Benchmarking.NYC estimates your building's Local Law 97 penalty exposure, prepares the annual emissions report, and documents the mitigation options DOB allows.
Request a Penalty Review
Local Law 97 penalties apply to most New York City buildings over 25,000 gross square feet in two ways: a fine for every metric ton of greenhouse gas emissions above the building's annual limit, and a monthly fine when the annual emissions report is not filed on time. Both are calculated from the building's own numbers, so the exposure can be estimated before the Department of Buildings (DOB) issues anything.
Benchmarking.NYC compares the building's emissions with its limit, estimates the penalty, and coordinates the certified report and any mitigation request that goes with it.
Most buildings fall under Article 320, and their penalties are set in the DOB rule 1 RCNY §103-14:
A local law 97 calculator works from the same formula. A building that reports 100 metric tons over its limit owes $26,800 for that year. A 100,000 square foot building that does not file faces $50,000 for each month counted.
Each annual report covers the previous calendar year, is due May 1, and must be certified by a registered design professional. DOB accepts the report through June 30 without a late penalty. By June 30, owners can also apply to extend the deadline to August 29 in two situations set by the rule: the registered design professional could not finish the report in time, or the building's square footage is under challenge with the Department of Finance.
Emissions limits step down across five compliance periods: 2024 to 2029, 2030 to 2034, 2035 to 2039, 2040 to 2049, and 2050 onward. Limits become stricter in 2030, so a building under its limit today can face local law 97 fines once the second period begins.
During the 2024 to 2029 period, owners can file mitigating factors with the emissions report. A building damaged by a disaster such as a hurricane, severe flooding or fire can show that the event prevented compliance, which may reduce that year's penalty to zero. Good faith efforts can lead to a mitigated penalty when the owner:
DOB may also offer a mediated resolution to owners who filed and showed good faith efforts, and adjustments are available under §28-320.7 of the Administrative Code for external and financial constraints. Penalties that DOB pursues are heard at the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH).
At a glance
$268 per metric ton over the limit
$0.50 per sq ft per month for late reports
Reports due May 1 each year
Stricter limits begin in 2030
Request a Penalty Review
We check the building's square footage, its DOB Covered Buildings List record and its compliance pathway under Article 320 or 321.
We calculate the limit by occupancy group and the actual emissions from the building's benchmarking and utility data.
Any gap is multiplied by $268 per metric ton, for the current year and against the stricter 2030 limits.
We coordinate registered design professional certification and file the report with any extension, adjustment or mitigation request.
Our Local Law 97 penalty review may include:
Local Law 97 compliance is measured every year, and the penalty repeats for every year a building stays over its limit. A building that does not file faces a monthly fine based on its full floor area, whatever its actual emissions.
Mitigation depends on documents that must be in place when the report is filed, such as current benchmarking and LL88 attestations. Reviewing them early leaves time to close gaps instead of paying the full penalty.
Benchmarking.NYC works across LL84 benchmarking, LL87 audits and LL97 reporting, so the penalty estimate rests on the same data that goes into the filing. We coordinate the emissions calculation, the registered design professional certification and the submission, and we flag the documents that mitigation requires before the deadline, not after it.
From utility data to an accepted filing, every step is handled by a cohesive specialist team and a trusted vendor network.
Impeccable coordination of your building's energy and water consumption data.
Precision LL84 benchmarking submissions built on verified utility data.
Seamless retrieval of your LL95 energy grade, ready for public posting.
Strategic LL97 emission modeling to mitigate substantial financial exposure.
Authoritative filing on your behalf, in strict accordance with agency protocols.
Preliminary assessments within one business day, with responses within 24 hours.
Send the property address and the filings you need. We review your building's LL84, LL87, LL95 and LL97 position and reply within one business day.
Submit your property details for preliminary review.
Response: Within 24 Hours · All NYC Boroughs
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The premier regulatory compliance concierge for NYC property owners. Elevating the standard for Local Law 84, 87, 95, and 97 management.