LL62/1991 (boilers) · Admin Code 28-304 (elevators)
Annual Boiler & Elevator Inspections
Boilers need an annual inspection filed with DOB; elevators need an annual Category 1 test and a five-year Category 5 test. All three run on fixed clocks with late fees that stack.
Who must comply
Any building with a low-pressure boiler (residential 6+ units, and most mixed-use). Any building with an elevator or other vertical-transport device.
Key deadlines
| Boiler annual inspection + filing | Inspect during the calendar year; file within 14 days of inspection (late filing fees: $50/month) |
| Elevator Category 1 test | Every calendar year, filed by December 31 |
| Elevator Category 5 test | Every 5 years from the last CAT5 |
What it costs to miss
Boilers: $1,000 per boiler per year for failure to file, plus monthly late fees. Elevators: $3,000 for a missed CAT1 filing, $5,000 for a missed CAT5 — per device.
The scheduling trap
Both regimes require licensed third parties (boiler inspectors; approved elevator agencies witnessed by DOB or an approved witness) and both years-end at once — December is the industry’s busiest month. Buildings that book inspections in Q4 pay rush pricing or miss the year entirely.
CAT5 tests are the one owners lose track of: the five-year clock runs from your last test date, not a calendar year, so every device in a portfolio has its own deadline.
Knowing isn’t the hard part. Doing is.
Parcel reads your boiler and elevator filing history from DOB, computes each device’s next CAT1/CAT5/annual due date, and reminds you while there’s still inspector availability.
Official source: DOB: Boilers · DOB: Elevators
Current as of September 9, 2026 · last reviewed 2026-08-19. This guide is a summary for owners and managers, not legal advice.