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Local Law 152: Updates for Q3 and Q4 2021

If you are a property owner or manager in New York City, chances are that Local Law 152, which governs gas piping inspections, applies to your building. After offering an extension for meeting the requirements of the law for the first half of 2021 due to Covid restrictions, the city issued a Local Law 152 update in April.

The update applies to the remainder of the year and through the end of 2024. Be sure to check out the news below, familiarize yourself with the details of Local Law 152, and then schedule your inspection as soon as possible to avoid delays.

What Is NYC Local Law 152?

Gas piping inspections required

Local Law 152 was created in 2016 and implemented in 2019 for all of New York City. The law states that all properties, except for one- and two-family homes in the R-3 dwelling category, must undergo periodic gas piping safety inspections.

These inspections take place once every four years on a rotating schedule. Only a licensed master plumber (LMP) or someone working directly under a licensed master plumber with the proper qualifications, can provide the inspection.

Inspection process

A Gas Piping Periodic Inspection Report (GPS1) is given to the building owner by the LMP within 30 days of completing the inspection. The property owner must then file a Gas Piping System Periodic Inspection Certification (GPS2) within 60 days of the inspection.

The GPS2 certification is completed by the party that performs the inspection, and it is signed and sealed. It is submitted to the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB), free of charge via a dedicated online portal.

Property owners are required by law to keep all documentation pertaining to Local Law 152 for at least 10 years.

What Is the Local Law 152 Update for the Second Half of 2021?

Q3 and Q4 2021 inspections

Buildings in Community Districts 1, 3, and 10 across all boroughs of the city are required to complete their inspections and submit their inspection certifications by June 30, 2021. This was the extension granted due to the pandemic.

According to the most recent update from the city, dated April 15, 2021, by December 31, 2021, properties in Community Districts 2, 5, 7, 13, and 18 in all boroughs must have completed their inspections and submitted their Gas Piping System Periodic Inspection Certification (GPS2).

A summary of the city-wide inspection schedule is as follows:

DATE RANGE FOR INSPECTION                               BUILDINGS IN COMMUNITY DISTRICTS

January 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021                                1, 3, and 10 in all boroughs

January 1, 2021 – December 31, 2021                      2, 5, 7, 13, and 18 in all boroughs

January 1, 2022 – December 31, 2022                      4, 6, 8, 9, and 16 in all boroughs

January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023                      11, 12, 14, 15, and 17 in all boroughs

January 1, 2024 – December 31, 2024                       1, 3 and 10 in all boroughs

Inspections will be required every fourth calendar year by December 31th starting in 2021.

What Else Should You Know About Local Law 152?

Parts of building inspected

All exposed gas piping from where the gas service enters your building must be inspected. This includes service meters for the building, piping in public spaces like hallways, and piping in boiler and mechanical rooms.

Buildings without gas piping

There are some buildings that have no gas piping. If this applies to your property, you are not required to undergo an inspection. Instead, every four years you must submit certification from a licensed design professional, such as an architect, stating that you have no gas piping.

Failing a gas piping inspection

It is possible to fail a gas piping inspection. Barring the discovery of emergency conditions that require the inspector to evacuate the building and call 911, you have 120 days to fix any problems and submit a Certification of Correction. Like other Local Law 152 documentation, this must also be signed and sealed by your licensed master plumber.

Sometimes, it takes longer than 120 days to perform repairs and submit the proper documentation. As long as your licensed master plumber indicates that you need extra time when filling out the initial GPS1 Inspection Report, you may have 180 days in total to complete repairs and submit your certification through the DOB portal. Therefore, it is imperative that you communicate with your inspector and request extra time from the outset of the process.

Unsure which Community District your property is in

If you are not sure which Community District your property is in, you can search for your address with the Department of City Planning. The city provides an online mechanism for doing this quickly and easily:

https://communityprofiles.planning.nyc.gov/.

Don’t Wait to Schedule Your Inspection

Stay on top of Local Law 152

Penalties for failing to comply with New York City Local Law 152 can include citations, large fines, and even closure of your building. You don’t want to wait until the last minute to schedule your gas piping inspection, as licensed master plumbers are often busy.

The longer you wait to schedule, the more likely you’ll run into a full calendar between other properties’ inspections, the holidays, and the arrival of the heating season in the fall, when plumbers can become extremely busy with radiator calls.

Also, if there are any problems uncovered during your inspection, you want to give yourself plenty of time to fix them. You may need to order parts, and of course, you need to allow time for your plumber to complete the work, as well as a new inspection and the paperwork that ensues.

Call Calray Boilers today at 212-733-5506 to schedule a maintenance visit, or use our easy online form to book an appointment at your convenience.