SRO – (Single Room Occupancy)
Single Room Occupancy (SRO) is a small room you rent in NYC for living. It has a bed, sink, and stove, but no private bathroom or full kitchen. You share bathrooms down the hall with others.
NYC Rules
SROs are old, cheap housing from the 1900s, often in rooming houses. They show “Class B” on the building’s Certificate of Occupancy. NYC does not allow new SROs, but old legal ones can stay.
Important information
Owners cannot make illegal SROs by dividing apartments into small rooms. This is named illegal conversion and it is against DOB rules and can cause violations, fires, or vacate orders.
To see what can happen when an SRO-type layout is created without proper permits and approvals, read our case study: Queens fire case and illegal conversion (SRO layout).
As the homeowner you have to know that:
If you own a building with SRO units, make sure they are legal and listed on your Certificate of Occupancy. Renting out illegal SRO rooms can result in violations and a vacate order.
Examples in NYC
(e.g., a rooming house in the Bronx legally operating as a Class B occupancy, or a homeowner cited for illegally partitioning rooms).
What you can do
- Check your property in DOB systems (for example, DOB NOW or BIS) to see open or expired permits.
- Keep copies of your permits, plans, inspections, and letters from DOB.
- If you are not sure what to do, talk to a professional (architect, engineer, expeditor, or attorney).
- You can use our comment form or call us for a short free consultation to understand your situation better.
- Check your Certificate of Occupancy to confirm if your building is legally approved for SRO use.
Related terms
Some glossary entries use an asterisk * at the end of the term (for example, violation* or permit*). This mark is only a technical tool on this website. It does not change the meaning of the word.
revised 04/10/2026
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