Cal. Civ. Code § 131
Shafts, elevators and dumbwaiters
Operative Text
§ 131. Shafts, elevators and dumbwaiters. Every shaft shall be enclosed on all sides with fireproof walls and shall have fireproof doors and assemblies at all openings, with the doors self-closing. Not more than three elevators or dumbwaiters shall ever be placed in the same shaft. All dumbwaiter doors shall be fastened by an interior lock in the shaft operated and controlled from a central point. The doors of every elevator shaft shall be provided with an automatic device to prevent the normal operation of the elevator unless the hoistway door at which the car is standing is closed and locked, or unless all hoistway doors are locked in a closed position. Such doors, except for power-operated sliding doors, shall have a vision panel of wire glass not exceeding one square foot in area. Every elevator shall be equipped with a gate or door with an automatic device to prevent the normal operation of such elevator unless such gate or door is closed.
New York Multiple Residence Law § 131 establishes structural and mechanical safety standards for shafts, elevators, and dumbwaiters in multiple dwellings. Every shaft must be surrounded by fireproof walls with self-closing, fireproof doors at all openings, and no more than three elevators or dumbwaiters may share a single shaft. Elevator shaft doors must include automatic interlocking devices that prevent the elevator from operating unless the hoistway door at the car's position is closed and locked, and each elevator car itself must have a gate or door with a similar automatic safety device.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers subject to N.Y. Mult. Resid. Law § 131 generally maintain shafts with code-compliant fireproof enclosures, self-closing doors, and the required wire-glass vision panels on non-power-operated sliding doors. Compliant operators ensure that dumbwaiter doors are fitted with centrally controlled interior locks and that elevator hoistway doors are equipped with functioning automatic interlocks that disable elevator operation when doors are open or unlocked. Routine inspection and maintenance of these mechanical safety devices—including the gate or door interlock on each elevator car—is a characteristic practice of operators keeping their buildings in conformance with § 131.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Tenants living in buildings covered by N.Y. Mult. Resid. Law § 131 have an interest in knowing that elevator and dumbwaiter shafts are required to meet specific fireproofing and mechanical safety standards, including automatic door-interlock devices designed to prevent unsafe elevator operation. If an elevator shaft door appears to lack a vision panel, a self-closing mechanism, or a functioning interlock, or if a dumbwaiter door does not appear to lock properly, these conditions may represent a violation of § 131. Tenants who observe such conditions can document them and consider reporting to the local housing or building department, raising the issue with a tenant-rights organization, or exploring whether the condition may be raised as a defense or basis for a complaint in a relevant proceeding.
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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