If you own or manage a residential building in New York City, HPD compliance is not optional — it’s the law. The NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) requires property owners to post specific signs and notices throughout their buildings, and failure to comply can result in fines, court appearances, and costly inspection fees.
This guide covers everything you need to know: who needs HPD signs, what signs are required, where they go, and what the penalties are for non-compliance.
What Is HPD and Who Needs to Comply?
The NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development is the largest municipal housing agency in the United States. HPD’s primary role is to maintain and develop affordable housing and to enforce the Housing Maintenance Code — the rules governing the safety, quality, and management of residential properties.
Who Must Register with HPD?
You are required to register your property with HPD — and post HPD-required signage — if your building is:
- A multiple dwelling with 3 or more units
- A 1- or 2-family home where neither the owner nor their immediate family lives on the premises
Registration must be filed annually by September 1, and whenever a property changes hands.
Who May Be Exempt?
A 1- or 2-family house may be exempt from HPD registration — and its related signage requirements — provided the owner or an immediate family member (spouse, domestic partner, parent, child, sibling, or grandparent) resides in the building. To claim this exemption, file an “Affidavit in Lieu of Registration” with HPD.
The 11 Required HPD Signs for NYC Buildings
Once you’ve determined that HPD requirements apply to your building, here are the signs and notices you’re required to post:
1. Framed Certificate of Inspection Visit Card
When HPD inspects your property, the inspector issues an “Inspection Visit Card.” You must provide a 6″ × 9″ frame with a clear glass pane and display it near the mailboxes, mounted between 48″ and 62″ above the floor.
2. Garbage Collection Sign
A durable, laminated or framed sign posted in the building lobby (or front hallway for smaller buildings) stating the days and method of garbage collection, including recycling instructions.
3. Floor Number Signs
Each floor — including the basement — must be clearly identified. This can be accomplished with a sign or with vinyl numbers/letters applied directly to the wall at the stairwell landing.
4. Street Address Numbers
Your building’s street address must be clearly displayed at the front entrance and visible to a person standing on the sidewalk.
5. HPD Building Registration Number (Serial Number) Sign
When your building is registered, it receives a unique serial number. This number — along with the building’s address and the superintendent’s contact information — must be posted on a regulation-sized sign in the building’s entrance hall or lobby.
6. Boiler Room Keys / Heating System Information Sign
Two separate notices are required: one in the lobby showing the name and contact for the person responsible for the heating system, and a second on the door of the mechanical/boiler room itself.
7. Combined Gas, Smoke Detector & Carbon Monoxide Alarm Notice
Since October 2017, a new rule allows building owners to post a single combined sign covering all three required notices: gas leak procedures, smoke detector information, and carbon monoxide alarm notices.
8. Housing Information Guide Notice
A sign near the tenant mailboxes indicating how to access the Housing Information Guide (the “ABCs of Housing”) — a handbook explaining tenants’ and landlords’ rights under NYC housing law.
9. Disaster Response / Emergency Notification Sign
Building owners must post a temporary notice before major weather emergencies, after natural disasters, or when a power outage lasting more than 24 hours is anticipated.
10. Safe Construction Bill of Rights Sign
If construction permits are filed for your building, you must post a notice to all tenants about the permit filing and tenant protection plan. This sign must be posted in English and made available in Spanish, Arabic, Haitian Creole, Chinese, Korean, and Russian as needed.
11. Notice About Tenant Screening Reports
If you run background checks on prospective tenants, you are required to post a notice explaining applicants’ rights — including the right to dispute a report and access a free annual credit report. The notice must also disclose the consumer reporting firm you use.
HPD Violation Fines and Penalties
Ignoring HPD signage requirements is not a minor risk. Civil penalties are imposed by NYC Housing Court and can accumulate quickly:
| Class | Severity | Typical Fine Range |
|---|---|---|
| Class A | Non-hazardous | $10–$50 per violation; $250 for failure to post housing info guide |
| Class B | Hazardous | $25–$100 per violation + $10/day |
| Class C | Immediately hazardous | $50–$150/violation + $125/day (buildings >5 units) |
| Heat/Hot Water | Class C subcategory | $250–$500/day; $500–$1,000/day for repeat violations |
| Lead Paint | Class C subcategory | $250/day per violation, up to $10,000 maximum |
| Failure to Register | Non-compliance | $250–$500 civil penalty |
In addition to civil fines, HPD may bill inspection fees to the property owner — and in serious cases, may conduct emergency repair work and charge the cost to the building.
Get HPD-Compliant Signage from Signs NYC
Signs NYC specializes in HPD-compliant signage for residential buildings across all five boroughs. We supply the full range of required notices — all manufactured to meet current HPD specifications — and can customize signs to match your building’s aesthetics while remaining code-compliant.
3 thoughts on “HPD Building Signs: Complete Compliance Guide for NYC Property Owners”
HPD compliance is no joke in Brooklyn. We get calls every week from building managers who just got hit with violations for missing signs. This guide is the kind of resource every property owner in NYC should have bookmarked. The penalties section alone could save someone thousands.
Not our usual lane since we focus on wraps, but we’ve had a few property management clients ask about HPD signage. Forwarding this to them. The breakdown of which signs go where in the building is really clear and practical.
We’ve been making HPD-compliant signs for NYC buildings for over 20 years. Can confirm everything in this guide is accurate. The fines have gone up substantially in recent years, so building owners who are behind on their signage need to get it together fast.