Canopy Permit

You need a permit from the Department of Transportation (DOT) to install or maintain a canopy on a sidewalk at the entrance to a building or business. A licensed professional must install the canopies. Before installation, you must get approval from the NYCDOT Highway Inspection Quality Assurance Unit.

• Know the NYC Highway Rules.
• Get insurance. You need a commercial general liability insurance policy. Check the NYC Highway Rules for details.
• Register with the Department of Transportation (DOT). Fill out a Registration Application. After you submit the form and proof of insurance, you will get an ID number called a permittee number.
• Have an Employer Identification Number (EIN). If your business is a corporation or partnership, you need an EIN. Sole proprietors can use their Social Security number.
• Design plans for the canopy location, including sidewalk sizes.
• Pay the fee for a canopy permit, which is $50 per year.

• Know the law: You must follow all laws and rules of the City of New York. For a full list of conditions, check the NYC Highway Rules. You also need to follow the stipulations on the permit.

• Canopy installation restrictions: Canopies cannot be installed:

  • Within 15 feet of fire hydrants or bus stop zones
  • Beneath a fire escape
  • Within the area created by extending the building line to the curb or within 10 feet of either side of the corner
  • Within five feet of tree pit edges
  • Within four feet of streetlights and utility hole or transformer vault covers or gratings
  • Within three feet of parking meters

• Permit duration: Each installation permit is valid for 30 days. The maintenance permit expires one year from the date it was issued. The Commissioner of the DOT can revoke it earlier.

• Building owner responsibility: The building owner must renew all canopy permits every year.

• Renew your permit: You need to renew the canopy maintenance permit at least one month before the permit expires. Mail your canopy renewal request via the Application for Roadway/Sidewalk Permit(s) form along with the $50 renewal fee to NYC DOT Permit Management Office.

• Complete the Application for Roadway and Sidewalk Permits.
• Submit the completed application in person. Go to the Permit Office in the borough where the canopy will be installed. You can find all Permit Office locations on the About page. If you are in Manhattan, submit your application in person to the Highway Inspection Quality Assurance (HIQA) Unit at the address listed on the About page.