N.Y.C. Admin. Code tit. 27, ch. 2 § 27-2040
Lights near entrance ways and in yards and courts of multiple dwellings (New York City Housing Maintenance Code)
Operative Text
a. The owner of a multiple dwelling shall install and maintain one or more lights at or near the outside of the front entrance way of the building which shall in the aggregate provide not less than one hundred watts incandescent illumination or its equivalent for a building with a frontage up to twenty-two feet, and two hundred watts incandescent illumination or its equivalent or a building with a frontage in excess of twenty-two feet. In the case of a multiple dwelling with a frontage in excess of twenty-two feet and front entrance doors with a combined width in excess of five feet, the owners shall install at least two lights, one on each side of the entrance way, with an aggregate illumination of three hundred watts incandescent illumination or its equivalent. If the minimum level of illumination is maintained, the owner may determine details of location, design and installation of lighting fixtures, subject, however, to regulations of the department with respect to the maximum height above or distance from the entrance way of such fixtures, and the electrical and other safety of their installation. The lights required by this subdivision shall be kept burning from sunset on each day to sunrise on the day following. b. The owner of a multiple dwelling shall install and maintain in every yard and court one or more lights of at least one hundred watts of incandescent illumination or its equivalent, in such locations as the department may prescribe. The lights required by this subdivision shall be kept burning from sunset on each day to sunrise on the day following.
Under N.Y.C. Admin. Code §§ 27-2001 and 27-2040, multiple dwellings in New York City must have exterior lighting installed and kept on from sunset to sunrise every night. The required wattage at the front entrance scales with the building's frontage width, ranging from at least 100 watts for narrower buildings up to 300 watts (with at least two fixtures) for wider buildings with broad entrance doors. Yards and courts must also be lit with at least 100 watts of incandescent illumination or its equivalent, in locations the relevant department may specify.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Owners of multiple dwellings subject to §§ 27-2001 and 27-2040 generally ensure that front entrance lighting meets the wattage thresholds tied to their building's frontage measurement, and that at least two fixtures are installed on either side of the entrance when both frontage and door-width thresholds are exceeded. Compliant operators keep all required exterior and yard/court lights burning continuously from sunset to sunrise, every day of the year. While owners retain some discretion over fixture design and placement, they remain subject to departmental regulations on maximum fixture height and distance from the entrance, as well as electrical safety standards.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Tenants living in multiple dwellings have a right to properly maintained exterior lighting under §§ 27-2001 and 27-2040, including illuminated front entrances and lit yards or courts from sunset to sunrise each night. If lighting is absent, insufficient, or frequently out, this may constitute a housing maintenance violation that can be reported to the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development. Tenants may also consult a tenant-rights organization to understand how such a violation could be raised in housing court or other enforcement proceedings.
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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