Code: COC - Certificate of Competence (DOB professional qualification credential)
Description: (Certificate of Competence) is a DOB credential that confirms a person has the required experience and has passed the necessary exams to perform a regulated trade or construction-related job in New York City. It describes individual professional qualifications only — it is not an equipment approval document and is not a filing used to close a violation.
Practical Meaning: As a homeowner, you may encounter this term when hiring a contractor, superintendent, or tradesperson for regulated work such as boiler operation or elevator maintenance. You can verify whether the person holds a valid Certificate of Competence through the DOB's online license lookup before allowing them to perform work on your building.
Where You May See It: You may see this term on a contractor's credentials or license paperwork, in a DOB license search result, in a permit application listing required qualifications, or in a DOB notice asking for proof that a qualified person is responsible for a specific building system.
Why It Matters: Hiring someone without the required Certificate of Competence for regulated work can expose you as the owner to liability, violations, and fines if the work fails inspection or causes an unsafe condition. Do not confuse this with COC-Compliance (Certificate of Compliance), which approves equipment, or with COC-Correction (Certificate of Correction), which is a filing that closes a violation.