Places of Assembly

NYC Admin. Code tit. 28, ch. 1, art. 117

in effect

NYC Admin. Code § 28-117.1 Place of assembly certificate of operation.

§ 28-117.1 Place of assembly certificate of operation. It shall be unlawful to use or occupy any building or space, including an outdoor space, as a place of assembly without a certificate of operation issued by the commissioner. An application for a certificate of operation shall be made to the department in such form and containing such information as the commissioner shall provide. The department shall inspect every place of assembly space prior to the issuance of a certificate of operation. The commissioner shall not issue a certificate of operation unless the department determines that the space conforms substantially to the approved construction documents and to this code or the 1968 building code as applicable and that the certificate of occupancy authorizes such use. A certificate of operation shall not be issued to a place of assembly providing seating or other moveable furnishings unless the commissioner approves a plan conforming to this code or the 1968 building code as applicable and the rules of the department. Seating and other moveable furnishings shall be maintained at all times during occupancy in accordance with the approved plan. Any amendment of such plan shall be subject to the prior approval of the commissioner.

NYC Admin. Code § 28-117.1.1 Contents of the place of assembly certificate of operation.

§ 28-117.1.1 Contents of the place of assembly certificate of operation. The certificate of operation shall contain the place of assembly certificate number, the number of persons who may legally occupy the space and any other information that the commissioner may determine. Such certificate of operation shall be framed and mounted in a location that is conspicuously visible to a person entering the space. For the purposes of this article a department issued place of assembly permit or place of assembly certificate of operation shall be valid until its expiration, at which time a new place of assembly certificate of operation shall be required in accordance with the provisions of this article and with the filing requirements of the department.

NYC Admin. Code § 28-117.1.2 New certificate required.

§ 28-117.1.2 New certificate required. The following changes to a place of assembly shall require a new place of assembly certificate of operation instead of an amendment filed in accordance with section 28-117.1.3: 1. For a department issued place of assembly permit or place of assembly certificate of operation that does not have a nine-digit job number, any change of zoning use group, assembly occupancy group A-1 through A-5, or any of the changes set forth in section 28-117.1.3. 2. For all other department issued place of assembly permits or place of assembly certificates of operation, any change of zoning use group or assembly occupancy group A-1 through A-5.

NYC Admin. Code § 28-117.1.3 Amendments.

§ 28-117.1.3 Amendments. No change shall be made to a place of assembly that is inconsistent with the most recently issued place of assembly certificate of operation or renewal unless an amendment to such certificate is filed with and approved or accepted by the department. Changes that require an amendment include any of the following: 1. Any physical change requiring an alteration permit to be issued by the department. 2. Any amendment to the plan for seating and other moveable furnishings, in accordance with section 28-117.1. 3. Any change to the name of the establishment.

NYC Admin. Code § 28-117.2 Temporary place of assembly certificate of operation.

§ 28-117.2 Temporary place of assembly certificate of operation. At the commissioner's discretion, a temporary certificate of operation may be issued for a place of assembly space upon request by the applicant in accordance with this code provided that public safety is not jeopardized thereby. The applicant shall notify the fire department when a temporary place of assembly certificate of operation is issued. Exception. Applications for temporary certificates of operation for place of assembly space in prior code buildings shall be permitted to comply with the 1968 Building Code provided that public safety is not jeopardized thereby.

NYC Admin. Code § 28-117.3 Duration and renewal of certificate.

§ 28-117.3 Duration and renewal of certificate. A place of assembly certificate of operation shall be issued for a term of 1 year and may be renewed annually upon payment of proper fees and proof of satisfactory inspection by the fire department.

NYC Admin. Code § 28-117.4 Security guards.

§ 28-117.4 Security guards. In the case of a certificate holder that offers for sale food and/or beverages for on-premises consumption, but not including establishments operated by a not-for-profit corporation, and employs or uses the services of a security guard, as that term is defined in subdivision 6 of section 89 of the New York state general business law, such certificate holder shall comply with the provisions of article 7-A of the New York state general business law, shall obtain proof that such security guard is registered pursuant to article 7-A of the general business law, shall maintain such proof in a readily available location, in accordance with rules promulgated by the commissioner during all hours in which such place of assembly is open to the public, shall maintain a roster of all security guards working at any given time when such place of assembly is open to the public, and shall require each security guard to maintain on his or her person proof of registration at all times when on the premises. (Am. L.L. 2021/126, 11/7/2021, eff. 11/7/2022) Editor's note: For related unconsolidated provisions, see Appendix A at L.L. 2008/008 and L.L. 2021/126.

NYC Admin. Code § 28-117.4.1 Presumption.

§ 28-117.4.1 Presumption. For purposes of this section, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that a person employed or whose services are retained at a place of assembly is a security guard if his or her job functions include: 1. The monitoring or guarding of the entrance or exit of such place of assembly to manage ingress and egress to such place of assembly for security purposes during the hours of operation of such establishment; and/or 2. Protection of such place of assembly from disorderly or other unlawful conduct by patrons of such place of assembly. Editor's note: For related unconsolidated provisions, see Appendix A at L.L. 2008/008.

NYC Admin. Code § 28-117.4.1.1 Presumption not applicable to owner.

§ 28-117.4.1.1 Presumption not applicable to owner. The rebuttable presumption in section 28-117.4.1 shall not apply to an individual who is an owner of the establishment as described in section 28-117.4 that has received a place of assembly certificate of operation. Editor's note: For related unconsolidated provisions, see Appendix A at L.L. 2008/008.

NYC Admin. Code § 28-117.4.2 Responsibility for violations.

§ 28-117.4.2 Responsibility for violations. Notwithstanding any provision of this section, only the holder of a certificate of operation shall be liable for violations of this article that relate to such holder's obligations regarding security guards. Editor's note: For related unconsolidated provisions, see Appendix A at L.L. 2008/008.

NYC Admin. Code § 28-117.4.3 Enforcement.

§ 28-117.4.3 Enforcement. In addition to employees of the department, employees of the police department and the department of consumer and worker protection shall have the authority to enforce the provisions of this article regarding security guards. (Am. L.L. 2020/080, 8/28/2020, eff. 8/28/2020) Editor's note: For related unconsolidated provisions, see Appendix A at L.L. 2008/008 and L.L. 2020/080.

NYC Admin. Code § 28-117.4.4 State liquor authority reporting.

§ 28-117.4.4 State liquor authority reporting. The enforcement agency shall report any violation of the provisions of this section relating to security guards to the state liquor authority if the holder of the certificate of operation holds a license pursuant to the alcoholic beverage control law. Editor's note: For related unconsolidated provisions, see Appendix A at L.L. 2008/008 and L.L. 2021/126.

NYC Admin. Code § 28-117.5 Outdoor places of assembly.

§ 28-117.5 Outdoor places of assembly. The commissioner shall not issue a certificate of operation to an outdoor temporary or permanent place of assembly, including, but not limited to, tents, platforms, stages and outdoor assembly seating, unless the department determines that the space complies with the provisions of this code.

Source: City of New York, Charter, Administrative Code and Rules (American Legal Publishing XML export, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/newyorkcity/latest/NYCadmin/0-0-0-156943Fetched: 10/24/2026