N.Y.C. Admin. Code tit. 27, ch. 2 § 27-2044
Fire protection in certain old law tenements (New York City Housing Maintenance Code)
Operative Text
a. In every old law tenement which is less than four stories in height: (1) Every door opening into any entrance hall or stair, or into any public hall connected therewith, shall be self-closing; every glazed opening or glazed panel in such a door shall be glazed with wire glass, and every transom opening upon any public hall shall be glazed with wire glass firmly secured in a closed position; and (2) Every interior sash, or opening other than a door, in the walls or partitions of any such hall, and every window in any such hall not opening to the outer air, shall be removed and the openings closed up and fire-retarded; and (3) The ceiling of the cellar, or if there is no cellar, of the basement or other lowest story, shall be fire-retarded unless such ceiling already has been plastered or covered in a manner satisfactory to the department with plasterboard or gypsumboard at least one-half inch in thickness. b. In every old law tenement which is four stories or more in height: (1) On all stories above the third story, every apartment door opening into any stair or into any public hall connected therewith, unless such stair or public hall is protected by an approved sprinkler system shall have a fire resistance rating of at least one hour. Existing door frames in good condition may be retained. All such doors shall comply with this requirement, not later than November second, nineteen hundred seventy-three. (2) For all stories below the fourth story, any application for an alteration permit for alterations to be made in an apartment below the fourth story shall include the provision that every door of such apartment opening into any entrance hall, stair or into any public hall connected therewith, unless such entrance hall, stair or public hall is protected by an approved sprinkler system, shall have a fire resistance rating of at least one hour. Existing door frames in good condition may be retained. (3) Where apartment doors having a fire resistance rating of at least one hour are required, every transom opening upon any entrance hall, stair or public hall connected therewith shall be sealed and fireretarded. All other transoms opening upon any entrance hall, stair or public hall connected therewith shall be glazed with wire glass and permanently sealed in a closed position. (4) All doors opening into any entrance hall, stair or into any public hall connected therewith shall be self-closing; every glazed opening or glazed panel in such a door shall be glazed with wire glass.
N.Y.C. Admin. Code §§ 27-2001 and 27-2044 establish fire-protection construction standards for old law tenements in New York City, with requirements that vary based on building height. In buildings under four stories, the rules address self-closing doors, wire-glass glazing, sealed transoms, and fire-retarded ceilings in the lowest level. In buildings of four or more stories, the rules impose fire-resistance ratings of at least one hour on apartment doors above the third floor, require sealed and fire-retarded transoms where rated doors are present, and tie additional door-upgrade requirements to alteration permits for lower-floor apartments.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of old law tenements covered by N.Y.C. Admin. Code §§ 27-2001 and 27-2044 generally maintain self-closing, wire-glass-glazed doors on all public hall and stair openings, and ensure that transoms are either permanently sealed with wire glass or fully sealed and fire-retarded depending on the building's height and door-rating requirements. In buildings of four stories or more, compliant operators have already ensured that apartment doors above the third floor carry at least a one-hour fire-resistance rating, a deadline that passed in November 1973. When applying for any alteration permit affecting apartments below the fourth floor in taller buildings, operators typically include the required door-upgrade provisions in the permit application to remain in compliance.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Tenants living in old law tenements have an interest in knowing that §§ 27-2001 and 27-2044 of the N.Y.C. Admin. Code set specific fire-safety construction standards for their building type, including requirements for self-closing doors, wire-glass panels, sealed transoms, and, in taller buildings, fire-rated apartment doors. If a tenant believes these standards are not being met—for example, if public-hall doors are not self-closing or transoms appear unsealed—they may consider filing a complaint with the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, which oversees housing maintenance code enforcement. Tenant-rights organizations and legal aid services can help residents understand what conditions may constitute a violation and what general options exist for seeking remediation.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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