NYC Permits Practice
NYC moves on its own clock. We move closer to yours.
For a typical build-out, city review can stretch into 8–12 weeks. Each extra month waiting often means another $15,000–$30,000 burned in rent and fixed costs before you serve a single customer.
Timelines and costs vary by project, agency workload, and your lease. These are rough ranges, not guarantees. We'll be specific once we see your situation.
Who we work with first
Restaurants & cafes
From first lease conversations to final inspections, we help you get from plans to opening day without losing months inside a portal.
Street-level retail
Interior changes, signage, and light build-outs for spaces that cannot afford to sit dark while paperwork drags on.
Small offices & studios
Straightforward fit-outs and layout tweaks for teams that just want a clean, compliant place to work.
What we actually do
Before you commit
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Review your lease, plans, and timing to see what's realistically possible.
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Flag where permits, approvals, or inspections are likely to slow you down.
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Tell you honestly if your case doesn't fit our model.
Once we're engaged
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Prepare and submit the required filings in the city systems.
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Coordinate with your architect, engineer, and contractor so filings match the actual work.
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Respond quickly when agencies ask questions or issue objections.
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Track key dates so nothing quietly expires or stalls without anyone noticing.
Permit types we deal with most
The exact categories depend on your project, but most of our work falls into a few familiar buckets.
The permits behind turning an empty box into a working restaurant, shop, or studio. Interior layouts, partitions, finishes, and similar changes usually sit here. The exact category depends on how extensive the work is and what's already in place.
Exterior signs, awnings, and simple façade changes that make your presence visible. Done wrong, they attract violations; done correctly, they quietly clear review and let you focus on attracting customers.
Some spaces need additional approvals based on what happens inside them and how many people they hold. When that's relevant, we help you understand what's required and coordinate the filings with your design team.
Work that touches mechanical, fire, or similar systems often brings its own layer of permits and sign-offs. We coordinate with the appropriate professionals so the paperwork matches the technical reality.
For formal legal definitions and the full list of permit categories, we'll always point you back to the official city resources. Our job is to translate them into a plan that gets you open.
How a typical engagement works
Scoping & go/no-go
You share your lease, basic plans, and target dates. We outline the likely path, risks, and where we can meaningfully help.
Filings & submissions
We prepare and submit the needed filings, aligning them with your architect, engineer, and contractor so nothing conflicts.
Reviews & responses
When agencies ask questions or raise issues, we respond quickly, keep you updated, and explain tradeoffs in normal language.
Approvals & handoff
Once approvals and sign-offs are in, we hand everything back cleanly so you can open, operate, and plan the next move.
Questions we hear a lot
No one controls agency timelines. We design for speed, keep the file moving, and are honest about risk. If your situation doesn't fit our model, we'd rather say no than overpromise.
Our primary focus is New York City, where we know the systems best. If you're elsewhere, we'll tell you quickly whether we're a fit or if you should work with someone local.
Sometimes. We start by reviewing your notices and explaining what each one actually means. If there's a realistic path to cure or move forward, we'll outline it before we ask for a fee.
No. We work alongside your architect, engineer, and contractor. Our role is to keep the paperwork and process aligned with the work you're actually doing.
Request a permits consult
If time and reputation matter for your opening, send us a brief overview and we'll respond quickly.