DOB
Compliance — what it controls, and what it wants from youNew York City Department of Buildings does not build anything and does not award construction contracts. It is the building-code, permit and licensing regulator, and it controls building permits, construction codes, contractor licenses, site safety and inspection rules. That makes it a gate rather than a customer: get it wrong and the job you wanted is gone before anyone reads your number.
Who this applies to
Building contractors and licensed trades working in New York City.
What you have to do
DOB NOW accounts plus trade license and permit requirements that apply to the job.
What firms get wrong
Use DOB for code and permit rules; use the owner's contract for project insurance limits.
Who is pulling permits and for whom: Permits.
This is a plain-language guide to a public rule, not legal advice. The controlling text is the rule itself and the contract you signed.
The rest of the rules: how to bid in New York. The owners who actually award the work: agencies.