Before any building is demolished either in part or in whole, the applicant is required by law to obtain a wrecking permit from the Division of Building Inspection.
A wrecking permit is non-transferable and can only be issued to a wrecking contractor or the property owner upon proof of proper liability insurance.
Should the property be deemed to have historic significance, the Division of Historic Preservation may impose a delay of up to 30 days so the documentation of the property can be completed before wrecking is commenced. Applications for demolition permits and general demolition requirements are available on our site or can be obtained at the Division of Building Inspection during normal office hours.
Grading Permit requirements pertaining to Demolition are as follows: A grading permit must be obtained through the Division of Engineering prior to approval for a demolition permit to be issued. This excludes the demolition of any residential structure with a footprint of less than 1,500 square feet.