Local Law 195 - Fire Alarm Applications

If you're experiencing longer wait times for fire alarm application review, this could be the reason why.

As of June 2, 2019, the NYC Department of Buildings will no longer be handling applications for any fire protection plans and related systems, instead handing all approval duties over to the FDNY.

While the Fire Department has worked jointly with the DOB for approvals and inspections in the past, Local Law 195 means that the TM-1 permit application form and other applicable FDNY forms have been revised to incorporate such procedural changes.

The following applications will now be processed directly with FDNY:

Fire Alarm & Detection Systems (FA)
Fire Protection Plans (FPP)
Fire suppression systems (FSS)
Other fire code regulated installations/modifications

This change makes sense, considering the FDNY's area of expertise is in fire safety. With the DOB enacting its Building One City plan to increase efficiency, expediting part of its approval duties to a department that has more knowledge of the area seems reasonable.

But, what does this mean for applicants?

The major benefit of this new system is that the FDNY will now be the one-stop shop for fire protection plan submissions and reviews. This in turn reduces the number of application fees customers will need to submit. The FDNY is also creating their own Intake Unit, along with the new forms, to handle applications more efficiently.

But while they state, in their FAQ for the Changes with Local Law 195, that, “In the near future we foresee improvement due to the removal of additional step requirement of filing at DOB,” they also note that the transition period may not feel significantly faster.

In addition, while the DOB has already instituted their DOB Now: Build online system, the FDNY's online appointments system will not be operational until September 2019, something to keep in mind for any applicants who need to begin filing this summer.

If you can afford to wait a while before filing, while the system works out its kinks, do so. Otherwise, you might need to be extra patient while navigating this new filing procedure

Let us know how we can help factor in these new filing procedures into your project schedule. A little planning up front can save you time and costs in the end.

Resources