The Compliance Archives is where we explore NYC’s history with compliance, taking a look at rarely discussed regulations or historic happenings. 

Performed every three years on only one type of elevator (that may no longer even exist in New York ), the Category 3 Elevator Inspection is the rarest of the three types of ongoing DOB elevator requirements.

Category 3 tests are only required for water hydraulic elevators. Specifically, this test is performed on the unexposed portions of roped water hydraulic elevators and pressure vessels. According to the NY Daily News, the last water hydraulic elevator in the city may have been removed nearly 20 years ago in 1999. Water hydraulic devices were popular at the turn of the 20th century, but were eventually replaced with electric systems.

Compared to the annual Category 1 requirement and the five-year Category 5 test for roped devices, the Category 3 test is infrequently mentioned and possibly rarely performed. That said, if you happen to find yourself working at a NYC building featuring a historic water hydraulic car, you’ll know exactly what you need to file.