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    What Is a DOB Filing?

    A plain-English guide to NYC Department of Buildings filings — what a DOB filing actually is, how the process moves through DOB NOW: Build, who is allowed to file, and why filings get delayed.

    DOB Filing: The Definition

    A DOB filing is the formal application submitted to the NYC Department of Buildings to obtain approval and a permit for construction, alteration, or demolition work. It packages the project's scope, drawings, and code-compliance documentation into a job that DOB reviews before any work can legally begin.

    The filing is the process; the permit is the result. A filing moves through application, review, and approval stages — and only once it is approved does DOB issue the work permit. Nearly all filings today are submitted electronically through DOB's online portal, DOB NOW: Build.

    This guide explains how the filing process works. For a breakdown of the individual permit types — ALT-1, ALT-2, ALT-3, NB, and DM — see our NYC building permits guide.

    How the DOB Filing Process Works

    Regardless of job type, a DOB filing moves through the same core stages:

    • Pre-filing & scope — A licensed architect or engineer defines the scope of work, performs any required zoning analysis, and prepares the drawings that the filing will be built around.
    • Application in DOB NOW: Build — The job is created and the PW1 (Plan/Work application) is submitted electronically through DOB NOW: Build, along with associated work types and the filing fee.
    • Professional certification vs. plan examination — The applicant chooses whether a licensed professional certifies compliance (faster, with audit risk) or a DOB plan examiner reviews the drawings (standard review with objections).
    • Objections & resolution — Under plan examination, the examiner issues objections for any code, zoning, or documentation gaps. Each must be answered — often over multiple rounds — before approval.
    • Permit issuance — Once the filing is approved and fees are paid, DOB issues the work permit. Only now can construction legally begin.
    • Inspections & sign-off — DOB conducts required inspections during and after work. On completion, the job is signed off, ending with a Letter of Completion or, for occupancy changes, a new Certificate of Occupancy.

    Who Can File With the DOB?

    DOB filings must be prepared and submitted by qualified parties. The main roles involved are:

    Registered Architect (RA)

    A licensed architect can prepare and sign off on drawings for most building filings, and may certify compliance under professional certification for eligible job types.

    Professional Engineer (PE)

    A licensed engineer performs the same applicant and certifying role, typically leading on structural, mechanical, and other engineering-driven scopes.

    Registered Filing Representative

    A DOB-registered filing rep (expediter) can file and manage many application types on the owner's behalf, though they cannot certify code compliance the way an RA or PE can.

    Owner of Record

    The property owner authorizes the filing and is ultimately responsible for the job, but generally relies on a licensed professional and filing representative to prepare and manage it.

    Common DOB Filing Types

    DOB NOW: Build organizes work into job types. The most common building filing types include:

    NB — New Building

    A ground-up construction filing for an entirely new structure. It's the most rigorous job type and always results in a new Certificate of Occupancy.

    ALT-CO — Alteration With Change of Occupancy

    An alteration that changes the building's use, occupancy, or egress. Because it affects the CO, it carries the fuller review path — analogous to the ALT-1 permit type.

    ALT-GC — Alteration, General Construction

    General construction work that does not change use, occupancy, or egress. This is the common workhorse filing for interior renovations and system work.

    PW1 — Plan/Work Application

    Not a job type but the core application form filed within a job — it captures the scope, applicant, and work types that define the filing itself.

    For the full breakdown of alteration classifications — ALT-1, ALT-2, and ALT-3 — and how they map to these job types, see the NYC building permits guide.

    Common Reasons DOB Filings Get Delayed

    Most filing delays trace back to a handful of avoidable issues:

    • Filing the wrong job type — e.g., an ALT-GC when the work actually changes occupancy and needs an ALT-CO
    • Unresolved plan examiner objections that sit unanswered for weeks
    • Incomplete drawings, missing documents, or unsigned applications
    • Open violations or a Stop Work Order blocking new permits on the property
    • Zoning objections tied to FAR, use, or non-conforming conditions
    • A professional-certification audit that pauses the job for additional review

    DOB Filing vs. Building Permit

    The terms are often used interchangeably, but they describe different things. A DOB filing is the application and review process — the job you open, the PW1 you submit, and the plan examination or certification it goes through. A building permit is what DOB issues at the end of that process, authorizing the actual work.

    Put simply: you file to get a permit. To understand the permit types that a filing can produce — ALT-1, ALT-2, ALT-3, NB, and DM — read our NYC building permits guide, which focuses on what you file for rather than how the filing moves.

    Need someone to handle your DOB filing?

    BVS's DOB filing service manages the entire process — from job type selection and PW1 preparation through objections and sign-off. Contact BVS for a free consultation.