department of Buildings approves your application and plans, changes are common as the job progresses. There may be a minor change in the work or you may discover you need to correct an error in your initial filing.
The Department requires applicants to maintain a current and accurate record of their jobs by filing Post-Approval Amendments (PAAs) for these changes. This fact sheet will help you file PAAs correctly to speed you through the amendment process and keep your construction project on schedule.
If you are changing the applicant name or the name of the filing representative, you must file a PW1 form but a PAA is not required
If you are making a minor plan change that does not change any information on the PW1, you file an AI-1 (Additional Information) form instead of submitting a PAA
It is no longer necessary to file a PAA to amend certain Schedule B fixture counts.
Significant changes to the scope of work or approved plan will require the submission of a PAA, amending the plans and revising the Schedule B before the sign-off of the plumbing work type
An applicant may file one PAA at the end of a job to account for significant changes noted at the time of inspection
This initiative does not change any code or Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) requirements. This initiative shall not apply to the following work types:
Gas (PL)
Medical (PL)
Fire Standpipe (SD)
Sprinkler (SP) *
Sprinkler(PL) *
*Except for the relocation/replacement of existing sprinkler heads up to a maximum of 30 Heads.
The addition or removal of fixtures must be related to the work filed on the approved plans. It cannot be in an unrelated open area or space The Licensed Master Plumber (LMP) shall ensure the adequacy of pipe sizing for the added load. All work must be Code compliant.
For Schedule A changes, certain Schedule B changes, and scope of work changes, you must file a PAA. Before you do, follow these simple steps to save time and effort:
Look in BISWeb for the initial document.
Verify the current information on the initial document.
Check for open PAAs in BISWeb.
Use the Document Overview screen in BISWeb to check for PAAs that have been filed but have not been approved and therefore, are not yet reflected in the initial document.
All related PAAs must be approved or withdrawn before you submit a new PAA. Related refers to PAAs affecting the same work-type on the same document.
Approve, withdraw or edit open related PAAs.
Once a PAA is filed to make a Schedule A or Schedule B change on a particular work-type on a particular document, no subsequent PAA to change the same work-type on the same document may be submitted until the first PAA is approved (or withdrawn). However, changes can now be consolidated into the open PAA.
Approve open PAAs before opening new PAAs to avoid confusion and loss of data: See Section C-8 on page 2
Withdraw open PAAs: To withdraw a PAA, first pay the $100.00 PAA fee at the Cashier counter. Complete the PW-1: select the "Withdrawal" option in the "Changes" section and indicate reason for withdrawal in Section 16-Comments. Submit the PW-1.
Edit open PAAs: Follow the steps described in Section C on page 2 for filing a PAA. No additional fee will be charged to edit open PAAs.
1. Complete the PW1
Tip: To optimize the new PAA edit feature for Schedule B changes, list all Schedule B work-types (PL, SD & SP) on your first Schedule B PAA even if you are not making a change to all work-types. This will enable you to make subsequent Schedule B edits without filing a new PAA.
Tip: If you are filing a PAA to correct an Environmental Control Board (ECB) violation for work contrary to plans, include the ECB violation number in Section 16. For example: Per ECB # 34321359L, amending plans to show room addition.
2. Complete the appropriate schedules if the change affects information on the Schedule A and/or Schedule B.
3. Amend your plans if the change affects the plans.
Tip: Help the Department find your changes.
4. Proofread the amended forms and plans. Check for typos. Errors in your PAA application can delay data entry and approval.
Tip: Check the meter and riser counts, fixture counts and locations on the Schedule B, a common source of mistakes.
5. Submit your PAA application to the borough office.
6. Check BISWeb to verify that the PAA has been data entered correctly.
Note: If the job is fee deferred/exempt, the PAA is also fee deferred/exempt and you should skip #7 below.
Tip: Before approval the PAA document will ONLY reflect the items requested to be changed. Upon approval, the information on the PAA document will overwrite the original document.
- If the error is due to the Department's error, we will correct it so that BIS matches the paperwork submitted by the applicant.
- If the error is due to applicant error, the Department will require the applicant to submit new paperwork to correct the error. No additional fee will be charged providing the PAA in question is still open.
7. Pay the $100.00 PAA fee at the Cashier counter to obtain AP Entire status.
8. Request approval.
- Professionally certified jobs: Return to DEAR to obtain status of Approved. Check the original document to make sure that it has been overwritten with the amendment information. The PAA process is complete.
- Non-professionally certified jobs: Call the Department's Plan Exam appointment center through 311 to schedule a plan exam appointment. The PAA document must be in ‘AP Entire’ status in order to schedule a plan exam appointment. Exception: Fee deferred/exempt jobs will remain in PAA Fee Due status.
Note: You may not submit a PAA to amend Schedule A or Schedule B if a PAA amending Schedule A or Schedule B on the same document is pending.
For example, you submitted a PAA to amend the Schedule A on Document #1 (OT work-type). While that PAA is open, you may not submit another PAA amending the OT work-type on Document #1. You must withdraw or approve the Schedule A (OT) PAA.
DOB NOW is an interactive, web-based portal that enables building owners, design professionals, filing representatives, and licensees to do all business with DOB online. One of the benefits of filing online is that you can file from your computer and do not have to come to DOB.
The Applicant of Record can file a Post Approval Amendment (PAA) when the approved Scope of Work needs to be updated.
The following rules apply to PAA filings in DOB NOW: Build:
Only one PAA can be in progress at a time.
A PAA can only be filed by an Applicant of Record.
A PAA must be filed by the same Applicant of Record as the original filing.
The description of the changes must be entered in Plans/Work (PW1) tab – Comments.
A flat, one-time fee of $100 is charged when a new PAA is filed.
An increase or decrease in the estimated job cost results in a recalculation of fees.
When a PAA is filed, the following fields are NOT editable:
Filing Review Type (e.g. Standard Plan Examination to Professional Certification)
Application/Location Address
Work on Floors (e.g. Location details)
Applicant of Record Information
Owner Information
Building Type
Step 1: Log In to DOB NOW: Build
Step 2: Locate Job Filing
Step 3: Upload Required Documents
Step 4: Obtain Attestation
Step 5: Submit payment
Step 6: Preview to File
Step 7: Submit Job Filing
Step 8: Department Review and Approval