2015 New York Laws
MDW - Multiple Dwelling
Article 8 - (Multiple Dwelling) REQUIREMENTS AND REMEDIES
301 - Certificate of compliance or occupancy.

 301. Certificate of compliance or occupancy. 1. No multiple dwelling
  shall  be  occupied  in  whole  or  in  part  until  the  issuance  of a
  certificate by  the  department  that  said  dwelling  conforms  in  all
  respects  to  the requirements of this chapter, to the building code and
  rules and to all other applicable law, except that no  such  certificate
  shall be required in the case of:
a.  Any  class  B  multiple  dwelling  existing  on  April eighteenth,
  nineteen hundred twenty-nine, for which a certificate of  occupancy  was
  not  required  before  such  date and in which no changes or alterations
  have been made except in compliance with this chapter, and
b. Any old-law tenement, or any  class  A  multiple  dwelling  erected
  after  April  twelfth,  nineteen hundred one, which was occupied for two
  years immediately before January first, nineteen hundred  nine,  and  in
  which no changes or alterations have been made except in compliance with
  the tenement house law or this chapter, or wherein:
(1)  two  or  more apartments are combined creating larger residential
  units, and
(2) the total legal number of families within the  building  is  being
  decreased, and
(3) the bulk of the buildings is not being increased
These  exceptions  shall  not  be deemed to relieve any owner from the
  obligation to make every alteration required in any old-law tenement  or
  other  multiple dwelling in compliance with the applicable provisions of
  this chapter.
2. Except as above provided, no dwelling constructed as or altered  or
  converted  into  a  multiple  dwelling  after April eighteenth, nineteen
  hundred twenty-nine, shall be occupied in whole or  in  part  until  the
  issuance of a certificate of compliance or occupancy.
3.  Such  certificate  shall  be  issued within ten days after written
  application therefor if the dwelling  shall  be  entitled  thereto.  The
  department  shall,  on  request  of the owner or of his certified agent,
  issue a certificate of compliance or occupancy for any existing multiple
  dwelling  not  requiring  such  certificate,  provided  that,  after  an
  inspection  by  the  department,  no  violations  are found against such
  dwelling.
4. The head of the department may, on the request of the owner or  his
  certified   agent,  issue  a  temporary  certificate  of  compliance  or
  occupancy for a multiple dwelling or a section or a part thereof  for  a
  period of ninety days or less, provided that such certificate shall bear
  the  endorsement  that the dwelling has been inspected by the department
  and complies with all the requirements of this chapter,  and  that  such
  temporary  occupancy  will not jeopardize life, health or property. Such
  temporary certificate may be renewed at the discretion of  the  head  of
  the  department  for similar periods but shall not extend, together with
  such renewals, beyond a total period of two years from the date  of  its
  original issuance.
5. A certificate, a record in the department, or a statement signed by
  the  head  of  the department that a certificate has been issued, may be
  relied upon by every person who  in  good  faith  purchases  a  multiple
  dwelling  or  who  in  good  faith  lends  money  upon the security of a
  mortgage covering such a dwelling. Whenever any  person  has  so  relied
  upon  such  a certificate, no claim that such dwelling had not, prior to
  the issuance of such certificate,  conformed  in  all  respects  to  the
  provisions  of this chapter shall be made against such person or against
  the interest of such person in a  multiple  dwelling  to  which  such  a
  certificate  applies  or  concerning  which  such  a  statement has been
  issued.

6. Notwithstanding any  general  or  local  law  to  the  contrary,  a
  certificate  issued  for any multiple dwelling organized pursuant to the
  provisions of article nine-B of the real property law, shall  be  deemed
  issued for each dwelling unit contained within such multiple dwelling in
  full compliance with the requirements of this section.