Code: TCO (official acronym)
Description: TCO stands for Temporary Certificate of Occupancy. It is a document issued by the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) that allows a building or portion of a building to be occupied on a temporary basis, while certain construction work or outstanding items are still being completed. A TCO has an expiration date and must be renewed until all required work is finished and a final Certificate of Occupancy (CO) can be issued.
Practical Meaning: If you see "TCO" on a document related to your building, it means the building was allowed to be used or lived in before all required work was fully completed. A TCO is not permanent — it expires (usually every 90 days) and must be renewed. If the TCO expires and is not renewed, the building may be considered illegally occupied. As a homeowner or property owner, it is important to make sure that your building either has a valid TCO (if work is still in progress) or a final CO (Certificate of Occupancy). An expired or missing TCO can result in violations, stop-work orders, or problems when selling the property.
Where You May See It: You may see "TCO" on NYC DOB inspection reports, building records on the DOB NOW or BIS online portal, violation notices, real estate closing documents, or in correspondence from the Department of Buildings. It often appears when a building has been constructed or renovated but final inspections have not yet been completed.