Cal. Civ. Code § 329
Certificate of inspection visits
Operative Text
§ 329. Certificate of inspection visits. In a city of over one million population the department shall issue without fee to all owners of multiple dwellings located in such city, a certificate of inspection visits upon which shall appear the title in bold print "CERTIFICATE OF INSPECTION VISITS", the name, address and telephone number of the owner of the building, the street address of the building and the words, "The undersigned hereby certifies that he visited the above-described building on the date and for the purposes set opposite his name". The certificate shall be placed and maintained in a conspicuous place inside the multiple dwelling within view of the place at which mail is delivered to the building or at such other location as may be approved by the department and in a place readily accessible for signature by employees of the department. In the event that the certificate is destroyed or defaced or the signature lines become filled with signatures, the owner shall apply for and the department shall issue to him free of charge a duplicate certificate of inspection visits. Whenever an employee of such department shall visit any multiple dwelling for any purpose related to his official capacity, he shall sign his name to the certificate of inspection visits and opposite thereto set forth the date and purpose of his visit.
Under N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 329, the housing department in cities with more than one million residents must provide owners of multiple dwellings with a free "Certificate of Inspection Visits" — a document that records each official visit made to the building by a department employee. The certificate must be posted in a visible, accessible location near where mail is delivered, and every department employee who visits the building on official business is required to sign it, noting the date and reason for the visit. If the certificate is destroyed, defaced, or runs out of signature space, the owner is entitled to a free replacement from the department.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Owners of multiple dwellings in cities of over one million people — most notably New York City — operating under N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 329 generally obtain their Certificate of Inspection Visits from the department at no cost and post it in a conspicuous spot near the building's mail delivery area, or at another department-approved location. Compliant operators ensure the certificate remains legible, intact, and reachable so that department employees can sign it during any official visit. When a certificate becomes damaged, defaced, or fully signed, a diligent owner promptly requests a free duplicate from the department to maintain continuous compliance.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 329 gives tenants a practical transparency tool: the posted Certificate of Inspection Visits in their building's common area serves as a running log of every official department visit, including the date and stated purpose of each inspection. If the certificate is missing, hidden, or not maintained near the mail area, that absence may itself reflect a compliance issue worth noting. Tenants who have concerns about whether inspections are being properly recorded can contact their local housing or rent board, or reach out to a tenant-rights organization familiar with Multiple Dwelling Law requirements.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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