General

NYC Admin. Code tit. 27, ch. 1, subch. 18, art. 1

in effect

NYC Admin. Code § 27-982 Scope.

§ 27-982 Scope. This subchapter shall establish the minimum safety requirements for, and control the design, construction, installation, alteration, maintenance, inspection, test and operation of, all elevators, dumbwaiters, escalators, moving walks, industrial lifts and loading ramps, automotive lifts, mechanical parking garage equipment, console or stage lifts, power operated scaffolds, amusement devices, and special hoisting and conveying equipment.

NYC Admin. Code § 27-983 Standards.

§ 27-983 Standards. The provisions of reference standard RS-18 shall be a part of this subchapter.

NYC Admin. Code § 27-984 Definitions.

§ 27-984 Definitions. For definitions to be used in the interpretation of this subchapter, see subchapter two of this chapter.

NYC Admin. Code § 27-985 Plans.

§ 27-985 Plans. For the requirements governing the filing of plans and the work to be shown on plans, see subchapter one of this chapter.

NYC Admin. Code § 27-986 Permits.

§ 27-986 Permits. For the requirements governing equipment work permits and equipment use permits, see subchapter one of this chapter.

NYC Admin. Code § 27-987 General requirements.

§ 27-987 General requirements. All of the equipment listed in section 27-982 of this article shall be designed, constructed, altered and maintained as required by the provisions of this subchapter and reference standard RS-18. No piping or ductwork of any kind shall be permitted within hoistway or elevator enclosures except (i) as may be required for the elevator installation and (ii) low voltage wiring required or permitted by subchapter seventeen of this chapter provided that such wiring shall be protected within the hoistway or elevator enclosures in accordance therewith. (a) Construction equipment. Except for workers' hoists the provisions of this subchapter shall not apply to materials hoisting equipment for temporary construction use. For such equipment, the requirements of subchapter nineteen of this chapter shall apply. (b) Portable equipment. The provisions of this subchapter shall not apply to portable elevating devices used to handle materials only except as specifically provided in reference standard RS 18-5. (c) Fire protection and impact resistance. (1) Fire protection. The fire resistance rating of hoistway enclosures shall be two hours and for hoistway doors and door assemblies the fire protection shall be one and one-half hours subject to the test procedures of subchapter five of this chapter. a. vertical conveyors passing through floors shall be fire protected as required for shafts in subchapter five of this chapter. b. inclined conveyors passing through floors shall be fire protected as required in reference standard 18-1 for escalators which are not a required means of egress. c. horizontal conveyors passing through vertical fire divisions shall be fire protected as required in subchapter five of this chapter. (2) Impact resistance. Elevator enclosures serving occupancy group E spaces (office spaces) in high rise buildings constructed pursuant to applications filed on or after July 1, 2006, shall comply with rules to be promulgated by the commissioner establishing minimum impact resistance standards. Such rules shall permit compliance with assemblies comprising approved reinforced construction boards affixed onto stud framing. The commissioner shall promulgate such rules on or before January 1, 2006. (d) Elevators required. For provisions designating buildings in which elevators are required, see subdivision (c) of section 27-372 of article five of subchapter six of this chapter. (e) Elevator mirrors. In all multiple dwellings in which there are one or more self-service passenger elevators, there shall, pursuant to such regulations as the commissioner shall prescribe, be affixed and maintained in each such elevator a mirror which will enable persons prior to entering into such elevator to view the inside thereof to determine whether any person is in such elevator. (f) Emergency signal equipment. Elevators, other than private residence elevators, that are operated at any time without a designated operator in the car, shall be provided with emergency signal equipment in accordance with the requirements of reference standard RS 18-1. (g) Elevators and escalators as exits. Elevators shall not be accepted as a required means of egress. Elevators shall not be installed in a common enclosure with a stairway. Escalators shall be accepted as equivalent to stairs when they comply with the requirements of section 27-378 of article five of subchapter six of this chapter. (h) Car switch operation. Elevators with car switch operation shall be provided with a signal system by means of which signals can be given from any landing whenever the elevator is desired at that landing. (i) Electrical requirements. All electric work shall conform to the electrical code of the city of New York.

NYC Admin. Code § 27-988 Manlifts.

§ 27-988 Manlifts. The installation of manlifts is governed by the requirements of reference standard RS 18-9, and such additional safety regulations as may be promulgated by the commissioner.

NYC Admin. Code § 27-989 Elevator in readiness.

§ 27-989 Elevator in readiness. (a) Except as provided in subdivision (b) of this section, in every building seventy-five feet or more in height, all floors shall be served by at least one elevator which shall be kept available for immediate use by the fire department during all hours of the night and day, including holidays, Saturdays and Sundays. There shall be available at all times a person competent to operate the elevator, except that no attendant shall be required for buildings between seventy-five feet and one hundred fifty feet in height having elevators with automatic or continuous pressure operation with keyed switches meeting the requirements of reference standard RS 18-1 so as to permit sole use of the elevators by the fire department. (b) In high rise buildings classified in occupancy group A, B, C, D, E, F, G or H, in buildings classified in occupancy group E with a gross area of two hundred thousand square feet or more, in buildings classified in occupancy group J-1 or J-2, in existing high rise buildings classified in occupancy groups C, F, G and H, in existing buildings classified in occupancy group J-1 (except "residential hotels," as such term is defined by the commissioner pursuant to rules and regulations) and in existing office buildings one hundred feet or more in height the number of elevators that shall be kept available for immediate use by the fire department as provided for in subdivision (a) of this section, shall be as follows: (1) Where a floor is serviced by three or less elevator cars, every car shall be kept available. (2) Where a floor is serviced by more than three elevator cars, at least three elevator cars with a total rated load capacity of not less than six thousand pounds shall be kept available for every floor. Such cars shall include not more than two cars which service all floors and at least one other car in another bank servicing that floor. If the total load capacity of all cars servicing the floor is less than six thousand pounds, all such cars shall be kept available. (3) Such elevators which have automatic or continuous pressure operation shall be controlled by keyed switches meeting the requirements of reference standard RS 18-1. (4) In high rise buildings classified in occupancy group A, B, C, D, E, F, G or H, in low rise buildings classified in occupancy group E with a gross area of two hundred thousand square feet or more and in buildings classified in occupancy group J-1 or J-2, all other automatically operated cars shall have manual operation capability. (c) Notwithstanding the retroactive provisions of section 27-994 of article two of this subchapter: (1) Existing office buildings one hundred feet or more in height shall comply with the requirements of this section by September thirteenth, nineteen hundred eighty-one. Complete plans of the installation shall be filed with the commissioner by June thirteenth, nineteen hundred eighty. A permit shall be secured from the commissioner by September thirteenth, nineteen hundred eighty. (2) Existing high-rise buildings classified in occupancy group C, F, G or H and existing buildings classified in occupancy group J-1 subject to the requirements of this section shall comply with the requirements of this section on or before April first, nineteen hundred eighty-seven.

NYC Admin. Code § 27-990 Acceptance of equipment.

§ 27-990 Acceptance of equipment. All equipment and devices regulated by the provisions of this subchapter shall be accepted or approved for use in accordance with the requirements of article eight of subchapter one of this chapter.

NYC Admin. Code § 27-991 Construction.

§ 27-991 Construction. The construction, installation and alteration of all elevator and conveyor equipment and devices, shall be subject to the provisions of this subchapter and applicable reference standards as follows: (a) Elevators, dumbwaiters, escalators and moving walks – reference standard RS 18-1. (b) Mechanized parking garage equipment – reference standard RS 18-2. (c) Automotive lifts – reference standard RS 18-3. (d) Industrial lifts and hinged loading ramps – reference standard RS 18-4. (e) Conveyors – reference standard RS 18-5. (f) Console or stage lifts – reference standard RS 18-6. (g) Workers' hoists – reference standard RS 18-7. (h) Power operated scaffolds – reference standard RS 18-8.

NYC Admin. Code § 27-992 Alterations.

§ 27-992 Alterations. Alterations to elevators, escalators, dumbwaiters and other equipment provided for in this subchapter shall comply with the requirements of article four of subchapter one of this chapter. Minor alterations and ordinary repairs shall comply with the requirements of article five of subchapter one of this chapter except that elevator work shall not constitute a minor alteration or an ordinary repair when it is classified as alteration by the provisions of reference standard RS 18-1.

NYC Admin. Code § 27-993 Prohibited devices.

§ 27-993 Prohibited devices. The installation of sidewalk elevators located outside the street line is prohibited.

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/0-0-0-53583Fetched: 10/24/2026