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NYC Admin Code › Chapter 2: Housing Maintenance Code › Subchapter 3: Physical and Occupancy Standards for Dwelling Units › Article 1: Lighting and Ventilation

§ 27-2060 Lighting and ventilation of living rooms in new law tenements

a. Required windows. Every living room in a new law tenement shall have a window opening on:

(1) A street, or

(2) A lawful yard or court.

b. Size of windows.

(1) The total area of all windows in the room shall be at least one-tenth the floor area of such room.

(2) Every required window shall be at least twelve square feet.

(3) At least one-half of every required window shall open.

(4) The top of one required window in a room shall be at least seven feet six inches above the floor.

c. Through ventilation.

(1) Every part of a dwelling unit of three rooms or less shall be either within eighteen feet of a street or yard or have a window opening upon a lawful court.

(2) If the window of any room opens on an inner court with a width of less than ten feet between the exterior wall of the dwelling and the lot line, there shall be a sash window connecting such room to an adjoining room within the dwelling unit. The sash window shall have at least ten square feet of glazed area, one-half of which shall open.

d. Dining space. A dining space shall have at least one window:

(1) That complies with the provisions of subdivision a; and

(2) That has an area not less than one-eighth the floor area of such dining space.

Source
NYC Admin Code, as published by American Legal Publishing, the City's official publisher
Last amended
No amendment date in the official history
Checked
Matched the official code on October 1, 2026

Official text. How it applies depends on your facts; this is not legal advice.Other laws and court decisions can change how a section applies to you, so treat the text as a starting point.