Related Permits
(NYC SBS, NYC DOB, etc.)
(NYC SBS, NYC DOB, etc.)
New York City Small Business Services, New York City Department of Buildings, Etc.
Waterfront and In-Water Permitting
- Waterfront Construction Work Permits (NYC SBS)
The New York City Department of Small Business (NYC SBS) has jurisdiction over maritime and non-maritime construction for all New York City-owned waterfront properties. For privately-owned properties, the New York City Department of Buildings (NYC DOB) has jurisdiction over the buildings, and NYC SBS over the marine and maritime structures such as piers, docks, bulkheads, and seawalls.
An NYC SBS Waterfront Construction Work permit is required when building or renovating any structure on city-owned waterfront property. The permit is also required when building or renovating piers, bulkheads, seawalls, or docks on privately owned property.
Applications are accepted in person by appointment only. For appointments please email [email protected]
Contacts
Waterfront Permits Unit
New York City Department of Small Business Services
110 William Street, 7th Floor
New York, NY 10038
For further assistance, please call 311 and ask for: SBS Waterfront Permits Unit
Website: http://www.nyc.gov/sbs
Email: [email protected] or Contact SBS HereFor More Information
- Lands Under Water Easements, Grants, and Licenses
Lands Under Water permits are for projects on lands that are now under water or were formerly under water and are owned either by New York State or New York City. New York State-owned “Lands Under Water” properties are under the jurisdiction of the Office of General Services (NYS OGS); New York City-owned properties are under the jurisdiction of NYC SBS.
Lands Under Water permits apply to any activities affecting streams, waterways, water bodies, wetlands, coastal areas, and sources of water supply, including pipelines or cables. These permits are also necessary for docks, wharves, commercial marinas, moorings, and permanent structures.
Contacts
New York State Office of General Services
OGS Bureau of Land Management
26th Floor, Corning Tower
Empire State Plaza
Albany, NY 12242
(518) 474-2195
Email: [email protected]
Website: Office of General Services Land Management InformationWaterfront Permits Unit
New York City Department of Small Business Services
110 William Street, 7th Floor
New York, NY 10038
For further assistance, please call 311 and ask for: SBS Waterfront Permits Unit
Website: http://www.nyc.gov/sbs
Email: [email protected] or Contact SBS Here For More Information
Application for Use of Lands Under Water (Easement for cables, pipelines, conduits, hydro-electric, etc.)
- Private Aids to Navigation (U.S. Coast Guard)
Private aids to navigation (aka PATON) include buoys, lights, or day beacons that are owned and maintained by any individual or organization other than the United States Coast Guard, such as a marina or boat club. Private Aids to Navigation that are on navigable waters regulated by the federal government require a Coast Guard permit. The registration for for this permit is available online at the National Harbormasters Association web site.
Private aids to navigation are used to mark privately-owned marine obstructions or other similar hazards to navigation, or to assist the navigation operations of private citizens, marina and yacht clubs, municipal and state governments, construction and dredging companies, research and non-profit organizations, beach front associations, and large industrial companies. Private aids to navigation must be maintained by the owner as stated on the U.S. Coast Guard permit.
Contacts
United States Coast Guard
Coast Guard Sector New York
212 Coast Guard Drive
Staten Island, NY 10305
718-354-4037
Website: https://www.atlanticarea.uscg.mil/Our-Organization/District-1/District-Units/Sector-New-York/More Information
National Harbormasters Association Private Aids to Navigation Registration form
- Floating Objects (NYS Office of Parks and Historic Preservation)
The New York State Office of Parks Recreation and Historic Preservation has the responsibility of maintaining the permit system for floating objects on state waters.
Floating objects are any anchored marker or platform floating on the surface of the water, other than aids to navigation. These include such objects as mooring buoys, mooring fields, bathing beach markers, speed zone markers, swim area markers, speed zone and other information markers, swimming platforms, diving floats, and water ski jumps.
The Bureau of Marine Services handles the permitting of approximately 200 floating objects each year. In 2009, the Bureau of Marine Service started a floating object tracking system to plot the GPS coordinates of all floating objects, which helps to maintain open access to the waterways of the state and ensure that floating objects do not impede navigation.
Contacts
New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
Marine Services Bureau
Albany, NY 12238
(518) 474-0445For More Information
Floating Objects Rules and Regulations
Floating Object Permit Application
Other Permits and Regulations
- Stormwater Permit for Construction Activity (NYS DEC)
A permit is required for any construction project that discharges wastewater into surface waters or ground waters.
The State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) program is designed to maintain New York’s waters with reasonable standards of purity. New York’s SPDES program has been approved by the United States Environmental Protection Agency for the control of surface wastewater and stormwater discharges in accordance with the Clean Water Act.
Contacts
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
(718) 482-4997
Email: [email protected]For More Information
- NYC Building Construction or Alteration Permits (NYC DOB)
New York City laws require that you obtained one or more permits from the New York City Department of Buildings (NYC DOB) before starting construction, alterations, or changing the use of buildings or structures.
For More Information
NYC Department of Buildings – Building Construction or Alteration Permit
- NYC Zoning Regulation (NYC DCP)
DCP’s website provides multiple resources for property owners to understand what they can develop on their property under the zoning resolution, and what may require zoning changes.
Contacts
NYC Department of City Planning, Zoning
212-720-3291For More Information
