§ 12-06 Owner Responsibilities for CO Alarms for Class A Multiple Dwellings.
RCNY § 12-06
Pursuant to § 27-2045(b)(1)(b) of the Administrative Code of the City of New York, the owner of a Class A multiple dwelling that must be equipped with carbon monoxide detecting devices pursuant to section 915.1 of the New York city building code or §§ 27-981.1, 27-981.2 and 27-981.3 of the 1968 building code, and as prescribed by the Department of Buildings ("DOB") pursuant to 1 RCNY Chapter 900 must: (a) Provide and install one or more approved and operational CO alarms in each dwelling unit, provided that there must be installed at least one approved and operational CO alarm within 15 feet of the primary entrance to each room lawfully used for sleeping purposes, and replace such devices as necessary in accordance with Article 312 of Chapter 3 of Title 28 of the Administrative Code; (b) Post a notice in a form approved by the Commissioner of the Department of Housing Preservation and Development ("HPD" or "the Department") in a common area of a Class A multiple dwelling, readily visible and preferably in the area of the inspection certificate informing the occupants of such building that: (1) the owner is required by law to install one or more approved and operational CO alarms in each dwelling unit in the building within 15 feet of the primary entrance to each room lawfully used for sleeping purposes and to periodically replace such devices as necessary in accordance with Article 312 of Chapter 3 of Title 28 of the Administrative Code; (2) each occupant is responsible for the maintenance and repair of such alarms and for replacing any or all such alarms that are stolen, removed, missing, or rendered inoperable during the occupancy of such dwelling unit; and (3) the occupant of a dwelling unit in which a CO alarm is newly installed or in which a CO alarm is installed by the owner as a result of such occupant's failure to maintain such alarm or where such alarm has been lost or damaged by such occupant, or where such alarm is replaced upon the expiration of its useful life pursuant to Article 312 of Chapter 3 of Title 28 of the New York City Administrative Code, shall reimburse the owner in the amount of $25.00 per device for the cost of such work, or a maximum of $50.00 per device where a combined smoke and carbon monoxide detecting device or a combined carbon monoxide and natural gas detecting device is installed, or a maximum of $75.00 per device where a combined smoke, carbon monoxide and natural gas detecting device is installed, and such occupant shall have one year from the date of installation to make such reimbursement.
(4)A sample of an approved notice that may be used for CO alarms is made part of these regulations in 28 RCNY § 12-10 and may also be found on HPD's website at www.nyc.gov/HPD.
(5)For the notice otherwise required by this provision, an owner may, in lieu of such notice, post a single notice that incorporates and complies with this provision as well as the provisions of 28 RCNY § 12-01(b) and (c), 28 RCNY § 12-09.1(f) and 28 RCNY § 12-11(b). A sample of an approved single notice, the language of which may be used for compliance with this subdivision, is made part of these regulations in 28 RCNY § 12-12.1 and may also be found on HPD's website at www.nyc.gov/HPD. The single notice permitted by this subdivision may be posted digitally if it meets all of the requirements of subdivisions (c) and (d) of this section, except that such digital single notice may not include the notice required under 28 RCNY § 12-11(b), which must be posted in hard copy.
(6)The notice required by this subdivision must: (i) have letters not less than three-sixteenths of an inch in height; (ii) have lettering of bold type and be properly spaced to provide good legibility, and the background must be of contrasting colors; (iii) the notice shall be durable and shall be substantially secured to the common area where posted; (iv) be of metal, plastic, or decal; (v) have lighting sufficient to make the notice easily legible.
(c)For the notice required by subdivision (b) of this section, an owner may, in lieu of posting a physical notice that meets the requirements in paragraph (6) of such subdivision, install a digital sign that otherwise complies with subdivisions (b) and (d) of this section and with the requirements of 28 RCNY § 12-01(f), provided that, if the digital sign becomes inoperable, the owner must immediately display physical notices as described in this section until such time as the digital sign is made operable.
(d)If an owner installs a digital sign as allowed pursuant to subdivision (c) of this section, such owner must also install a digital sign as described in 28 RCNY § 12-01(e) (notice regarding smoke detecting devices), 28 RCNY § 12-09.1(f) (notice regarding natural gas detecting devices), 28 RCNY § 25-101(f) (notice regarding owner's right of access and requirements for notification), 28 RCNY § 25-201(c) (notice regarding collection and disposal of garbage), 28 RCNY § 46-01(b) (notice regarding housing information guide), 28 RCNY § 56-03(c) (notice regarding temperature reporting device), and 28 RCNY § 59-01(c) (notice regarding bedbug infestation).
(e)Replace any CO alarm that has been stolen, removed, found missing, or rendered inoperable during a prior occupancy of the dwelling unit and which has not been replaced by the prior occupant before the commencement of a new occupancy of the dwelling unit and replace such alarm upon the expiration of its useful life pursuant to Article 312 of Chapter 3 of Title 28 of the New York City Administrative Code; (f) Replace within 30 calendar days after receipt of written notice any such alarm that becomes inoperable within one year of the installation of such alarm due to a defect in the manufacture of such alarm through no fault of the occupant of the dwelling unit; (g) Provide written information regarding the testing and maintenance of CO alarms to at least one adult occupant of each dwelling unit, including, but not limited to, general information concerning carbon monoxide poisoning and what to do if a CO alarm goes off, that CO alarms have a useful life limitation and that the owner has a duty to replace such alarms upon the expiration of such useful life. Such information may include material that is distributed by the manufacturer or any material prepared or approved by DOB and must be provided at the time of installation; (h) Keep the following records, on the premises or in the business office of the owner or managing agent, relating to the installation and maintenance of CO alarms in the building: (1) date notice posted pursuant to 28 RCNY § 12-01(d) or 28 RCNY § 12-06(b) or installed pursuant to 28 RCNY § 12-06(c); (2) the expiration date of the manufacturer's suggested useful life of each such alarm; and (3) records showing that such devices meet the requirements of all applicable laws and rules. These records must be made available to the Commissioner of the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, the Department of Buildings ("DOB"), the Fire Department ("FDNY"), or the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene ("DOHMH") upon request. (Amended City Record 9/18/2017, eff. 10/18/2017; amended City Record 1/2/2026, eff. 2/1/2026)
