Don’t get caught off guard this HPD registration season. Here’s what you need to know to make sure your property is all set with HPD (and DOF).
Required to Register
Properties are “required by law to register annually with HPD if:
- that residential property is a multiple dwelling (3+ residential units); or
- a private dwelling (1-2 residential units) where neither the owner nor the owner’s immediate family resides”
Per HPD, hotels are considered transient multifamily dwellings and are required to register.
Condos and Coops
Per HPD, individual owners or shareholders are not required to register. That said, the board and/or management team is required to register on behalf of the building.
How Does Registration Work?
Submitting The Form
Registration is done online – to start.
HPD’s PROS – the Property Registration Online System – lets you digitally update forms each year or create new property registrations. That said, you’ll ultimately have to print, sign, and mail registration forms into HPD. That’s an area where challenges can occur if there are any issues with mail delivery or receipt.
PROS will alert you to any forms that have been accepted or rejected. The site also provides direct links to the DOF to make registration payments.
You may also receive a form in the mail. Once you’ve completed and printed the PROS form or your mailed form, return it to the below address:
Department of Housing Preservation and Development
Church Street Station
PO Box 3888
New York, NY 10008-3888
Don’t forget to make sure it’s signed and dated by the managing agent and the property owner listed on the form. If the property owner is a corporation, it can be signed by any officer of the corporation.
Paying The Fee
A $13 per property fee is also due as part of the registration process. This is due directly to the Department of Finance, billed on the property tax collection statement of account, due each year on July 1st.
Payments for the property registration fee only can be made via credit card via CityPay, or at a DOF Business Center. Payments can also be mailed, but you’ll have to be specific. According to HPD:
If you wish to mail a payment, you must indicate clearly that the payment is for the Housing- Property Registration charge and include the Borough, Block and Lot of the property on your check (this information is on your registration form). Also indicate your Account number, which is the property registration number for your property. Mail payment to:
Department of Finance
P.O. Box 680
Newark, NJ 07101-0680
Registration Enforcement
With the increase in several HPD-related fines late last year, making sure registration is done right is more important than ever before. Here are some potential fines from incorrect or failed registrations:
- Any person or persons required to file a statement of registration or an amendment of a statement of registration and who fails to file as required shall be subject to a civil penalty between $500 to $1,500 for a multiple dwelling with five units or less and between $1,000 to $5,000 for multiple dwellings with more than five units.
- Additionally, anyone willfully filling a false registration document shall be subject to a penalty between $750 and $5,000. HPD will invalidate any statement required under this article that has been found to contain false information.
In addition to fines, buildings that aren’t registered are unable to certify violations, request dismissals, or initiate court actions to recover possession for nonpayment of rent.
Properties that aren’t registered will receive Orders in the form of violations. These are typically issued as Class I violations, and in recent years have been issued as soon as after season end (November) or later (February of the following year). HPD will administratively remove these violations once registration is complete – you do not need to submit a Certificate of Correction. Here’s an example of a Notice of Failure to Register – please note the fines mentioned are outdated and have been increased per the above.
Key Registration Dates
While the big due date is September 1st, but here are some other key dates you’ll want to keep in mind:
- May 21 – The beginning of registration season each year
- July 1 – Property tax Statement of Account including $13 registration fee due to the DOF
- July 31 – Due date for DHCR (NY State agency) for properties subject to Rent Stabilization Law, Rule, or Regulatory Agreement
- This requirement is also annual
- September 1 – Due date for HPD property registration
Registration Updates
In some cases, registrations must be updated outside of the annual process:
- If the managing agent changes, registration must be updated.
- If there is a change in address for the owner, a change in the list of officers of the owner/corporation, a change in the address of any of the listed officers, or a change in any of the managing agent’s information, registration must be updated. No additional fees will be charged.
Common Mistakes
Per HPD, there are some common mistakes that can happen during the process. To make sure your registration is valid, avoid these errors:
- Do not send payment with the form to HPD – payment must be directed to the DOF for processing as outlined above. This will delay your registration.
- Make sure you provide all appropriate addresses: Residential and business addresses and telephone numbers must be provided for all the listed individuals in Section 5 and 6. The business address may be the same as the residential address (but must be fully written out in the boxes) if business related to the property is conducted at the residential address.
- Ensure signatures match: Signatures in 11 and 12 must match the individuals listed in the Agent (Section 6) and Owner (Section 5) sections of the form.
- Ensure signatures are dated: Dates must be entered next to each signature.
- Managing agent address: The law requires the managing agent to have a NYC business address.
Can I Get Direct Help?
There’s an increasing number of odd situations or technical issues that may require a helping hand from HPD. In the past few years, HPD’s Registration Assistance Unit (RAU) has set up a few ways to get specific help with any registration challenges:
- Appointments: You can make an appointment with the RAU to discuss specific scenarios, including new ownership or management, copy requests, assistance with completion, and more. Click here to make an online, phone, or in-person appointment with the team
- Drop-In Days: Starting Wednesday, July 26th, you can visit the RAU on Wednesdays & Thursdays without an appointment. The RAU is located at 100 Gold Street, 6th Floor, Section E in Manhattan, and open from 9:30 AM – 4 PM sharp.
- Email: register@hpd.nyc.gov
- Phone: 212-863-7000
If you’re having trouble getting through to any of the above resources, reach out to Support or your SiteCompli Customer Success Manager. We’re always here to help you navigate this process, and more. You can also visit HPD’s site for the latest information and updates, and helpful answers to some frequently asked questions.
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