# NYC mold laws: a plain-English guide for tenants, landlords and owners

Who has to fix mold in New York City, how fast, who is allowed to do the work, and what you can do when it isn't fixed. Every rule here links back to the official source.

[Call 1-929-481-5364](tel:+19294815364)

Updated November 5, 2026. 14-minute read. 33 sources, listed at the end.

## The short version

In New York City, owners of buildings with three or more apartments have to keep apartments free of mold and fix the leaks and moisture that cause it, under Local Law 55. If HPD, the city's housing agency, finds mold, it issues a violation with a deadline that depends on how much mold there is: 90 days for a small patch, 30 for more, and 21 for the most. In buildings with 10 or more apartments, any mold job over 10 square feet has to be done by New York State licensed professionals, under Local Law 61. Tenants should tell the landlord in writing first, then call 311 if nothing happens.

The rest of this guide explains each rule, who it covers and what it asks for. If you're short on time, start with the chart below and the section that matches your situation.

## Which rules apply to your building

NYC's mold rules depend mostly on the size of the building. Local Law 55 sets the everyday duties for apartment buildings. Local Law 61 decides who is allowed to do larger mold jobs. New York State's licensing law applies everywhere in the state, to mold contractors hired for jobs over 10 square feet.

NYC mold rules by building type

| Building | Local Law 55: Yearly inspections, prep between tenants, lease notice | Local Law 61: Licensed pros and DEP filings | Where to report mold |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| One- or two-family house | No: Unless a tenant has moderate or severe persistent asthma. In that case the Health Department can order mold repairs. | No | If you rent: the landlord, then 311 |
| 3 to 9 apartments | Yes | No: Owners and their staff may do the work using HPD's safe work practices. On jobs over 10 sq ft in buildings with 5 or more apartments, state law limits this to the owner, the managing agent and full-time staff. | The landlord, then 311 |
| 10 or more apartments | Yes | Yes: For mold jobs over 10 square feet | The landlord, then 311 |
| Owner-occupied co-op or condo apartment | No: Except when the Health Department acts on an asthma referral | Depends: Covered if the building has 10 or more apartments, or is on a lot with 25,000 sq ft or more of non-residential space | The board or managing agent |
| NYCHA apartment | No: NYCHA has its own mold program, though the Health Department can still act on an asthma referral. | No | NYCHA, 718-707-7771 or the MyNYCHA app |
| Commercial building with 25,000 sq ft or more of non-residential space | Depends: Only for the apartments in it, and only if there are 3 or more | Yes: For mold jobs over 10 square feet | The owner or managing agent, then 311 |

New York State's licensing law applies in every row: a mold contractor hired for a job over 10 square feet must hold a state license. The state law exempts some owners and their own staff working on the owner's property, but in buildings covered by Local Law 61 the city still requires licensed professionals.

## Find your situation

-   **My landlord won't fix the mold:** How to report it, what HPD does, and your rights as a tenant.
-   **I got an HPD mold violation:** Classes, deadlines, paperwork and what happens if you miss the date.
-   **I own or manage a building:** Yearly inspections, getting apartments ready between tenants, lease notices and safe work practices.
-   **It's a big job in a big building:** When licensed professionals and DEP filings are required.
-   **I'm buying, selling or renting:** What sellers and landlords have to disclose, and what they don't.
-   **I live in NYCHA:** Who to call, repair targets, and where to go if nothing happens.

## Local Law 55: the Asthma-Free Housing Act

Covers:

Buildings with three or more apartments

In force since:

January 2019

Enforced by:

HPD, and the Health Department for tenants with asthma

Local Law 55 of 2018 is the city's main mold law for apartment buildings. It treats mold and pests in an apartment as a condition dangerous to health, and it makes the owner responsible for preventing them and fixing them, along with the leak or moisture problem underneath. A year later, the City Council made some of the owner's duties firmer with Local Law 51 of 2019. HPD enforces it in buildings with three or more apartments.

The NYC Health Department says the duty to keep a home free of mold also applies to buildings of any size, including one- and two-family houses, when a tenant has been diagnosed with moderate or severe persistent asthma. In that case a doctor can ask the Health Department for a free home inspection, and if the inspection finds a problem, the Health Department can order the owner to fix it within 21 days.

Two kinds of homes are left out of HPD's part of the law: co-op and condo apartments lived in by their owner or the owner's family, and NYCHA apartments.

### What owners have to do

-   **Inspect every year.** Check each occupied apartment and all common areas for mold and pests at least once a year, and sooner when a tenant complains or asks for an inspection, when HPD issues a violation, or when the owner knows or should know there is a problem.
-   **Fix the cause, not just the stain.** The law calls the leak, water infiltration or other moisture condition behind the mold the "underlying defect," and the owner has to fix it.
-   **Prepare vacant apartments.** Before a new tenant moves in, the owner has to fix any visible mold, pests and underlying defects, clean and vacuum any carpet and furniture the owner provides, and certify in writing to the new tenant that this was done.
-   **Give tenants the notice.** Every lease has to include an HPD-approved notice of the owner's and tenant's duties, and the owner has to give the tenant the Health Department's Local Law 55 fact sheet on mold and pests.
-   **Use safe work practices** whenever mold is cleaned up, as described below.

The owner's duty covers mold hidden inside wall cavities as well as mold you can see, and an HPD violation can be based on visible mold behind furniture. Mold on bathroom tile or grout, though, is never an HPD mold violation: both the Housing Maintenance Code and HPD's rules exclude it. A tenant also can't sign away these protections: any agreement to waive them is void.

### Safe work practices

Owners and their staff may fix mold without licensed professionals on any job under 10 square feet. They may also take on bigger jobs in buildings with fewer than 10 apartments, unless the building is on a lot with 25,000 square feet or more of non-residential space. In buildings with 5 to 9 apartments, state law limits those bigger jobs to the owner, the managing agent and full-time staff, and anyone else needs a state mold license. When they do the work themselves, the law still sets out how it has to be done. In plain terms, the owner or their staff must:

1.  Fix the leak or other moisture source.
2.  Remove or cover furniture and belongings in the work area.
3.  Keep dust from spreading, for example by sealing the area off with plastic sheeting, misting surfaces before disturbing them, and using HEPA-filtered tools.
4.  Clean mold off surfaces with soap or detergent and water.
5.  Throw away materials that can't be cleaned properly.
6.  Bag the plastic sheeting, cleaning tools and contaminated materials in sealed, heavy plastic bags and throw them away.
7.  Clean up leftover dust with wet methods or a HEPA vacuum.
8.  Leave the area dry and visibly free of mold, dust and debris.

If an owner skips these steps when correcting a mold violation, the civil penalty is $500 a day for each violation, counted from the original correction date, up to $10,000.

Yearly inspections due, or an apartment to get ready for a new tenant?

We inspect apartments and common areas, take moisture readings, and give you a dated written record of what we found and where the moisture is coming from, which is exactly what you want on file if HPD or a tenant asks.

[Local Law 55 inspections](https://sbgenvironmental.com/local-law-55/)

[Help for landlords](https://sbgenvironmental.com/landlords/)

## HPD mold violations: classes and deadlines

Order number:

550

Deadlines:

90, 30 or 21 days

Certify:

On paper, not online

When an HPD inspector finds mold in an apartment, the violation's class depends on how much mold is in a single room. The class sets how long the owner has to correct it, counted from the date the owner is officially given ("served") the violation. If HPD mails the notice, it counts as served five days after the mailing date. Common areas like hallways and laundry rooms are measured differently and never go above Class B.

Days to correct an HPD mold violation

| Class | Mold in an apartment | Mold in common areas | Time to correct |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Class A | Less than 10 sq ft in a room | Less than 30 sq ft in any one common room or hallway level, and less than 50 sq ft in total | 90 days |
| Class B | 10 to 29 sq ft in a room | 30 sq ft or more in any one common room or hallway level, or 50 sq ft or more in total | 30 days |
| Class C | 30 sq ft or more in a room | Not used for common areas | 21 days |

### From complaint to violation

After a tenant files a mold complaint, the law gives HPD 30 days to inspect and 10 more days to serve any violation. From October through May, HPD can take longer to inspect when it is busy. If HPD misses its own deadlines, the violation still stands. The owner isn't told the date of the inspection in advance.

### Certifying the correction

Once the work is done, the owner certifies the correction to HPD, no later than five days after the correction date. Only the registered owner, a registered officer or director of a corporate owner, or the registered managing agent can sign it, under oath. HPD's Clear Violations page says mold violations can't go through its online eCertification system, so the certification goes in on paper. It has to include an affidavit saying the safe work practices were followed, and the other documents depend on the building:

-   **Fewer than 10 apartments, or a Class A violation in a larger building:** the certification is enough if the owner or their staff did the work. If a contractor did it, add copies of the contractor's licenses.
-   **10 or more apartments, Class B or C:** the certification plus an affidavit of mold assessment, an affidavit of mold remediation, copies of both licensed contractors' New York State licenses, and both contractors' DEP filing receipts.

When an owner certifies, the tenant gets a notice in the mail and can challenge it. For Class B and C mold violations in an apartment, the law requires HPD to do a final inspection to confirm the fix, so expect the violation to stay open until HPD reinspects.

### When the deadline passes

An uncorrected violation gets worse rather than going away. If a Class A violation isn't certified in time and the mold is still there, it is upgraded to Class B. A Class B violation is upgraded to Class C if it isn't certified in time and an HPD reinspection within 70 days of the certification date still finds the mold. A false certification also leads to an upgrade.

For a Class C violation, the owner can ask for up to 14 more days. The request has to be made in the five days before the correction date, and it isn't allowed when the Class C started out as a Class B that was upgraded. Once the deadline has passed, the violation comes off only after an HPD inspection finds it corrected. Owners usually ask for that inspection by filing a Dismissal Request with a fee and the right mold affidavit. Since July 1, 2026, HPD says all Dismissal Requests should go directly to its Central Violations Administration Unit at 345 Adams Street in Brooklyn.

If an owner doesn't fix a Class C condition, HPD can send its Emergency Repair Program to do the work and bill the owner through the Department of Finance. Unpaid charges become a tax lien on the property. In fiscal year 2025, HPD completed 650 mold emergency repair jobs, at an average cost of $2,089 per apartment.

Certifying a violation as fixed when it isn't carries a civil penalty of $2,000 to $10,000 for each false certification. It is also a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, up to a year in jail, or both.

Got an HPD mold violation?

We assess the mold, write the plan, remove it with containment and HEPA filtration, check the finished work, and handle the DEP filings and affidavits your certification needs, so the paperwork matches what was actually done.

[Clearing HPD violations](https://sbgenvironmental.com/hpd-mold-violations/)

[Get a removal quote](https://sbgenvironmental.com/request-inspection/?service=mold_remediation)

## Local Law 61: licensed work in larger buildings

Covers:

10+ apartments, or 25,000+ sq ft of non-residential space

Applies to:

Mold jobs over 10 square feet

Enforced by:

NYC DEP

Local Law 61 of 2018, which took effect on January 1, 2019, decides who may do bigger mold jobs. It covers buildings with 10 or more apartments, and buildings on a zoning lot with 25,000 square feet or more of commercial, office, retail, storage or factory space. NYCHA buildings are not covered.

In those buildings, mold assessment and remediation on more than 10 square feet has to be done by people licensed under New York State's mold law. The owner, the managing agent and their employees are not allowed to do it themselves, whether or not HPD has issued a violation. The DEP also points out that hiring a contractor from the state's list doesn't protect the owner or the contractor from a violation if the work isn't done properly.

The law's line is "more than 10 square feet," but the city's own guidance starts at 10. The Health Department's Local Law 55 fact sheet says owners of buildings with 10 or more apartments must use licensed professionals to clean 10 or more square feet of mold, and HPD's certification guide says the same for jobs of 10 square feet or more, with or without a violation. In practice, plan on licensed professionals from 10 square feet up.

### The two DEP filings, and the work in between

1.  At least 2 business days before work: The licensed remediator files a notice with the DEP, with a copy of the mold remediation work plan.
2.  During the work: No filing. Remediation follows the plan, including containment where the plan calls for it, with the state license posted at the site.
3.  Within 7 days of the post-remediation assessment: After checking the finished work, the licensed assessor files the post-remediation assessment with the DEP.

Two timing details catch people out. The first notice is due "no later than two business days" before remediation starts, which over a weekend is more than two calendar days. The second is due within seven days of completing the post-remediation assessment, not seven days from the end of remediation. When a court orders the work done within 30 days, or a condition poses an immediate risk to people or property, both notices can instead be filed within 24 hours after the work starts. The DEP publishes filings online.

Penalties under the law go up to $1,000 for a first violation, $5,000 for a second and $10,000 for each one after that. For building owners the cap can be higher, set by the building's floor area.

## New York State's mold law

Law:

Labor Law Article 32

In force since:

January 1, 2016

Enforced by:

NYS Department of Labor

Separately from the city's rules, New York State licenses the people who do mold work, everywhere in the state. A mold "project" under state law is assessment, remediation or abatement of an area greater than 10 square feet, not counting routine cleaning. Anyone doing that work, or advertising it, needs the state mold license for their role. The Department of Labor issues five: for mold assessors, mold assessment contractors, mold remediation contractors, abatement worker supervisors and abatement workers. A copy of the license has to be posted at the work site.

For a licensed project, the assessor gives the client a written remediation plan before work starts, covering the areas, the methods, the protective equipment, how occupants will be told and what counts as clean, and where possible the moisture source behind the mold. When the work is done, a licensed assessor checks it and issues a written clearance report if it passes.

The state law has exemptions, including a residential property owner working on their own property and, in some cases, an owner's own employees. In NYC buildings covered by Local Law 61, the city's rule still bars owners and their staff from jobs over 10 square feet. The Department of Labor also notes that finding mold doesn't, by itself, create a legal duty under state law to get an assessment. If you hire someone for a job over 10 square feet, they have to be licensed. Fines run up to $2,000 for a first violation and up to $10,000 for each one after that. You can look up a contractor's license, or file a mold complaint, on the [Department of Labor's mold program site](https://dol.ny.gov/mold-program).

## If you rent: reporting mold and your rights

Mold in a rental apartment is the owner's job to fix. Here is the order HPD recommends, and what each step does.

1.  **Tell the landlord in writing.** HPD tells tenants to contact the owner or managing agent first. If they don't respond, write a letter that describes the problem and asks for repairs by a set date, and send it by certified mail to both the owner and the management company. Keep a copy of the letter and a record of every time you asked, because it helps if the matter goes to court.
2.  **Call 311.** If the mold isn't fixed, file a complaint by calling 311, through 311 Online or in the 311 app. You get a service request number you can use to track the complaint. HPD will try to reach the managing agent and call you back. If the problem is still there, HPD will send an inspector.
3.  **Go to Housing Court if you need to.** An HP action is a case that tenants bring in Housing Court to make a landlord do repairs, and you don't need a lawyer to start one. Court staff help you fill out the papers, you can ask for an inspection before the court date, and a judge can order the owner to make the repairs by a set date. HPD says this is a safer and faster route than withholding rent, which may lead to an eviction case.

New York State law also protects you. Every residential lease in New York, written or spoken, includes a promise that the apartment is fit to live in and free of conditions dangerous to health. This is called the warranty of habitability, and no lease clause can take it away, though it doesn't cover damage the tenant caused. Another state law protects tenants who complain in good faith to the landlord or to an agency. If, within a year of the complaint, the landlord tries to evict, refuses to renew the lease or raises the rent unreasonably, the law presumes it's retaliation. That protection doesn't apply in owner-occupied buildings with fewer than four apartments.

Rent-stabilized and rent-controlled tenants have one more option. They can file a complaint with the state's Division of Housing and Community Renewal, on form RA-81 for a problem in the apartment or RA-84 for a building-wide problem, and the agency can reduce the rent until the repairs are made. For free advice, call Housing Court Answers at 212-962-4795, or call 311 and ask for the Tenant Helpline.

Want the mold documented?

A licensed mold assessor can inspect your apartment and give you a written report with photos, measurements and the likely moisture source, which you can share with your landlord, 311 or the court.

[Book a mold inspection](https://sbgenvironmental.com/request-inspection/?service=mold_inspection)

## If you live in NYCHA

NYCHA residents report mold to NYCHA, not to HPD. Call the Customer Contact Center at 718-707-7771 or use the MyNYCHA app, and NYCHA will schedule an inspection. Inspections and repairs are free. NYCHA says it makes its best efforts to finish simple mold repairs within 7 days and complex ones within 15 days, though bigger work like a roof replacement can take longer.

If you've already reported mold or a leak and it still isn't fixed, you can submit a concern at on.nyc.gov/submit-concern or call the court-appointed Ombudsperson Call Center at 1-888-341-7152.

## Buying, selling and renting: what has to be disclosed

**Selling a house.** Most sellers of one- to four-family homes in New York have to fill out a property condition disclosure statement and give it to the buyer before the buyer signs a contract. Co-op and condo apartments aren't covered. The form asks whether the property has been tested for indoor mold, with the report attached if so, and separately asks about rot or water damage. It doesn't ask the seller to say whether there is mold, so if mold matters to you, an inspection before you sign is the way to find out.

**Renting an apartment.** Since June 2023, every New York lease has to say whether the home is in a flood zone and disclose any past flood damage the landlord knows or reasonably should know about. Mold isn't part of that disclosure. In NYC buildings with three or more apartments, though, Local Law 55 has the owner certify in writing to each new tenant that the apartment was made free of visible mold before they moved in.

## What the law doesn't say

There is no legal limit for mold in New York. The EPA says no federal limits have been set for mold or mold spores, and the state's mold law sets licensing and work standards, not a number. That's why a lab report can't tell you whether an apartment is "legal." NYC's rules work by the area of visible mold and the moisture behind it, not by spore counts.

The law also doesn't require a mold test before mold is fixed. Testing has real uses, like confirming that a cleanup worked, but if you can see the mold, the next step is fixing it. Our guide to [types of mold in NYC homes](https://sbgenvironmental.com/guides/types-of-mold/) explains when a test is worth it.

## Sources

The facts in this guide come from the government agencies, laws and public health sources listed below. We read each one again before publishing and update the guide when they change. Practical tips from our own work are never presented as an agency's advice.

1.  [NYC HPD: Indoor Allergen Hazards (Mold, Mice, Roaches and Rats)](https://www.nyc.gov/site/hpd/services-and-information/indoor-allergen-hazards-mold-and-pests.page)
2.  [Local Law 55 of 2018, full text (NYC)](https://www.nyc.gov/assets/buildings/local_laws/ll55of2018.pdf)
3.  [NYC Council: Local Law 51 of 2019, amending Local Law 55](https://legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=3474246&GUID=5A804D72-F3A6-48B3-8028-977A02596875)
4.  [NYC HPD: Indoor allergen hazard rules (28 RCNY Chapter 54)](https://www.nyc.gov/assets/hpd/downloads/pdfs/about/indoor-allergen-hazards-adopted-rules.pdf)
5.  [NYC HPD: Clear Violations](https://www.nyc.gov/site/hpd/services-and-information/clear-violations.page)
6.  [NYC HPD: Finalizing your mold certification documents](https://www.nyc.gov/assets/hpd/downloads/pdfs/services/finalizing-mold-certification-documents.pdf)
7.  [NYC HPD: Emergency Repair Program](https://www.nyc.gov/site/hpd/services-and-information/emergency-repair-program-erp.page)
8.  [NYC HPD: Indoor allergen hazards report, fiscal year 2025](https://www.nyc.gov/assets/hpd/downloads/pdfs/services/indoor-allergen-report-fy25.pdf)
9.  [Local Law 61 of 2018, full text (NYC Admin Code 24-154)](https://www.nyc.gov/assets/hpd/downloads/pdfs/services/local-law-61.pdf)
10.  [NYC DEP: Mold abatement filings](https://www.nyc.gov/site/dep/environment/mold-abatement.page)
11.  [NYC Health Department: Mold](https://www.nyc.gov/site/doh/health/health-topics/mold.page)
12.  [NYC Health Department: Local Law 55 fact sheet on mold and pests](https://www.nyc.gov/assets/doh/downloads/pdf/asthma/local-law-55.pdf)
13.  [NYC HPD: Report a maintenance issue](https://www.nyc.gov/site/hpd/services-and-information/report-a-maintenance-issue.page)
14.  [NYC HPD: Tenants' rights and responsibilities](https://www.nyc.gov/site/hpd/services-and-information/tenants-rights-and-responsibilities.page)
15.  [NYC HPD: Housing litigation (HP actions)](https://www.nyc.gov/site/hpd/services-and-information/housing-litigation.page)
16.  [NYC HPD: Housing Court](https://www.nyc.gov/site/hpd/services-and-information/housing-court.page)
17.  [NYC311: Mold complaint](https://portal.311.nyc.gov/article/?kanumber=KA-02262)
18.  [New York Real Property Law 235-b: warranty of habitability](https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/RPP/235-B)
19.  [New York Real Property Law 223-b: retaliation by landlord](https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/RPP/223-B)
20.  [NYS Homes and Community Renewal: Fact Sheet 14, rent reductions for decreased services](https://hcr.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2023/11/fact-sheet-14-11-2023.pdf)
21.  [NYCHA: Mold Busters](https://www.nyc.gov/site/nycha/residents/mold-busters.page)
22.  [NYCHA: Mold remediation](https://www.nyc.gov/site/nycha/residents/mold-busters/mold-remediation.page)
23.  [New York Labor Law 930: definitions (mold program)](https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/LAB/930)
24.  [New York Labor Law 931: mold licenses](https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/LAB/931)
25.  [New York Labor Law 933: exemptions](https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/LAB/933)
26.  [New York Labor Law 937: penalties](https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/LAB/937)
27.  [New York Labor Law 945: mold remediation plan](https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/LAB/945)
28.  [New York Labor Law 947: post-remediation assessment](https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/LAB/947)
29.  [NYS Department of Labor: Mold frequently asked questions](https://dol.ny.gov/mold-frequently-asked-questions)
30.  [NYS Department of Labor: Mold program (license lookup and complaints)](https://dol.ny.gov/mold-program)
31.  [US EPA: Mold testing or sampling](https://www.epa.gov/mold/mold-testing-or-sampling)
32.  [New York Real Property Law 462: property condition disclosure statement](https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/RPP/462)
33.  [New York Real Property Law 231-b: flood history disclosure in leases](https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/RPP/231-B)

This guide is general information written in plain English, not legal or medical advice. Rules and guidance change, so for your own building go by your notice, if you have one, and the current rules from the agencies listed. For health questions, please talk to a medical professional. Last checked November 2026.

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## Questions

### How long does a landlord have to fix mold in NYC?

It depends on the class of the HPD violation, which is set by how much mold is in a room: 90 days for Class A (under 10 square feet), 30 days for Class B (10 to 29 square feet) and 21 days for Class C (30 square feet or more), counted from when the violation is served. If no violation has been issued, there is no fixed number of days in the law, but the owner still has to fix the mold and the leak behind it promptly.

### Who do I report mold to in my NYC apartment?

Tell your landlord or managing agent first, in writing, and keep a copy. If it isn't fixed, file a complaint with 311 by phone, online or in the app, which sends it to HPD for an inspection. NYCHA residents report to NYCHA instead, at 718-707-7771 or through the MyNYCHA app.

### Is mold on bathroom tile or grout an HPD violation?

No. The Housing Maintenance Code and HPD's rules both say visible mold on tile or grout is not an indoor mold hazard violation. The exclusion covers only tile and grout, so mold on walls, ceilings and other surfaces can still be a violation.

### Can the super or building staff remove mold?

For jobs under 10 square feet, yes, using HPD's safe work practices. For bigger jobs it depends on the building. In buildings with 10 or more apartments, or on a lot with 25,000 square feet or more of non-residential space, Local Law 61 says the owner, the managing agent and their employees can't do a mold job of more than 10 square feet themselves; it has to be done by New York State licensed mold professionals. In buildings with 10 or more apartments, HPD and the Health Department call for licensed professionals from 10 square feet up, with or without a violation. In buildings with 5 to 9 apartments that Local Law 61 doesn't cover, state law lets only the owner, the managing agent and full-time staff do jobs over 10 square feet; anyone else needs a state mold license.

### Can I withhold rent until the landlord fixes the mold?

HPD says an HP case in Housing Court is a safer and faster way to get repairs than withholding rent, which may lead to an eviction case. You don't need a lawyer to start an HP case, and Housing Court Answers (212-962-4795) gives free information.

### Is there a legal limit for mold in New York?

No. The EPA says no federal limits have been set for mold or mold spores, and New York State's mold law sets licensing and work standards, not a number for how much mold is allowed. NYC's rules work by the area of visible mold, not by a spore count.

[More questions and answers](https://sbgenvironmental.com/faq/)

## More guides

Types of mold in NYC homes: where it grows and what to do

The molds found most often indoors, a chart of how much water each needs, where mold grows in NYC homes room by room, the facts about black mold, and when a mold test is worth it.

[Read more](https://sbgenvironmental.com/guides/types-of-mold/)

Mold help for landlords and property managers

Getting apartments ready between tenants, Local Law 55 inspections, tenant complaints, HPD violations and clearance, handled by a licensed assessor.

[Read more](https://sbgenvironmental.com/landlords/)

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