What Is Local Law 152 In NYC?

Local law 152

New York Local Law 152 of 2016, aka gas safety law, requires people who own buildings in New York City to have the gas piping in their buildings inspected periodically. The inspection is meant to detect leaks and check for all public uncovered gas piping, and compel the building owner to make repairs within 120 days in case of minor issues or an additional 60 days for significant problems.

When was the law passed?

Local Law 152 was approved in 2016 by the New York City Council as part of a comprehensive gas safety package. You can check the law here. The New York City Department of Buildings updated the law in September 2019 with modifications involving inspection cycles, filing requirements, and civil punishments for noncompliance.

When did it come into effect?

Local Law 152 has been in effect since January 1^st, 2019. But, until the DOB adopted guidelines regarding timing, penalties, and filing requirements, in September 2019, the law could not be implemented. It wasn’t until November 2^nd, 2019, that the rules were implemented, and inspections began on January 1^st, 2020.

Which buildings must comply?

The LL152 applies to all buildings within the city’s five boroughs, except for those in occupancy group R-3. A building is classified in occupancy group R-3 if it houses at most 2 families only.

Periodic gas piping inspections are a must for all buildings that have a gas piping system. Buildings without a gas piping system must provide certification from a licensed design professional assuring their lack of such a system. It is estimated that the law affects 280,000 buildings in the city.

When is your inspection?

The gas piping inspection schedule depends on which district your building is located in. After your first inspection, subsequent inspections are due every four years.

The inspection dates for each community district in all boroughs started out as follows:

Districts 1, 3, and 10: January 1^st, 2020 – December 31^st, 2020
Districts 2,5,7,13 and 18: January 1^st, 2021 – December 31^st, 2021
Districts 4,6,8,9 and 16: January 1^st, 2022 – December 31^st, 2022
Districts 11,12,14,15 and 17: January 1^st 2023 – December 31^st 2023

You are required to submit the inspection report to the DOB. If you’d like to verify which community district your building falls in, use this guide. You can test early; however, it should be within 60 days before your due date. Even a building without a gas piping system must file a certificate indicating the absence of such a system every four years!

What the inspection entails:

Gas piping inspection in NYC must be carried out by a registered licensed master plumber (LMP). They must have at least 5 years of experience in the field.

The LMP will check for public uncovered gas piping and use a combustible gas indicator method to look for leaks in the system. They will then provide you with a certification of inspection, which you are required to submit to the DOB within 60 days of the inspection.

This is done via a portal, and no filing fee applies. In fact, you won’t be asked to log in. Still, the form must have been signed by the LMP.

What if repairs are needed?

The DOB allows 120 days from the inspection date for you to fix minor issues revealed by the inspection and submit a second certification report, signed and sealed by your LMP. You could ask for an extra 60 days in case the inspection reveals major issues that need fixing. Of course, all corrections must meet NYC building and construction codes and standards, including getting mandatory work permits.

What happens in case the inspection reveals unsafe conditions?

Buildings get all manners of deterioration with time. The gas piping safety inspection may reveal hazardous conditions such as leaks, illegal connections, etc., in these cases; the inspector must notify the owner and the utility company supplying the gas. They will also need to inform the DOB. The building owner will be required to fix the issues immediately as per the city’s construction code.

What are the penalties for failing to comply with LL152?

You will be fined a $5,000 penalty if you fail to submit a signed and sealed LMP inspection report before your due date.

What if your building is brand new?

According to the DOB, all new buildings approved for residence after December 31^st, 2019, must complete and file a gas piping inspection report on the 10^th anniversary of receiving the certificate of occupancy.

What A Good Plumber Inc. can do for you!

Are you looking for help with your gas piping system inspection in compliance with LL152? A satisfactory inspection is just a call away. Indeed, we are a licensed and insured plumbing and heating company in Brooklyn with 3 master plumbers on our team to help building owners comply with LL152.

Our licensed team carries out official full building inspections as per code and will allow you to evaluate, plan and budget in a way that suits your timeframe. We can even perform pre-inspections to reveal possible problematic areas before the official inspection.

We will provide you with two forms according to code:

GPSI (Gas Piping System Periodic Inspection Report) within the first month of the inspection.
GPS2 (Gas Piping System Periodic Inspection Certification) within 60 days of the gas piping inspection.

Also, we retain and maintain all reports and certification documents for 10 years, as required by law. You will also need to keep these in a file. To learn more about our gas safety inspection services, give us a call today, and we’ll slowly walk you through every step involved. Remember, non-compliance attracts a heavy fine; it’s always better to stay safe than sorry.