[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":202},["ShallowReactive",2],{"guide-nyc-local-law-92-94-roof-replacement-en-US":3},{"guide":4,"related":181},{"title":5,"seoTitle":6,"description":7,"summary":8,"sections":9,"faq":133,"cta":143,"date":145,"updated":145,"service":146,"order":147,"sources":148,"slug":179,"locale":180},"Replacing a NYC Roof Under Local Laws 92 and 94","NYC Roof Replacement and Local Laws 92\u002F94","When a NYC roof replacement must add solar or a green roof under Local Laws 92 and 94, which jobs are exempt, and how to file both as one project.","Replacing an entire roof deck or roof assembly in New York City triggers Local Laws 92 and 94 of 2019, which require the roof's sustainable roofing zone to be covered with solar panels, a green roof or both. Repairs, patches and coatings generally do not. A pitched roof that cannot fit a 4 kW solar system is exempt. A registered design professional should settle the coverage question before demolition, so the roof and the solar or green roof are filed and built as one project.",[10,15,52,85,98,129],{"heading":11,"paragraphs":12},"What the laws require",[13,14],"[Local Laws 92 and 94 of 2019](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nyc.gov\u002Fsite\u002Fbuildings\u002Fcodes\u002Fll92-solar-green-roofs.page) took effect on November 15, 2019. They apply to new buildings, to new roofs created by enlargements, and to existing buildings that replace an entire roof deck or roof assembly. In each case, 100 percent of the sustainable roofing zone must be covered by a solar photovoltaic system, a green roof, or a combination of the two.","[Buildings Bulletin 2019-010](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nyc.gov\u002Fassets\u002Fbuildings\u002Fbldgs_bulletins\u002Fbb_2019-010.pdf) applies the rule to roofs at every level of the building, with each contiguous roof area evaluated on its own. One- and two-family houses are covered. The bulletin contains no general exemption for small homes.",{"heading":16,"paragraphs":17,"table":19,"after":50},"Which roofing jobs are covered",[18],"The bulletin defines the roof assembly as the roof deck, substrate or thermal barrier, insulation, vapor retarder and roof covering. The roof deck is the structural surface the roofing and insulation sit on. In practice the definitions sort most jobs as follows.",{"caption":20,"head":21,"rows":25},"Typical roofing scopes and Local Laws 92 and 94",[22,23,24],"Scope of work","Generally covered","Notes",[26,30,34,38,42,46],[27,28,29],"Repair or patch of a leak","No","Localized work does not replace the roof assembly.",[31,32,33],"Coating or recover over the existing roof","Generally no","The existing assembly remains in place. A recover is not permitted over a roof that already has two or more layers, or over a water-soaked or deteriorated roof (BC 1511.3.1.1). Confirm with your design professional.",[35,36,37],"Tear-off of membrane and insulation, deck kept","Gray zone","Have a registered design professional determine coverage before work starts.",[39,40,41],"Full tear-off with deck replacement","Yes","Replacing all of the plywood, planking or joists clearly triggers the laws.",[43,44,45],"Rooftop addition or enlargement","Yes, for the new roof","The new roof area must provide a sustainable roofing zone.",[47,48,49],"Landmarked building (LPC)","Yes, if the deck or assembly is replaced","Landmarks Preservation Commission approval is required before the DOB permit. LPC may require panels to be set back so they are not visible from the street, which reduces the usable zone.",[51],"Rotted decking is the usual surprise on an older building. It shows only once the old roofing is off, and replacing it can move a job from the gray zone into full coverage. A roofing contract for an older building should carry an allowance for deck repair and a procedure for pausing work and amending the filing if the scope changes.",{"heading":53,"paragraphs":54,"list":56,"table":64,"after":82},"The 4 kW test and the sustainable roofing zone",[55],"Whether solar, a green roof or neither is required depends on the slope of the roof and on the size of each contiguous sustainable roofing zone. A low-slope roof has a slope under 2 in 12, about 17 percent; anything steeper is high-slope. The sustainable roofing zone is the roof area that remains after the following exclusions are subtracted.",[57,58,59,60,61,62,63],"Areas that must be kept clear for setbacks or access under the Fire Code, the Construction Codes or the Zoning Resolution, such as the [rooftop access pathways required by the Fire Code](\u002Fguides\u002Fsolar-fire-setbacks-rapid-shutdown-nyc).","Areas occupied by bulkheads and other rooftop structures, water tanks, mechanical equipment, antennas, parapets, guardrails, solar thermal systems and equipment access pathways.","Stormwater management installations, such as cisterns, required under DEP site connection or stormwater permits.","Setbacks and terraces, provided each setback is less than 25 percent of the largest floor plate.","Recreational spaces documented on the certificate of occupancy or an approved DOB filing.","Pitched roofs that cannot accommodate 4 kW of solar capacity, supported by calculations and a shading report.","Areas where the Department determines that site conditions are unfavorable, including a structure that cannot carry the added load, as documented in a statement by a registered design professional.",{"caption":65,"head":66,"rows":70},"Decision rules from Buildings Bulletin 2019-010",[67,68,69],"Roof type","Contiguous zone","Requirement",[71,75,78],[72,73,74],"Low-slope","200 sq ft or more (100 sq ft or more for Group R buildings of five stories or less)","Solar, green roof, or a combination. If shading prevents solar from reaching 4 kW, a green roof is required.",[72,76,77],"Under 200 sq ft (under 100 sq ft for Group R buildings of five stories or less)","Solar if a system of at least 4 kW fits. Otherwise, a green roof.",[79,80,81],"High-slope","Any size","Solar if a system of at least 4 kW fits. Otherwise, the roof is exempt.",[83,84],"The 4 kW test assumes panels with an efficiency of at least 15 percent. At that efficiency, 4 kW needs roughly 27 square meters, about 290 square feet, of panel surface before spacing and access paths are counted. Where 4 kW cannot be reached, the filing must include calculations and a shading report prepared by a qualified contractor, for example one holding NABCEP certification, or by a New York State registered design professional.","Take a Brooklyn rowhouse roof of 20 by 45 feet, 900 square feet gross. If the stair bulkhead, the fire access areas, the parapet and the equipment together take up about 300 square feet, roughly 600 square feet remains. That is well above the 100-square-foot threshold for a small residential building, so the owner must install solar, a green roof or a combination.",{"heading":86,"list":87,"after":95},"Building the roof and the solar as one project",[88,89,90,91,92,93,94],"Settle coverage before demolition. The design professional reviews the existing roof and the roofing scope and determines whether the laws apply.","Check the structure. Ballasted solar racks and green roofs add dead load. A green roof weighs far more than a solar array, and older joist roofs may need reinforcement to carry it.","Build the roof first. The deck, insulation and membrane are installed and inspected before any solar attachment is placed.","Specify a reflective roof surface. Low-slope roof coverings in NYC must meet [the reflectance values in BC 1504.9](https:\u002F\u002Fup.codes\u002Fviewer\u002Fnew_york_city\u002Fnyc-building-code-2022\u002Fchapter\u002F15\u002Froof-assemblies-and-rooftop-structures): an initial solar reflectance of at least 0.70 and a thermal emittance of at least 0.75, or a solar reflectance index of at least 82. Most white membranes and coatings meet them.","Choose the attachment method with the roofing manufacturer. Penetrating mounts need flashing the manufacturer approves, or the membrane warranty lapses.","Finish both trades in one mobilization. Removing and reinstalling panels on a membrane that is only a few years old adds cost and can void the roof warranty.","Apply to the utility early. Con Edison interconnection and permission to operate are usually the longest lead items, and the system cannot be energized before approval.",[96,97],"Co-op and condominium buildings also need board approval and should review the proprietary lease or bylaws for roof rights. In a co-op, the [solar property tax abatement](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nyc.gov\u002Fsite\u002Ffinance\u002Fproperty\u002Flandlords-solar-roof.page) is credited to the corporation's tax bill; any pass-through to shareholders is a board decision.","The work is filed in DOB NOW: Build by a registered design professional. The submission includes roof plans showing the included and excluded areas and the fire access areas, drawings of the solar or green roof installation, and a statement of the anticipated solar capacity. A solar installation also requires an electrical filing by a licensed electrician, which we arrange through our licensed partner electrical contractor. On a landmarked building, LPC approval comes first. The request for the solar or green roof property tax abatement goes in with the related filing; since March 30, 2026, green roof abatement requests are submitted through DOB NOW rather than on the paper form.",{"heading":99,"table":100,"after":127},"Abatements and credits in 2026",{"caption":101,"head":102,"rows":106},"Programs that can offset the cost, as of October 2026",[103,104,105],"Program","What it provides","Key conditions",[107,111,115,119,123],[108,109,110],"NYC solar property tax abatement","7.5 percent of eligible installation cost per year for four years (30 percent in total), limited each year to the lowest of that amount, the year's property tax or $62,500","Tax classes 1, 2 and 4, for systems placed in service from January 1, 2024. Not available with ICAP, 421-a, 421-b, 421-g or PILOT. The installation company files the application with the building permit and a final cost affidavit at closeout. An application received by March 15 takes effect that year, beginning July 1 after DOB approval. Finance charges and grant-funded costs are excluded.",[112,113,114],"NYC green roof property tax abatement","A per-square-foot abatement, with a higher rate in priority community districts","Rates and deadlines were revised in 2024 and 2026. Confirm the current rate with DOB before relying on it.",[116,117,118],"NYS solar energy system equipment credit","25 percent of qualified equipment costs, up to $5,000","Residential systems at the taxpayer's principal residence in New York State.",[120,121,122],"Federal residential clean energy credit (25D)","Not available for new projects","Ended for expenditures made after December 31, 2025.",[124,125,126],"Federal commercial credits (48E)","May apply to commercial or third-party-owned systems","A system that had not begun construction by July 4, 2026 must be placed in service by December 31, 2027, and sourcing restrictions apply. Confirm the schedule with a tax advisor.",[128],"[An abatement reduces property tax owed](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nyc.gov\u002Fassets\u002Fclimate\u002Fdownloads\u002Fpdfs\u002FSolar-and-Electric-Storage-System-Property-Tax-Abatement-FactSheet.pdf); it is not a refund. DOB and the Department of Finance decide eligibility and amounts. NY-Sun incentives for standard residential projects in the Con Edison and Long Island regions have been phased out, and only programs for income-qualified households may remain. We are contractors, not tax advisors. For [how credits and abatements apply](\u002Fguides\u002Fny-solar-heat-pump-ev-tax-credits-2026) to your return, consult a CPA such as Copper River Tax (copperrivertax.com), which has worked with many of our clients on tax-saving strategies for their projects, such as how improvements, credits and depreciation are claimed on their returns.",{"heading":130,"paragraphs":131},"What we do on these projects",[132],"We [review the existing roof and the roofing scope](\u002Fservices\u002Froofing), bring in a registered design professional for the coverage determination and the DOB filing, run the 4 kW capacity and shading check, and price the roof and the solar or green roof as one project. Electrical work for the solar system is performed by our licensed partner electrical contractor. An existing roofing proposal or photos of the roof are enough to start an estimate.",[134,137,140],{"q":135,"a":136},"Do Local Laws 92 and 94 apply to one- and two-family houses?","Yes. The laws and Buildings Bulletin 2019-010 contain no general exemption for small homes. A lower 100-square-foot threshold applies to residential buildings of five stories or less, and pitched roofs that cannot fit 4 kW of solar are exempt.",{"q":138,"a":139},"Do I need solar if I only replace the roof membrane?","A coating, recover or membrane replacement that leaves the deck and the rest of the assembly in place is generally not covered. A tear-off down to the deck is a gray zone, and a deck replacement is covered. Your design professional should confirm coverage before work begins.",{"q":141,"a":142},"Can I pay a fee instead of installing solar or a green roof?","No. The laws do not offer a payment in place of compliance. The alternatives are the exclusions in the bulletin, such as the 4 kW test for pitched roofs or a documented structural limitation.",{"text":144},"Send photographs of the roof, its approximate age and any roofing proposal you already have. You receive, at no charge, a written estimate that prices the roof and the solar or green roof as one project, with the filing path confirmed with the registered design professional.","2026-10-25","roofing",20,[149,153,156,160,164,168,172,176],{"title":150,"url":151,"publisher":152},"Local Laws 92 and 94 of 2019: Solar and Green Roofs","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nyc.gov\u002Fsite\u002Fbuildings\u002Fcodes\u002Fll92-solar-green-roofs.page","NYC Department of Buildings",{"title":154,"url":155,"publisher":152},"Buildings Bulletin 2019-010","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nyc.gov\u002Fassets\u002Fbuildings\u002Fbldgs_bulletins\u002Fbb_2019-010.pdf",{"title":157,"url":158,"publisher":159},"Solar Electric Generating System Tax Abatement","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nyc.gov\u002Fsite\u002Ffinance\u002Fproperty\u002Flandlords-solar-roof.page","NYC Department of Finance",{"title":161,"url":162,"publisher":163},"Solar energy system equipment credit","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.tax.ny.gov\u002Fpit\u002Fcredits\u002Fsolar_energy_system_equipment_credit.htm","New York State Department of Taxation and Finance",{"title":165,"url":166,"publisher":167},"Residential Clean Energy Credit","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.irs.gov\u002Fcredits-deductions\u002Fresidential-clean-energy-credit","Internal Revenue Service",{"title":169,"url":170,"publisher":171},"Chapter 15 Roof Assemblies and Rooftop Structures, New York City Building Code 2022","https:\u002F\u002Fup.codes\u002Fviewer\u002Fnew_york_city\u002Fnyc-building-code-2022\u002Fchapter\u002F15\u002Froof-assemblies-and-rooftop-structures","UpCodes",{"title":173,"url":174,"publisher":175},"Solar and Electric Storage System Property Tax Abatement Fact Sheet","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nyc.gov\u002Fassets\u002Fclimate\u002Fdownloads\u002Fpdfs\u002FSolar-and-Electric-Storage-System-Property-Tax-Abatement-FactSheet.pdf","NYC Mayor's Office of Climate and Environmental Justice",{"title":177,"url":178,"publisher":167},"Notice 2025-42: Beginning of Construction for Wind and Solar Facilities","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.irs.gov\u002Fpub\u002Firs-drop\u002Fn-25-42.pdf","nyc-local-law-92-94-roof-replacement","en-US",[182,186,192,197],{"slug":183,"title":184,"description":185,"service":146,"date":145,"updated":145},"solar-shingles-vs-panels-new-roof","Solar Shingles or Panels on a New Roof in New York","Solar shingles, rack-mounted panels or a standing-seam metal roof when you re-roof in NYC or on Long Island: output, code limits, repairs and warranties.",{"slug":187,"title":188,"description":189,"service":190,"date":191,"updated":145},"rental-turnover-cost-tips","Reducing turnover and maintenance costs on rental units","Practical ways for NYC and Long Island landlords to shorten vacancy and spend less on each turnover: standard finishes, durable materials and planned maintenance.","rental","2026-10-24",{"slug":193,"title":194,"description":195,"service":196,"date":191,"updated":145},"flood-fire-damage-first-steps","First steps after a flood or fire for NYC and Long Island property owners","What to do in the first days after water or fire damage: safety, power, documentation for insurance, drying and choosing what to rebuild.","restoration",{"slug":198,"title":199,"description":200,"service":201,"date":191,"updated":145},"building-maintenance-checklist","A maintenance checklist for small building owners in NYC","Seasonal and yearly maintenance for small multifamily and mixed-use buildings in New York City, plus the inspections that apply to many of them.","maintenance",1792938766510]