New York City Housing Maintenance Code § 27-2049 requires the owner of a dwelling to post and maintain the building's street number so that it is plainly visible from the sidewalk in front of the property.

The purpose of this requirement is to make sure that buildings can be quickly and accurately identified by emergency responders, City inspectors, residents, visitors, utility workers, and others approaching the property.

What NYC Housing Maintenance Code § 27-2049 Requires

Property owners are responsible for:

• Posting the correct street number on the building.
• Keeping the street number properly maintained.
• Making sure the number is plainly visible from the sidewalk.
• Replacing numbers that become missing, damaged, faded, painted over, or otherwise difficult to read.
• Making sure the street number complies with applicable NYC requirements concerning its size, location, visibility, and display.

Section § 27-2049 works together with NYC Administrative Code § 3-505, which establishes additional requirements for displaying street numbers.

Why Does NYC Require Street Numbers?

Street numbers are an important part of building identification and public safety.

During an emergency, FDNY firefighters, EMS personnel, and NYPD officers must be able to quickly identify the correct building. A missing, hidden, or difficult-to-read street number can delay responders when responding to a fire, medical emergency, gas leak, carbon monoxide condition, or other dangerous situation.

Clearly displayed street numbers also assist:

• FDNY and EMS emergency responders
• NYPD
• HPD inspectors
• DOB inspectors
• Utility and service personnel
• Tenants and visitors
• Delivery personnel

The basic principle is simple: a person approaching the property from the public street or sidewalk should be able to readily identify the building.

Street Number Size and Visibility

NYC requirements should be considered together rather than relying solely on Housing Maintenance Code § 27-2049.

Under applicable NYC Building Code and Fire Code address-identification provisions, street address characters are generally required to:

• Be at least 4 inches high
• Have a minimum 1/2-inch stroke width
• Contrast with the background on which they are mounted
• Be installed in a location where they are plainly visible from the street or other required frontage

Applicable borough rules and specific building conditions may impose additional or different requirements.

A street number should therefore not simply exist somewhere on the building. It should be clearly readable and readily identifiable from the public way.

Owners Must Maintain the Street Number

The language of § 27-2049 requires an owner to “post and maintain” the street number.

This creates an ongoing responsibility.

A street number that was originally installed correctly may become noncompliant if it is:

• Missing
• Broken or damaged
• Faded
• Painted over
• Obscured by construction or scaffolding
• Hidden behind vegetation or another object
• Difficult to distinguish from its background
• No longer plainly visible from the sidewalk

Property owners should periodically inspect their building identification to make sure it remains clearly visible.

Corner Buildings and Buildings With Multiple Entrances

Special attention should be given to buildings located on corners or buildings that have entrances facing more than one street.

NYC Administrative Code § 3-505 contains requirements addressing street-number identification on sides of buildings containing entrances primarily used for normal pedestrian ingress and egress.

The objective is to prevent confusion when emergency responders or other persons approach a building from a street different from the building's primary address.

NYC Laws That May Apply to Building Street Numbers

Several NYC Code provisions work together regarding building identification:

NYC Housing Maintenance Code § 27-2049
Requires dwelling owners to post and maintain street numbers that are plainly visible from the sidewalk.

NYC Administrative Code § 3-505
Contains citywide requirements concerning street-number display and enforcement.

NYC Building Code § 501.2
Contains technical requirements for address identification, including general standards concerning character size, stroke width, contrast, and visibility.

NYC Fire Code § 505.1
Requires address/building identification to be plainly discernible from the public street or required frontage and establishes additional address-identification standards.

Applicable borough rules should also be reviewed because they may establish additional requirements concerning the size, form, location, and visibility of street numbers.

Why Compliance Matters

Proper street-number identification is more than an appearance issue. It is an important building-identification and life-safety requirement.

Clear building identification can help emergency responders locate the correct property without unnecessary delay and helps NYC agencies properly identify buildings during inspections and enforcement activities.

For NYC property owners and managers, the safest practice is to maintain street numbers that are:

Correct • Large Enough • High Contrast • Unobstructed • Clearly Visible From the Street or Sidewalk

Property Owner Compliance Checklist

Before considering your building street-number identification complete, verify that:

✓ The correct street number is displayed.
✓ The number is plainly visible from the sidewalk or required public frontage.
✓ Characters meet applicable size requirements.
✓ Numbers contrast clearly with their background.
✓ The number is not blocked by signs, awnings, vegetation, scaffolding, or other objects.
✓ Numbers are not faded, damaged, missing, or painted over.
✓ Corner buildings and buildings with multiple entrances have been reviewed for additional address-display requirements.
✓ The street number remains visible during both normal daytime and nighttime conditions.

NYC Administrative Code § 3-505 – Street Number Requirements

New York City Administrative Code § 3-505 requires buildings to properly display their assigned street numbers so that the address is plainly legible from the sidewalk.

What Does NYC Administrative Code § 3-505 Require?

The owner, agent, lessee, or other person in charge of a building is responsible for displaying the proper street number assigned to the property.

The street number must be displayed so that it is plainly legible from the sidewalk in front of the building at all times.

For purposes of this requirement, the “front” of the building generally means the side facing the street to which the building’s street number has been assigned. The street number must be displayed on that side of the building or premises.

Each NYC borough president may establish and enforce additional rules concerning the size, form, visibility, and location of street numbers.

Street Number Compliance Requirements

NYC property owners and other responsible parties should make sure that:

• The correct assigned street number is displayed.
• The number is located on the appropriate side of the building or premises.
• The street number is plainly legible from the sidewalk.
• The number remains visible and legible at all times.
• The number is not hidden or obstructed.
• The street number complies with applicable requirements concerning size, form, visibility, and location.
• Missing, damaged, faded, covered, or illegible numbers are replaced or corrected.

Corner Buildings and Buildings With Multiple Street Frontages

NYC Administrative Code § 3-505 contains additional requirements for buildings that have frontage on more than one street.

When a side of a building has an entrance that is primarily used for normal day-to-day pedestrian entry and exit, that side must display appropriate street-address identification.

The building must display either:

• The assigned street number for the street that the entrance faces; OR
• Both the street name and assigned street number associated with another street-facing entrance that is primarily used for day-to-day pedestrian ingress and egress.

This requirement is particularly important for corner buildings and other properties with entrances facing different streets.

Who Is Responsible for Compliance?

NYC Administrative Code § 3-505 may place responsibility on the:

• Building owner
• Agent
• Lessee
• Other person in charge of the building

Property owners and managers should therefore make sure that required street numbers remain properly displayed and legible.

Why Are Street Numbers Required?

Clearly displayed street numbers are an important part of building identification and public safety.

Proper address identification helps emergency responders and other personnel quickly locate the correct property, including:

• FDNY firefighters
• EMS personnel
• NYPD
• HPD inspectors
• DOB inspectors
• Utility and service personnel
• Residents and visitors
• Delivery personnel

A building number that is missing, difficult to read, incorrectly positioned, or obstructed can make it more difficult to quickly identify the correct property.

Violations and Penalties

If a responsible party fails to properly display the required street number, the applicable borough president may serve notice of the requirements.

Under NYC Administrative Code § 3-505, if the owner, lessee, agent, or other person in charge fails to comply after 30 days’ notice, the responsible party may be subject to a penalty of:

$250 for failure to comply

If the violation continues:

An additional $50 may be imposed for each day the offense continues.

Because continuing violations can result in additional penalties, property owners should correct missing or noncompliant street-number identification promptly.

Landlord Street Number Checklist

Use this checklist when reviewing your property:

✓ Correct assigned street number is displayed.

✓ Street number is plainly legible from the sidewalk.

✓ Number is displayed on the proper street-facing side of the building or premises.

✓ Numbers remain clearly visible at all times.

✓ Numbers are not faded, damaged, missing, or painted over.

✓ Numbers are not obstructed by signs, awnings, scaffolding, vegetation, or other objects.

✓ Applicable requirements concerning number size, form, visibility, and location have been reviewed.

✓ Corner buildings and buildings with multiple street-facing entrances have been reviewed for additional address-display requirements.

Related NYC Street Number Requirement – Housing Maintenance Code § 27-2049

For NYC dwellings, Housing Maintenance Code § 27-2049 also requires the owner to post and maintain street numbers on the dwelling that are plainly visible from the sidewalk in front of the property.

Therefore, NYC dwelling owners should review § 3-505 together with Housing Maintenance Code § 27-2049 and other applicable NYC Building Code, Fire Code, and borough requirements.

Important Reminder for NYC Property Owners

The basic compliance principle is:

DISPLAY THE CORRECT STREET NUMBER WHERE IT IS PLAINLY LEGIBLE FROM THE SIDEWALK AND KEEP IT VISIBLE AND PROPERLY MAINTAINED AT ALL TIMES.

Legal References

NYC Administrative Code § 3-505 – Street Numbers

NYC Housing Maintenance Code § 27-2049 – Street Numbers

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