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Zoning is a key tool for carrying out the city’s planning and land use policies. Zoning regulates land use and development, including what can be built, how large it can be built, and where it can be built.

You can learn more about existing zoning tools and terminology by visiting the Zoning Tools chapter and the DCP Glossary in the Zoning Handbook. You can also learn about any active land use initiatives.

The Zoning Help Desk is a resource available to the public to answer zoning questions Monday through Friday, 9:00am-12:00pm and 1:30-4:30pm: (212) 720-3291. Please leave a message with your inquiry, and Help Desk staff will return your call.

DCP’s website provides multiple resources for property owners to understand what they can develop on their property.

1. ZoLa is DCP’s web-based application that provides the public with up-to-date zoning and related information for every tax lot within New York City. From ZoLa, you can view information on the different types of zoning districts and what development is allowed there.
2. To find out what is currently being built on your block or in your neighborhood, contact the Department of Buildings.

As-of-right development complies with the regulations found in the Zoning Resolution and does not require any review by the Department of City Planning or any approval by the City Planning Commission  and the City Council. The Department of Buildings reviews the building plans to confirm compliance with the Zoning Resolution and the Building Code and issues building permits accordingly.

“Grandfathered” is the common term for a pre-existing building or use on a property that is exempt from complying with or conforming to a new zoning regulation. 

The FAR is a factor used to calculate how much floor area can be built in a development relative to the size of the lot. You can learn more about FAR here: DCP Glossary.

First, use ZoLa to determine the specific zoning district of the address you are concerned about. Once you know the specific zoning district, you can find what uses are permitted in Residential, Commercial or Manufacturing districts by looking in our online use groups chart, or in the Use Sections of the Zoning Resolution: Residence Districts in Section 22-10, et seq., Commercial Districts in Section 32-10, et seq., and Manufacturing Districts in Section 42-10, et seq.

The estimated date of construction (found in ZoLa) will help in determining whether the building pre-dates the zoning regulations and may reflect a “grandfathered” building or use.

Additionally, a block or lot could be divided into two or more zoning districts wherein different uses or building forms are permitted.  It is also possible that the building was the subject of a discretionary approval by the City Planning Commission for a waiver of the applicable zoning regulations. You can check whether this is the case by visiting ZAP (Zoning Application Portal), which is DCP’s online land use application records.

Some land use changes are not permitted as-of-right and require action by the City Planning Commission and, in some cases, the City Council. These actions are categorized as Special Permits or Authorizations. Some more limited special permits are reviewed by another agency, the Board of Standards and Appeals.

Zoning district changes, or rezonings, can be proposed by private citizens, city agencies, or elected officials. The proposed changes need to have a rational land use basis and make sense in the context of the surrounding uses and the built environment. Zoning changes must follow the Uniform Land Use Review Process Procedure (ULURP). This process includes review by and input from the affected community board(s), the Borough President, and the general public. The City Planning Commission and, ultimately, the City Council decide whether to approve the zoning change. The community boards and the City Planning Commission are required to hold public hearings, and the Borough President and the City Council have the option to do so.

Check ZoLa to see if your property is in a residence, commercial or manufacturing district. To determine if signs are allowed in your zoning district, as well as the permitted location and size of signs and if they can be illuminated or flashing, refer to the following sections of the Zoning Resolution, as applicable:

Residence Districts:              22-30
Commercial Districts:            32-60
Manufacturing Districts:         42-50

For information on ULURP approvals (including special permits and rezonings) by the City Planning Commission since 1977, visit our online Zoning Application Portal (ZAP). ZAP will also indicate whether and how the City Council ultimately voted on the action.  You can search by entering known Land Use Application information, or by entering geographical information such as the Tax Block number (which you can find by entering the address in ZoLa).  If a building was constructed prior to 1977 and may have received a special permit prior to this date, contact the Zoning Help Desk at (212) 720-3291. 

A list of City Planning Commission reports from 1938 to the present is also available in a database, searchable by community district, vote date, project name and ULURP number. 

An E-designation means that the property was the subject of a zoning action or zoning change and that there are environmental requirements related to possible impacts from air, noise or hazardous materials. These potential environmental conditions would need to be addressed before the property could be redeveloped. The E-designation program exists to safeguard the new users of properties that are near potentially harmful sources of noise or air pollution or that had a history of heavy commercial or industrial use and could potentially contain hazardous materials. For example, the redevelopment of former gas stations would require the removal of the underground gasoline storage tanks and the removal of contaminated soil. Other E-designations may involve requirements to mitigate ambient noise conditions from nearby elevated trains or industrial sources. For more information, visit our E-Designation ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ page.

NYC Dept. of City Planning
ATTN: ZONING VERIFICATION LETTER
120 Broadway, 31st Floor
New York, NY 10271

Requests must also include the address, borough, and tax block and lot numbers (such numbers can be found by entering the address in ZoLa). Please allow 10 business days from the time the fee submission is received for the issuance of the zoning verification letter.

Contact the DCP FOIL officer.

Consult the Department of Building’s Buildings Information System webpage .

You can learn more about the transfer of development rights by visiting the DCP Glossary.

• A non-conforming use is any existing use that no longer conforms to one or more of the use regulations of the applicable zoning district, typically due to a zoning district change. Although non-conforming uses may remain (i.e., they are “grandfathered”), a change in the use is regulated to prevent an increase in the degree of non-conformance.
• A non-complying building is any existing building that no longer complies with one or more of the bulk regulations of the applicable zoning district, typically due to a zoning district change. Although non-complying buildings may remain (i.e., they are “grandfathered”), a change in the bulk of the building (for example height, setback, floor area), is regulated to prevent an increase in the degree of non-compliance.

Visit the Retrofit Accelerator, a one-stop resource from the City of New York that helps building owners and operators make energy and water efficiency upgrades that can reduce operating costs and increase sustainability.

Renovations that do not involve enlarging your house or adding a dwelling unit can usually proceed by consulting an architect or a contractor, who may need to file plans for extensive renovations with the Department of Buildings.

If you are considering enlarging your house or adding a dwelling unit, first visit ZoLa to determine what the zoning district is for your property. Then, check the Zoning Handbook for the permitted floor area ratio of your relevant zoning district and compare that with the floor area ratio of your building to check if there is any room for an enlargement. You should consult a licensed professional, such as an architect, engineer, land use attorney or contractor to develop plans for the renovation or the enlargement of your house. A licensed professional will need to submit plans to the Department of Buildings on your behalf before any necessary construction permits could be issued.

Generally, you do not need permission from the City to remove a tree on your property. However, if your property is in the Special Hillsides Preservation District (Staten Island), the Special Natural Area District (portions of Staten Island and the Bronx), or the Special South Richmond Development District (Staten Island) then removing trees and other natural features may require discretionary approval. Call the City Planning Borough Office in Staten Island or the Bronx to find out. You can also visit the Department of Parks and Recreation for information on street trees and plantings on sidewalks.

In residence districts, the maximum height of a fence constructed along a front lot line is four feet above ground level. The maximum height of a fence along the side or rear lot line is six feet. In most instances, fences are considered permitted obstructions within yards.

This information is available on ZoLa under the “Landmark” option in “Show Zoning & Related Data on Map.” Any further information regarding landmarks and historic districts can be obtained from the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission at (212) 669-7700.

To determine if you are eligible to apply for a sidewalk café permit, visit ZoLa and click on “Show Zoning & Related Data on Map.” Select the option “Sidewalk Café Zoning Regulations” under “Other Zoning Designations.”

If you need further assistance, call the Zoning Help Desk at (212) 720-3291. To obtain an actual permit, contact the Department of Consumer Affairs at (212) 504-4115.

Community facilities are allowed as-of-right in most residence and commercial districts and by special permit in others.  Learn the specific zoning district of your block by visiting ZoLa. Once you know the zoning district, you can find the use regulations for Residence Districts in Section 22-10, Commercial Districts in Section 32-10, and Manufacturing Districts in Section  42-10.