Know When Your Building Is Due for a Local Law 152 Inspection

If you own a building in New York City, you are subject to the inspection requirements outlined in Local Law 152. The periodic inspection law requires all building owners to hire master licensed plumbers to conduct inspections on the gas piping system within the building.

From applicability and inspection requirements to submitting your inspection certification, there’s a lot you should know about when your building is due for a Local Law 152 inspection and how to file the proper inspection reports.

This post outlines everything you need to know when your building becomes due for its Local Law 152 inspection, including answering the following questions:

What is Local Law 152 & does it apply to my building?
What are the Local Law 152 inspection requirements and when are they due?
How do I Submit Local Law 152 inspection certifications?
How do I find a licensed master plumber to conduct a Local Law 152 inspection?

Local Law 152 Background & Applicability

In 2016, the city of New York amended its local laws (administrative code) to require periodic inspections of gas piping systems. Local Law 152 (LL152) directs building owners to hire a master-licensed plumber, or their licensed and supervised staff, to conduct the inspections.

During each inspection, a plumber will inspect all exposed gas lines from the point of entry into the building up to individual tenant spaces. The aim of this inspection is to uncover any excessive atmospheric corrosion or deterioration due to dangerous conditions, illegal connections, and non-compliant installations.

While the law became effective on January 1, 2019, full implementation required the proposal and final adoption of rules made by The Department of Building Commissioner. These rules clarify the inspection timeline, submission process, filing requirements, and penalties for non-compliance with the law. Those rules were finalized and published in September 2019. We will outline timelines and filing requirements in the sections below.

However, there are a few exceptions to the rule’s applicability all building owners should know. All buildings in New York City must submit an LL152 inspection unless they are classified in the R-3 occupancy group. The R-3 classification includes buildings containing no more than two dwelling units used for shelter and sleeping accommodations for long-term occupancy (one month or more at a time).

Additionally, if your building does not contain gas piping, you are not required to conduct an LL152 inspection. However, you must submit certification from a registered design professional confirming your building does not contain a gas piping system.

If you do not have gas piping in your building, and your building resides within community districts 11, 12, 14, 15, and 17, you must submit certification of that determination no later than December 31, 2022, and no later than December 31 every four years.

Local Law 152 Inspection Requirements and Due Dates

If you have gas piping in your building, you must comply with LL152 requirements. While you are required to work with an expert plumber for your inspection, you should familiarize yourself with the inspection requirements.

At each inspection, your licensed plumber will inspect all exposed gas lines from the point of entry into your building and up into individual tenant spaces. The process also includes the inspection of all building service meters, public spaces, corridors, mechanical and boiler rooms, and gas piping and gas utilization equipment.

LL152 inspections must be conducted once every four years on the following schedule:

Between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2022, and every four years after that for buildings in community districts 4, 6, 8, 9, and 16 in all boroughs.
Between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023, and every four years after that for buildings in community districts 11, 12, 14, 15, and 17 in all boroughs.

If you are the owner of a building approved for occupancy after December 31, 2019, the City’s Department of Buildings requires you to inspect your gas piping system during the tenth year after issuing your building’s certificate of occupancy. After the initial inspection, the periodic inspections will follow the same inspection schedule as other buildings. The inspection schedule for 2024 and beyond has not yet been released.

How To Submit Local Law 152 Inspection Certification

1- Conducting the Inspection

The City’s Department of Buildings has outlined specific reporting and certification requirements that must be followed in order to comply with Local Law 152. The master licensed plumber or person conducting the inspection must submit an inspection report and certification of inspection to you and other building owners no later than 30 days after inspection.

The licensed plumber must include important information detailing the gas piping system in your building, including:

A list of conditions or areas requiring repairs, including where one or more parts of your gas piping system are worn and may cause issues with the safety or operationality of the system.
Any gas leaks
Any installations or connections that are not up to code
Any condition which constitutes a class A condition or imminently dangerous condition

Please note that the Department of Buildings may require additional information, and it’s best to check with us for any updates.

2- Submitting the Certification of Inspection

Following the inspection date, the building owner must submit the certification of inspection along with the filing fee to the Department of Buildings 60 days before the inspection due date. The certification of inspection should include the date of the inspection and any conditions requiring correction on behalf of the building owner as certified by the master licensed plumber.

Any certifications submitted more than 60 days after a building’s inspection date will fail to comply with LL152, and you will need to conduct a new inspection.

3- Submitting the Certification of Correction

If your master licensed plumber confirms your gas piping system requires corrections, you must correct any of the conditions and then file a certification of corrections to the DOB. The certification of the corrections must be submitted no later than 120 days after your building’s inspection date.

If one or more of the conditions your licensed master plumber has identified will take longer than 120 days to correct, you may request a 60-day extension. After this, you must submit the certification of corrections no later than 180 days from the building’s inspection date.

4- Record Keeping

As the building owner, you are required to maintain appropriate records of all inspection certifications, and any correction certifications for a period of ten years. The Department may request access to these records at any time.

Failing to Comply With LL152 Inspection Requirements

If you fail to submit an LL152 inspection certification by the deadline, you will be held liable for a civil penalty of $10,000 payable to the Department of Buildings. If you are charged a penalty, you are given the right to challenge the finding.

Find a Master Licensed Plumber to Perform Local Law 152 Inspections

One of the most important decisions you can make in complying with Local Law 152 is hiring the right person to complete your inspection. The Department of Buildings requires certain qualifications of the person performing and submitting the LL152 inspection, including:

The person must be a licensed master plumber; or
The person must work under the direction of a licensed master plumber and must have at least 5 years of working full-time under the direct supervision of a licensed master plumber.

In the case of hiring an individual working under the direction of a master licensed plumber, the person must have successfully completed no less than 7 hours of the following training program or course content:

Regulations on piping safety
Properties of natural gas
Combustible gas indicators and leak detection
Atmospheric corrosion inspection
Interior piping leak survey
Hands-on gas indicator instruction
Jurisdiction/non-jurisdictional piping connections
Purging gas piping into and out of service
Recognizing illegal connections and substandard conditions
Reporting and documenting inspections
Atmospheric corrosion and leak survey inspection procedure

Finding a master licensed plumber or a qualified individual who can inspect your building and help you comply with Local Law 152 doesn’t have to be a headache. At JAM Service Company, we have faithfully served our New York Metropolitan community for over 30 years. We are master licensed plumbers who can help you conduct your LL152 gas piping inspection and help you through any questions you may have about the certification process.