Tool · Local Law 97
Local Law 97 penalty calculator
See your building’s carbon cap and what it could owe at $268 per ton over the limit — for both the 2024–2029 period and the much stricter 2030–2034 period. Enter an address and we’ll pull the real numbers.
We’ll pull gross floor area, property type, and reported emissions from the City’s benchmarking data (Local Law 84).
Don’t know your emissions? Find “Total Location-Based GHG Emissions” on your ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager report, or use address mode above.
How Local Law 97 works
Local Law 97, part of NYC’s Climate Mobilization Act, sets an annual carbon-emissions cap on most large buildings. The cap is an emissions intensity — a number of metric tons of CO₂e allowed per square foot — that depends on how the building is used. Multiply that intensity by your gross floor area and you get your building’s allowed tons for the year.
The penalty: every metric ton of CO₂e you emit above your limit is fined $268 per year. Failing to file the annual emissions report (due May 1) adds a separate penalty of $0.50 per square foot per month.
Who’s covered
- Buildings over 25,000 gross square feet, or
- Two or more buildings on the same tax lot totaling over 50,000 sq ft, or
- Two or more condo buildings governed by the same board totaling over 50,000 sq ft.
The caps get much stricter in 2030
The first compliance period (2024–2029) is based on 2024 emissions, with the first report due May 1, 2025. The 2030–2034 limits are roughly 40–60% lower for most building types — a building comfortably under its cap today can face a large penalty in 2030. That’s why this calculator shows both periods.
Mitigation exists. Good-faith efforts and a decarbonization plan can reduce or defer 2024–2029 penalties; renewable energy credits (RECs) can offset electricity emissions; and rent-regulated, affordable, and certain other buildings have alternate compliance paths. Talk to an energy consultant before assuming a penalty is fixed.
Emissions limits by building type
Metric tons CO₂e per square foot per year. Common property types shown; the full rule lists ~60. Source: NYC DOB, 1 RCNY §103-14.
| Building type | 2024–2029 | 2030–2034 |
|---|
Local Law 97 FAQ
How is the penalty calculated?
Each building type has an annual limit in metric tons of CO₂e per square foot. Multiply that by your gross floor area to get your allowed tons. Every ton over that limit is fined $268 per year.
Where do the emissions numbers come from in address mode?
From the City’s Local Law 84 benchmarking data — the “Total Location-Based GHG Emissions” your building already reports each year. That’s a close proxy, but your official Local Law 97 emissions can differ because LL97 uses its own emission coefficients. Treat this as a well-grounded estimate, not the final DOB figure.
When is the report due?
The annual emissions report is due May 1. The first compliance period covers 2024–2029, based on calendar-year 2024 emissions.
My building is under the cap. Am I done?
Not necessarily. The 2030 limits are far stricter, and many buildings that pass today will owe in 2030. Use the 2030–2034 column to plan ahead.