Starting March 15, 2024, New York City requires that all homes and apartments with natural gas appliances (like stoves and dryers) must have natural gas detectors installed inside each dwelling. This rule applies to private homes, small apartment buildings (Class A), and two-family apartment buildings or hotels (Class B).

Building owners have until May 1, 2025, to install these detectors. The alarms can be plug-in, hard-wired, or battery powered. They should be placed between 3 and 10 feet away from any gas appliance—in the same room, either on the ceiling or high on a wall.

If a stove and dryer are close together, one detector is enough. But dryers in basement laundry rooms don’t require a detector. These detectors typically cost less than $20 each.

The goal is to help warn residents early if there’s a natural gas leak and prevent dangerous situations.

Installation of hard-wired detectors must be done by a licensed electrical contractor with the proper permits. However, battery-powered or plug-in alarms can be installed by the building owner, maintenance staff, or a tenant.

In short: If your home or rental has gas stoves or dryers, you must have a gas leak alarm installed near them by May 2025. It’s a simple step to keep everyone safer.

Rules are published in  published ruling