Back to Resources

    What Is an HPD Filing?

    A plain-English guide to NYC HPD filings — the annual property registration, lead paint and window guard notices, who must file, the September 1 deadline, and the consequences of an unregistered building.

    HPD Filing: The Definition

    An HPD filing is any registration, notice, or compliance record a residential building owner submits to the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD). Unlike a violation — which HPD issues to you when a condition is out of compliance — a filing is something you proactively submit to stay in good standing under the Housing Maintenance Code and the State Multiple Dwelling Law.

    The cornerstone HPD filing is the annual Property Registration (often called the Multiple Dwelling Registration). But the term covers a family of recurring obligations — lead-based paint notices under Local Law 1, window guard notices, stove knob cover certifications, and the bedbug annual report among them.

    Keeping these filings current is separate from — but connected to — HPD violation removal: you generally must be registered before you can certify a violation as corrected. If you need to file or register, see our HPD Filing Services.

    Types of HPD Filings

    Residential owners face several recurring HPD filing obligations. The most common are:

    Annual Property (Multiple Dwelling) Registration

    The foundational HPD filing. Owners provide current ownership, managing agent, and head-of-household contact information so HPD and tenants can reach a responsible party. Required annually and whenever ownership or agent information changes.

    Lead-Based Paint (Local Law 1 / LL31) Records

    For pre-1960 multiple dwellings (and post-1960 buildings known to contain lead paint) with a child under six residing in a unit, owners must send an annual notice, investigate for lead hazards, and maintain the required records. Local Law 31 added periodic XRF inspection requirements that must be documented and, where required, filed with HPD.

    Window Guard & Stove Knob Notices

    Owners of buildings with three or more units must distribute an annual window guard notice to every tenant and file the required certification. A similar annual stove knob cover notice applies where a child under six resides and gas stoves are present.

    Bedbug Annual Report & Other Filings

    Owners of multiple dwellings must file an annual bedbug infestation report with HPD and distribute it to tenants. Additional filings — such as heat sensor program records and certain notices tied to specific programs — round out the recurring HPD compliance calendar.

    Annual Registration Explained

    Registration is where nearly every owner's HPD obligations begin. A few essentials:

    • Who must register — Every multiple dwelling (three or more units) must register. So must any one- or two-family home where neither the owner nor a family member occupies the property (i.e., it's rented out).
    • The deadline — HPD registration runs on an annual cycle, with the registration due by September 1 each year. A new registration is also required within days whenever ownership or the managing agent changes.
    • What it captures — Owner and corporate/LLC ownership details, a managing agent who is a natural person residing in NYC, and an emergency contact — so HPD and tenants always have a responsible party to reach.
    • Consequences of not registering — An unregistered owner cannot certify HPD violations, cannot recover unpaid rent in Housing Court, and is subject to a civil penalty for failure to register.

    How to File with HPD

    Most HPD filings are handled electronically. The primary channels are:

    • HPD Online — HPD's public portal for looking up a building's registration status, open violations, and complaint history. It's the starting point for confirming whether a property is currently registered.
    • Property Registration Online (PROS) — HPD's e-filing system for creating and updating the annual registration. Owners enter ownership, managing agent, and contact information, then submit the registration electronically.
    • HPD forms & notices — Certain notices (window guard, stove knob, lead paint) are distributed to tenants on HPD-issued forms, with the owner retaining or filing the certification records as required.

    What Happens If You Don't Register or File?

    Failing to register — or letting an annual filing lapse — quietly strips away rights owners rely on and adds penalties on top:

    • You cannot certify correction of HPD violations, so they stay open on the record
    • You cannot maintain a Housing Court proceeding to recover unpaid rent
    • HPD can impose a civil penalty for failure to register
    • Missed lead paint, window guard, or bedbug filings create their own compliance exposure and can lead to violations
    • Lapsed registration complicates refinancing, sales, and access to city programs that check good standing

    HPD Filing vs. HPD Violation

    The two are easy to confuse. An HPD filing is a proactive submission — registering the building, sending the annual lead paint notice, certifying window guards — that keeps you compliant. An HPD violation is issued by an inspector after a condition is found out of compliance, and it must be corrected and cleared.

    They intersect: an unregistered building can't certify a violation, so filings and violation removal go hand in hand. If you already have open violations, see our HPD Violation Removal service and our What Is an HPD Violation? guide.

    Need to register or file with HPD?

    Learn about our HPD Filing Services or contact BVS for a free consultation. We'll review your portfolio's registration status and get every building filed and in good standing.