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N.Y.C. Admin. Code § BC 504: Section BC 504: Building Height and Number of Stories
Where this section sits in the code
- New York City Administrative Code
- Title 28
- Chapter 7: New York City Building Code
504.1 General.
The height, in feet, and the number of stories of a building shall be determined based on the type of construction, occupancy classification and whether there is an automatic sprinkler system installed throughout the building.
Exception: The building height of one-story aircraft hangars, aircraft paint hangars and buildings used for the manufacturing of aircraft shall not be limited where the building is provided with an automatic sprinkler system or automatic fire-extinguishing system in accordance with Chapter 9 and is entirely surrounded by public ways or yards not less in width than one and one-half times the building height.
504.1.1 Unlimited area buildings.
The height of unlimited area buildings shall be designed in accordance with Section 507.
504.1.2 Special provisions.
The special provisions of Section 510 permit the use of special conditions that are exempt from, or modify, the specific requirements of this chapter regarding the allowable heights of buildings based on the occupancy classification and type of construction, provided the special condition complies with the provisions specified in Section 510.
504.2 Mixed occupancy.
In a building containing mixed occupancies in accordance with Section 508, no individual occupancy shall exceed the height and number of story limits specified in Section 504 for the applicable occupancies.
504.3 Height in feet and number of stories.
The maximum height, in feet, of a building shall not exceed the limits specified in Table 504.3. The maximum number of stories of a building shall not exceed the limits specified in Table 504.4.
Exceptions:
1. Rooftop structures including but not limited to roof tanks and their supports, ventilating, air conditioning, combined heat and power systems and similar building service equipment, bulkheads, penthouses, greenhouses, chimneys, and parapet walls 4 feet (1219 mm) or less in height shall not be included in the building height of the building or considered an additional story unless the aggregate area of all such structures, exclusive of any solar thermal and solar (photovoltaic) collectors and/or panels and their supporting equipment, exceeds 33 1/3 percent of the area of the roof of the building upon which they are erected. Rooftop structures shall be constructed in accordance with Section 1510.
2. Solar thermal and solar electric (photovoltaic) collectors and/or panels and their supporting equipment that exceed 33 1/3 percent of the area of the roof of the building upon which they are erected shall not be included in the height of a building or considered an additional story.
3. Noncombustible steeples, minarets, spires, domes, cupolas and other similar architectural elements, not used for occupancy or storage, shall not be included in the building height of the building or considered an extra story, and may be unlimited in height.
Table 504.3
a
Allowable Building Height in Feet above Grade Plane
Occupancy Classification
See Footnotes
Type of Construction
Type I
Type II
Type III
Type IV
j
Type V
A
B i
A
B
A
B
HT
A
B
A-1
NS
b, c
UL
160
65
55
65
55
65
50
40
S
UL
420
85
75
85
75
85
70
60
A-2
NS
b, c
UL
160
65
55
65
55
65
50
40
S
UL
420
85
75
85
75
85
70
60
A-3
NS
b, c
UL
160
65
55
65
55
65
50
40
S
UL
420
85
75
85
75
85
70
60
A-4
NS
b, c
UL
160
65
55
65
55
65
50
40
S
UL
420
85
75
85
75
85
70
60
A-5
NS
b, c
UL
160
65
55
65
55
65
50
40
S
UL
420
85
75
85
75
85
70
60
B
NS
b, c
UL
160
65
55
65
55
65
50
40
S
UL
420
85
75
85
75
85
70
60
E
NS
b, c
UL
160
65
55
65
55
65
50
40
S
UL
420
85
75
85
75
85
70
60
F-1
NS
b, c
UL
160
65
55
65
55
65
50
40
S
UL
180
85
75
85
75
85
70
60
F-2
NS
b, c
UL
160
65
55
65
55
65
50
40
S
UL
420
85
75
85
75
85
70
60
H-1
S
UL
160
65
55
65
55
65
50
NP
H-2
f
S
UL
160
65
55
65
55
65
50
40
H-3
f
S
UL
160
65
55
65
55
65
50
40
H-4
S
UL
180
85
75
85
75
85
70
60
H-5
S
UL
160
65
55
65
55
65
50
40
I-1
S13D
60
60
60
NP
60
55
60
NP
NP
S13R
S
UL
420
85
85
75
85
NP
NP
I-2
S
UL
180
85
55
65
55
65
50
NP
I-3
S
UL
180
85
75
85
75
85
70
NP
I-4
NS
b, c
UL
160
65
55
65
55
65
50
40
S
UL
420
85
75
85
75
85
70
60
M
NS
b, c
UL
160
65
55
65
55
65
50
40
S
UL
420
85
75
85
75
85
70
60
R-1
S13R
60
60
60
NP
60
NP
60
NP
NP
S
UL
420
85
85
85
R-2
S13R
60
60
60
NP
60
60
60
NP
NP
S
UL
420
85
85
75
85
R-3
NS
b, c
UL
160
65
55
65
55
65
50
g, h
40
g
S13D
60
60
60
60
60
55
60
S13R
60
60
g, h
60
g
S
UL
420
85
75
85
75
85
70
g, h
S-1
NS
b, c
UL
160
65
55
65
55
65
50
40
S
UL
180
85
75
85
75
85
70
60
S-2
d, e
NS
b, c
UL
160
65
55
65
55
65
50
40
S
UL
420
85
75
85
75
85
70
60
U
e
NS
b, c
UL
160
65
55
65
55
65
50
40
S
UL
180
85
75
85
75
85
70
60
= Not permitted in Fire District
= Not permitted in Fire District without sprinklers
For SI: 1 foot = 304.8 mm.
Note: UL = Unlimited; NP = Not permitted; NS = Buildings not equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system; S = Buildings equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system installed in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1; S13R = Buildings equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system installed in accordance with Section 903.3.1.2; S13D = Buildings equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system installed in accordance with Section 903.3.1.3.
a. See the following sections for general exceptions to Table 504.3:
1. See Chapters 4 and 5 for specific exceptions to the allowable height in this chapter.
2. Section 506.3, Allowable area increase due to frontage.
3. Section 507, Unlimited area building.
b. See Section 903.2 for the minimum thresholds for protection by an automatic sprinkler system for specific occupancies.
c. The NS value is only for use in buildings not required by this code to be equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system.
d. For open parking structures, see Section 406.5.
e. For private garages, see Section 406.3.
f. See Section 415.8 for limitations.
g. See Exception 9 of Section D105.1 for allowances of Type VA and VB construction for R-3 occupancies.
h. See Exception 12 of Section D105.1 for allowances of Type VA construction and height limitations for R-3 occupancies in Lower Density Growth Management Areas.
i. See Section 403.2.1 for additional requirements for high-rise buildings.
j. Type IV construction utilizing cross-laminated timber or structural composite lumber shall be sprinklered where required by Section 903.2.13.
504.4 Number of stories.
The maximum number of stories of a building shall not exceed the limits specified in Table 504.4.
Table 504.4
a, b
Allowable Number of Stories above Grade Plane
Occupancy Classification
See Footnotes
Type of Construction
Type I
Type II
Type III
Type IV
i
Type V
A
B
A
B
A
B
HT
A
B
A-1
NS
b, c
UL
UL
6
3
6
3
6
3
2
S
UL
UL
7
4
7
4
7
4
3
A-2
NS
b, c
UL
UL
6
3
6
3
6
3
2
S
UL
UL
7
4
7
4
7
4
3
A-3
NS
b, c
UL
UL
6
3
6
3
6
3
2
S
UL
UL
7
4
7
4
7
4
3
A-4
NS
b, c
UL
UL
6
3
6
3
6
3
2
S
UL
UL
7
4
7
4
7
4
3
A-5
NS
b, c
UL
UL
UL
UL
UL
UL
6
UL
UL
S
UL
UL
UL
UL
UL
UL
7
UL
UL
B
NS
b, c
UL
UL
6
3
6
3
6
3
2
S
UL
UL
7
4
7
4
7
4
3
E
NS
b, c
UL
UL
4
3
4
3
6
3
2
S
UL
UL
5
4
5
4
7
4
3
F-1
NS
b, c
UL
6
5
3
5
2
5
3
2
S
UL
7
6
4
6
3
6
4
3
F-2
NS
b, c
UL
UL
6
3
6
3
6
3
2
S
UL
UL
7
4
7
4
7
4
3
H-1
S
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
NP
H-2
f
S
UL
3
2
1
2
1
2
1
1
H-3
f
S
UL
6
4
2
4
2
4
2
1
H-4
S
UL
8
6
4
6
4
6
4
3
H-5
S
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
I-1
S13D
6
6
6
NP
4
3
4
NP
NP
S13R
UL
UL
5
4
5
S
UL
UL
7
NP
I-2
S
UL
7
5
4
5
3
5
3
NP
I-3
S
UL
5
5
4
5
3
5
4
NP
I-4
NS
b, c
UL
UL
3
3
3
3
3
2
2
S
UL
UL
4
4
4
4
4
3
3
M
NS
b, c
UL
UL
6
3
6
3
6
3
2
S
UL
UL
7
4
7
4
7
4
3
R-1
S13R
6
6
6
NP
6
NP
6
NP
NP
S
UL
UL
7
NP
7
NP
7
NP
NP
R-2
S13R
6
6
6
NP
6
4
6
NP
NP
S
UL
UL
7
NP
7
7
NP
NP
R-3
NS
b, c
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
3
g, h
3
g
S13D
6
6
6
3
6
3
6
S13R
4
4
4
g, h
4
g
S
UL
UL
7
7
7
S-1
NS
b, c
UL
6
5
3
4
3
4
3
2
S
UL
7
6
4
5
4
5
4
3
S-2
d, e
NS
b, c
UL
UL
6
3
6
4
6
3
2
S
UL
UL
7
4
7
5
7
4
3
U
e
NS
b, c
UL
5
4
2
3
2
4
2
1
S
UL
6
5
3
4
3
5
3
2
= Not permitted in Fire District
= Not permitted in Fire District without sprinklers
X
= Number of stories in nonsprinklered 1- & 2-family buildings shall be limited by Section 903.2.8
Note: UL = Unlimited; NP = Not Permitted; NS = Buildings not equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system; S = Buildings equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system installed in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1; S13R = Buildings equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system installed in accordance with Section 903.3.1.2; S13D = Buildings equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system installed in accordance with Section 903.3.1.3.
a. See the following sections for general exceptions to Table 504.4.
1. See Chapters 4 and 5 for specific exceptions to the allowable height in this chapter.
2. Section 506.3, Allowable area increase due to frontage.
3. Section 507, Unlimited area building.
b. See Section 903.2 for the minimum thresholds for protection by an automatic sprinkler system for specific occupancies.
c. The NS value is only for use in buildings not required by this code to be equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system.
d. For open parking structures, see Section 406.5.
e. For private garages, see Section 406.3.
f. See Section 415.8 for limitations.
g. See Exception 9 of Section D105.1 for allowances of Type VA and VB construction for R-3 occupancies.
h. See Exception 12 of Section D105.1 for allowances of Type VA construction and height limitations for R-3 occupancies in Lower Density Growth Management Areas.
i. Type IV construction utilizing cross-laminated timber or structural composite lumber shall be sprinklered where required by Section 903.2.13.
Collected 2026-09-06T02:48:57Z. Source file · JSON