DOB NOW filing: from preparation to closeout

Start with the filing system and property

DOB NOW and BIS coexist. Research the property's current records and legacy filings before deciding which application or follow-up action is needed. Use the BIN for the building and the borough, block, and lot for the tax lot; they describe different things.

For your own working checklist, record the address, source system, job number, filing number, and date checked. A screenshot without that context can become difficult to interpret when several applications are active at the same property.

Confirm job type and scope before entering forms

New Building, Alteration-CO, and Alteration are distinct filing paths. Older Alt-1 and Alt-2 terminology still appears in legacy records. Do not choose a path from an old label alone: the responsible professional should confirm the scope and Certificate of Occupancy implications against DOB's current instructions.

Separate the job type from its work types. Keep one agreed scope summary that the filing team can compare with the drawings, cost estimate, and inspection selections. Record unresolved decisions rather than letting different people silently make different assumptions.

Prepare a coordinated filing package

The Plans/Work section, cost information, technical reports, and documents should describe the same proposed work. The guides below explain how to organize the PW1, PW3, and TR1 review; they do not replace the instructions for a particular filing type.

• Confirm the property identifiers and the floors where work is proposed.
• Assign the applicant, filing representative, owner, and other parties to their actual roles.
• Compare the scope, work types, occupancy information, and drawings.
• Reconcile the cost breakdown where a PW3 is required.
• Have the responsible professionals review technical reports and supporting documents.
• Have each authorized party complete their own statements and required actions in DOB NOW.

Check the applicable fee basis

There is no single fee formula for every DOB NOW job. DOB's PW3 fee factsheet distinguishes construction-cost and construction-floor-area bases and identifies when a PW3 is required. Use the current schedule and the actual application details before quoting a city filing fee.

In a project budget, separate agency charges from the construction estimate, consultant fees, and software subscriptions. Keep a record of the calculation assumptions and reconcile the estimate with the amount assessed in the official system.

Track milestones instead of promising a permit date

Review time depends on the application, completeness, review path, agency workload, and the work needed to address comments. This guide does not claim a standard number of days for approval or an objection cycle.

A useful team tracker separates preparation, submission, review comments, response preparation, approval, permit work, inspections, and closeout. For each stage, record the current evidence, the next action, its owner, and the last time the official status was checked.

A consistency check before submission

These are suggested internal checks, not a measured ranking of DOB rejection causes. Ask a second person to compare the package across documents rather than reading each form in isolation.

• Do the drawings and filing describe the same work areas and scope?
• Are existing and proposed occupancy details consistently labeled?
• Do the cost rows reconcile with the applicable declared total?
• Are inspection responsibilities reviewed rather than copied from an unrelated project?
• Are supporting documents current and attached to the correct filing?

Questions and answers

Official sources and scope

• NYC DOB: DOB NOW Build FAQs
• NYC DOB: Project application submission
• NYC DOB: PW3 fee structure factsheet

This is general preparation guidance, not a determination for a specific project. Agency requirements can change. Use the current source instructions and the responsible professional's review. See our editorial approach or report a correction.