Rule guide · Energy & emissions

Local Law 97 emissions, explained.

Local Law 97 sets a carbon cap on larger buildings and requires an annual emissions report. If your building is over 25,000 square feet, you file each year and, separately, you are expected to keep actual emissions under the limit set for your building type. This is the rule most large-building owners worry about, because the exceedance penalty is tied to how far over the cap you run.

What it costs to skip: $268 per metric ton of CO2e over the annual cap; failure to file the report runs $0.50 per sq ft per month. Amounts vary and can change; confirm the current figures with DOB.

Applies toBuildings over 25,000 sq ft

FrequencyAnnual, by May 1

Filing deadlineFile by May 1 each year

AgencyDOB

The lawNYC Admin. Code § 28-320 (Local Law 97 of 2019)

The report and the cap are two different things

Filing the report on time is one obligation. Staying under the emissions limit is a second one. You can file perfectly and still owe a penalty if the building burned more than its cap allows, and you can be under the cap and still be penalized for filing late. Track both.

Why it pairs with benchmarking

The emissions figures lean on the same energy data you already gather for benchmarking (Local Law 84). Owners who keep clean benchmarking records each year have a much easier time with the LL97 report. See the benchmarking guide for that half of the job.

See every rule that applies to your building

Source: DOB official page · NYC Admin. Code § 28-320 (Local Law 97 of 2019). Reviewed July 4, 2026. This guide organizes public requirements in plain English; it is not legal advice, and No Fines is not affiliated with the City of New York. Confirm specifics with the agency before your deadline.