SWO – means Stop Work Order
SWO* means Stop Work Order issued by the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB). It is an enforcement action that immediately stops construction or repair work at a property.
It is issued when DOB inspectors find unsafe conditions, illegal work, or work that could be dangerous to people or property. The order is meant to protect workers, residents, pedestrians, and neighboring buildings until the unsafe or illegal conditions are corrected.
- Active full SWO – all work must stop at the site
- Active partial SWO – only specific work is stopped; other approved work may continue.
- Rescinded SWO – DOB lifted the Stop Work Order after required corrections and inspections
Related terms
Some glossary entries use an asterisk * at the end of the term (for example, violation*). This mark is only a technical tool to stop the system from creating too many automatic links on the website. It does not change the meaning of the term.
NYC map of Stop Work Orders
Some glossary entries use an asterisk*at the end of the term (for example, “Renovation*”). This mark is only a technical workaround to prevent the auto‑linking system from creating too many automatic links across the website. It does not change the meaning of the term.
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