Local Law 97 Grace Period Ends June 30: What Building Owners Need to Know 

New York City’s Local Law 97 compliance reporting deadline is approaching fast. Buildings covered under LL97 must submit their 2025 emissions compliance reports by June 30, 2026—the end of a 60-day grace period (official deadline was May 1). After June 30, penalties of $0.50 per square foot per month apply. 

Who Must File 

LL97 covers buildings over 25,000 square feet (or multiple buildings on the same tax lot totaling over 50,000 sq ft). Most buildings began reporting in 2025, though some follow delayed compliance pathways: 

2024 Compliance Year (Filed 2025): Most large buildings, schools, hospitals 

2025 Compliance Year (File by June 30, 2026): Same buildings filing their second annual report 

2026 Compliance Start: Rent-regulated residential buildings file for the first time in 2027 

Check the DOB’s Covered Buildings List to confirm your building’s pathway and deadline. 

Grace Period vs. Extension: Critical Difference 

Grace Period (No Fees): 

  • Official deadline: May 1, 2026 
  • File without penalties by: June 30, 2026 
  • No fee required 
  • Still subject to late penalties if you miss June 30 

Extension (Fee Required): 

  • Available if requested by June 30, 2026 
  • $60 application fee 
  • Extended deadline: August 29, 2026 
  • Avoids late penalties if you file by August 29 

Critical: If you miss June 30 and haven’t requested an extension, you’re subject to $0.50/sf/month penalties starting June 1, 2026. Extensions only delay penalties, they don’t waive them. 

Do not assume extensions are automatic. Submit requests early as processing takes time. 

Late Filing Penalties 

Reporting penalties accumulate monthly: 

Example: 50,000 sq ft building 

  • June 30 missed (no extension): $25,000/month penalty starting July 1 
  • August 30 filing: $50,000 in penalties ($25k × 2 months) 

Exceeding emissions limits carries separate penalties: $268 per ton of CO₂ equivalent over your building’s annual cap. 

What Must Be Filed 

Buildings must submit: 

  • Annual GHG emissions report for 2025 calendar year 
  • Certification from a Registered Design Professional (RDP) 
  • Calculation of emissions vs. building’s annual limit 
  • Documentation of any compliance measures taken 

Reports filed through the BEAM Portal (nyc.beam-portal.org) or DOB NOW system. 

Good Faith Effort: Grace Period Alternative 

Buildings struggling to meet emissions limits may qualify for “good faith effort” penalty deferral through 2029 if they: 

  • Submit annual LL97 compliance reports 
  • Demonstrate documented progress on emissions reduction 
  • Submit a Decarbonization Action Plan (DAP) by May 1, 2026 

Buildings pursuing good faith pathways still face June 30 filing deadlines—extensions don’t affect this requirement. 

Emissions Compliance vs. Filing Compliance 

These are separate obligations: 

Filing Compliance: Submit report by June 30 (or August 29 with extension) 

Emissions Compliance: Meet annual emissions limit for your building category 

You can be compliant on both, or compliant on filing but exceeding emissions limits (triggering per-ton penalties), or non-compliant on filing (triggering late filing penalties). 

Most buildings currently exceed their 2024 emissions limits. Focus now is on: (1) Filing on time, (2) Demonstrating compliance efforts, (3) Planning emissions reductions for 2030 stricter limits. 

Why This Matters Now 

LL97 penalties are no longer theoretical—they’re accruing today for buildings that missed 2025 deadlines or exceeded emissions limits. The 2026 filing year marks the transition from planning phase to enforcement phase. 

Buildings that filed 2025 reports but exceeded emissions limits are already carrying annual $268/ton penalties. Buildings that missed the June 30, 2025, deadline are accruing late filing penalties. 

June 30, 2026, is one chance to reset for the 2025 compliance year and avoid compounding penalties through 2030 when stricter emissions limits take effect. 

The 2030 Reality Check 

Current limits are challenging. 2030 limits will be dramatically stricter. Buildings making emissions reduction progress now position themselves better for 2030 compliance than those waiting. 

Retrofits, equipment upgrades, and renewable energy installations all take time. Every month of delay reduces time available to implement changes before 2030’s tighter limits. 

Prise tracks LL97 deadlines and interconnected compliance obligations (LL84 benchmarking, LL87 energy audits, LL88 lighting) to ensure nothing falls through the cracks. Our platform flags filing deadlines, monitors extension requirements, and maintains documentation needed for penalty mitigation if buildings exceed emissions limits. 

Questions about LL97 filing or emissions compliance? Contact Prise for guidance on navigating June 30 deadline. 

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