File #: Int 1456-2025    Version: Name: Requiring the department of buildings and the department of small business services to provide education concerning the proper installation of awnings and accessory signs, and in relation to waiving penalties and fees related to such signs.
Type: Introduction Status: Enacted (Mayor's Desk for Signature)
Committee: Committee on Housing and Buildings
On agenda: 11/12/2025
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the City of New York, in relation to requiring the department of buildings and the department of small business services to provide education concerning the proper installation of awnings and accessory signs, and in relation to waiving penalties and fees related to such signs
Sponsors: Justin L. Brannan, Sandra Ung, Gale A. Brewer, Mercedes Narcisse, Pierina Ana Sanchez, Jennifer Gutiérrez, Farah N. Louis, Frank Morano
Council Member Sponsors: 8
Summary: This bill would extend the current moratorium on fines related to violations of local laws and regulations governing signs on awnings and accessory signs for three years. Accessory signs and awnings are typically signs which promote a business and are attached to the building in which the business operates, with awnings projecting outward from the building. This bill would also make the moratorium apply to awnings and accessory signs installed before February 2025. This moratorium would only apply to violations that do not pose hazards to health or safety. Alongside the moratorium, DOB’s assistance program, which provides eligible business owners with technical assistance in acquiring permits to replace noncompliant signs and waives the relevant permit fees, would be continued by three years. This bill would also require the Department of Buildings and the Department of Small Business Services to provide education and outreach concerning the laws and regulations governing such signs, so as to assist with compliance by small businesses, sign makers, and sign hangers and to ensure small businesses are aware of the licensed professionals who can safely install awning and accessory signs.
Attachments: 1. Summary of Int. No. 1456-A, 2. Summary of Int. No. 1456, 3. Int. No. 1456, 4. November 12, 2025 - Stated Meeting Agenda, 5. Committee Report 11/20/25, 6. Fiscal Impact Statement - City Council, 7. Fiscal Impact Statement - OMB, 8. Hearing Testimony 11/20/25, 9. Appearance Cards 11/20/25, 10. Hearing Transcript 11/20/25, 11. Proposed Int. No. 1456-A - 11/26/25, 12. Int. No. 1456-A - Fiscal Impact Statement - City Council, 13. Int. No. 1456-A - Fiscal Impact Statement - OMB, 14. Committee Report 12/4/25, 15. Committee Report - Stated Meeting, 16. December 4, 2025 - Stated Meeting Agenda
Date Ver.Prime SponsorAction ByActionResultAction DetailsMeeting DetailsMultimedia
12/4/2025AJustin L. Brannan City Council Approved by CouncilPass Action details Meeting details Not available
12/4/2025*Justin L. Brannan Committee on Housing and Buildings Hearing on P-C Item by Comm  Action details Meeting details Not available
12/4/2025*Justin L. Brannan Committee on Housing and Buildings Amendment Proposed by Comm  Action details Meeting details Not available
12/4/2025*Justin L. Brannan Committee on Housing and Buildings Amended by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
12/4/2025AJustin L. Brannan Committee on Housing and Buildings Approved by CommitteePass Action details Meeting details Not available
11/20/2025*Justin L. Brannan Committee on Housing and Buildings Hearing Held by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
11/20/2025*Justin L. Brannan Committee on Housing and Buildings Laid Over by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
11/12/2025*Justin L. Brannan City Council Referred to Comm by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available
11/12/2025*Justin L. Brannan City Council Introduced by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available

Int. No. 1456-A

 

By Council Members Brannan, Ung, Brewer, Narcisse, Sanchez, Gutiérrez, Louis and Morano

 

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the City of New York, in relation to requiring the department of buildings and the department of small business services to provide education concerning the proper installation of awnings and accessory signs, and in relation to waiving penalties and fees related to such signs

 

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

 

Section 1. Section 3 of local law number 28 for the year 2019, as amended by local law number 43 for the year 2023, is amended to read as follows:

§ 3. Violations for existing accessory signs. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for a period of 9 years beginning on February 9, 2019 and ending on February 8, 2028, no applicable violations shall be issued [on or after the effective date of the local law that established this section]  for an accessory sign in existence on or before [such date] February 9, 2025 [for a period of six years], unless such accessory sign creates an imminent threat to public health or safety or the commissioner of buildings determines that such sign is otherwise not eligible for the temporary waiver created under this section.

§ 2. Section 4 of local law number 28 for the year 2019, as amended by local law number 43 for the year 2023, is amended to read as follows:

§ 4. Temporary assistance for respondents. a. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, for a period of 9 years beginning on August 8, 2019 and ending on August 7, 2028, the commissioner of buildings shall [establish] administer a temporary program to provide assistance to respondents of judgments resulting from applicable violations resolved by payment by the respondent or other payor [between] on or after June 1, 2006 [and the effective date of the local law that established this section for a six-year period]. The assistance provided by such program shall include, but not be limited to:

1. Technical assistance in acquiring the permit or permits required to install an accessory sign;

2. Review of all permit applications relevant to the installation of an accessory sign including a preliminary review of compliance with paragraph (a) of section 32-653 or paragraph (a) of section 42-542 of the zoning resolution, or any provision amending, replacing or supplementing such sections of the zoning resolution within seven days of receiving such application; and

3. A waiver of all fees in connection with permits relevant to the installation of an accessory sign incurred on or after the effective date of the local law that established this section.

§ 3. Article 103 of chapter 1 of title 28 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 28-103.39 to read as follows:

§ 28-103.39 Education and outreach regarding awnings and accessory signs. No later than June 30, 2026, and annually thereafter, the department, in coordination with the department of small business services, shall conduct outreach to educate small business owners and sign makers about local laws and regulations applicable to awnings and accessory signs and their installation, including the provisions of articles 105 and 415 of this title, the relevant provisions of the New York city building code, and the provisions of the New York city zoning resolution related to awnings and accessory signs. Such outreach shall include the distribution of written materials in the designated citywide languages, as defined in section 23-1101, copies of which shall also be available on the department’s website. Such written materials shall be updated whenever the relevant laws or regulations change. Such written materials and outreach shall be developed to guide business owners and sign makers in the compliant design, structure, and hanging of awnings and accessory signs and shall, at a minimum, include educational materials concerning:

1. The requirements of the New York city zoning resolution and the New York city building code related to the surface area, projection, and text on signs and awnings, including examples of compliant signs and awnings;

 

2. The circumstances in which a permit is required for the installation of an accessory sign;

 

3. The circumstances in which a special licensed sign hanger or master licensed sign hanger is required to install a sign; and

 

4. The penalties for failing to comply with the above requirements.

§ 4. This local law takes effect immediately, provided that sections one and two of this local law are retroactive to and deemed to have been in effect as of January 1, 2025.

 

WAE

LS #18882

11/25/25 10:18 P.M.