Say “grill” to any New Yorker at this time of year, and chances are they’re thinking about al fresco dining and outdoor barbecues. For business property owners, though, summer is a time for addressing roll-down security grilles.
By July 1, 2026, buildings that are in Occupancy Group B (Business) or Occupancy Group M (Mercantile) must comply with the visibility standards set forth in Local Law 75 of 2009.
- Applies to buildings with roll-down security grilles installed after July 1, 2011
- Roll-down security grilles that face the sidewalk must provide at least 70% visibility of the covered area when closed and viewed from the sidewalk.
- Landmarked buildings and buildings in historic districts are exempt.
- The requirement does not apply to Occupancy S (Storage) buildings, even if the security grille is sidewalk-facing.
Security grilles installed after July 1, 2011 and remain non-compliant after July 1, 2026 will be subject to violations. The New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) considers failure to install a compliant roll-down security grille to be a major violation that will result in a summons issued by the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH). Once a summons has been issued, the owner has 90 days to correct the violation and submit a Certificate of Correction in order to avoid a hearing and penalties.
Owners should determine whether their property is subject to the visibility regulations, and, if so, make a plan to replace any non-compliant roll-down security grilles as soon as possible.
