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New York State REScheck Requirements (2026)

New York commonly requires REScheck for new residential construction, additions, major remodels, and conditioned detached structures — but which code actually applies depends on where the project is. New York has three separate, overlapping energy-code layers: the statewide 2025 ECCCNYS (effective December 31, 2025), the optional NYStretch Energy Code (adopted town-by-town, no central list), and New York City's own separate NYCECC (NYC is not under the statewide code at all). Always confirm which layer applies before selecting a code year in REScheck.

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New York jurisdictions require REScheck and energy-compliance documentation under the 2025 Energy Conservation Construction Code of New York State (ECCCNYS), administered by the New York Department of State, Division of Building Standards and Codes (DOS/DBSC). The 2025 ECCCNYS became mandatory statewide on December 31, 2025, with no grace period — but it does not apply everywhere. New York City operates under its own separate energy code (the NYCECC), and a growing number of individual towns and cities layer the voluntary NYStretch Energy Code on top of whichever base code applies to them. There is no single source that lists every NYStretch-adopting municipality in one place, which is the single biggest source of confusion for builders working across county lines.

 

Key facts:

  • 2025 ECCCNYS — Statewide Dec. 31, 2025

  • NYC Uses Its Own Separate NYCECC

  • Climate Zones 4A, 5A & 6A — No Zone 7

  • NYStretch: Local Opt-In Only, No Statewide List

 

Understanding New York's Three Energy Code Layers

Before pulling numbers for REScheck, confirm which of these three layers governs the project. They are not interchangeable, and using the wrong one is the most common statewide compliance error.

Layers

ECCCNYS (2025)

NYStretch Energy Code

NY City Code (2025 NYCECC)

What it is

The statewide baseline energy code, based on the 2024 IECC with New York amendments. Administered by DOS/DBSC.

A voluntary, more efficient overlay code developed by NYSERDA. Municipalities opt in individually by local law — no automatic or statewide application.

New York City's own energy code, legally separate from ECCCNYS. Administered by the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB), required to match or exceed NYStretch under Local Law 32 of 2018.

Applies To

All of New York State EXCEPT New York City

Only the specific towns/cities that have adopted it by local law

All five NYC boroughs only

⚠ New York City Is Not Governed by the Statewide ECCCNYS at All: This is the single most common point of confusion. The 2025 ECCCNYS explicitly excludes New York City — NYC was permitted to retain its own code structure. A REScheck report run under the ECCCNYS code year for a Brooklyn or Queens project is not the correct compliance path; NYC projects fall under the NYCECC instead (see below).

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Current Statewide Energy Code (ECCCNYS)

The 2025 ECCCNYS is based on the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) with New York-specific amendments. It became mandatory statewide (outside NYC) on December 31, 2025, with no grace period — any project submitted or postmarked on or after that date must comply with the 2025 edition rather than the prior 2020 ECCCNYS.

  • 2025 ECCCNYS — based on the 2024 IECC with New York amendments

  • Mandatory statewide outside New York City, effective December 31, 2025, no grace period

  • Administered by the NY Department of State, Division of Building Standards and Codes

  • Replaces the 2020 ECCCNYS, which was based on the 2018 IECC for residential provisions

  • Applies to new construction, additions, and alterations statewide (excluding NYC)

 

Common Permit Requirements

  • REScheck-Web compliance report — covers building thermal envelope (Total UA) provisions and additional efficiency credits only

  • A separate mandatory-provisions checklist — required alongside REScheck; REScheck alone does not demonstrate full ECCCNYS compliance

  • Manual J HVAC load calculations

  • Window and door schedule (U-factor and SHGC)

  • Insulation R-value specifications

  • Blower door test results — 3 ACH50 maximum, certified tester, written report

  • Duct leakage documentation where applicable

 

REScheck Is Not Full Code Compliance: New York's Department of State is explicit that a REScheck printout only proves compliance with the building envelope provisions of the energy code. Builders must still separately address the mandatory provisions and the mechanical, plumbing, and electrical requirements of the ECCCNYS through the accompanying compliance checklist. Submitting REScheck alone is a common cause of correction notices.

Is REScheck Accepted in New York State?

Yes. REScheck-Web (the U.S. Department of Energy's free compliance tool) is the software New York's Department of State has approved for demonstrating envelope compliance with the ECCCNYS. As of early 2026, REScheck-Web includes "2025 ECCCNYS" as a selectable code option in its dropdown menu. At the time of the Department's most recent Code Outreach Program bulletin, the Secretary of State had not yet issued a new, separately signed approval letter specific to the 2025 edition — the prior formal approval on file covers the 2020 ECCCNYS. In practice, DOS has directed users to select 2025 ECCCNYS in REScheck-Web, but it's worth confirming the current formal approval status with DOS/DBSC directly before relying on it for a permit-critical submission, since that paperwork can lag the software update.

Zone

ECCCNYS (2025)

NYStretch Energy Code

NYStretch Energy Code

Coverage

The statewide baseline energy code, based on the 2024 IECC with New York amendments. Administered by DOS/DBSC.

A voluntary, more efficient overlay code developed by NYSERDA. Municipalities opt in individually by local law — no automatic or statewide application.

New York City's own energy code, legally separate from ECCCNYS. Administered by the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB), required to match or exceed NYStretch under Local Law 32 of 2018.

Classification

All of New York State EXCEPT New York City

Only the specific towns/cities that have adopted it by local law

All five NYC boroughs only

Zone 4A

Bronx, Kings (Brooklyn), New York (Manhattan), Queens, Richmond (Staten Island), Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester counties. This is the mildest zone in the state, though NYC projects use the NYCECC rather than the ECCCNYS regardless of zone.

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Zone 5A

Albany, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Chemung, Columbia, Cortland, Dutchess, Erie, Genesee, Greene, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Onondaga, Ontario, Orange, Orleans, Oswego, Putnam, Rensselaer, Rockland, Saratoga, Schenectady, Seneca, Tioga, Washington, Wayne, and Yates counties. This zone covers Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, and most of the mid-Hudson Valley.

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Zone 6A

Allegany, Broome, Cattaraugus, Chenango, Clinton, Delaware, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Montgomery, Otsego, St. Lawrence, Schoharie, Schuyler, Steuben, Sullivan, Tompkins, Ulster, Warren, Wyoming, and other North Country/Southern Tier counties. This is the coldest zone recognized in New York's county tables — including the Adirondack region — and there is no officially designated Zone 7 anywhere in the state.

New York Climate Zones

New York spans three IECC climate zones — 4A, 5A, and 6A. Contrary to a claim that circulates online, no New York county is officially assigned to Zone 7; even the coldest Adirondack and North Country counties are classified as Zone 6A under the IECC county tables used for ECCCNYS compliance.

Zone 4A–6A Prescriptive Requirements (2025 ECCCNYS)

Assembly

Ceilings

Wood Frame Walls

Floors

Basement/Crawlspace Walls

Windows (Zones 4-5)

Windows (Zone 6)

Requirement (Zones 4A - 6A)

R-49 / U-0.026

R-30 cavity, OR R-20+5ci, OR R-13+10ci, OR R-20 continuous

R-30, OR R-19+7.5ci, OR R-20 continuous / U-0.033

R-19 cavity, OR R-15ci, OR R-13+5ci / U-0.050–0.055

U-0.27 max / SHGC 0.40 max

U-0.27 max / No SHGC maximum

Notes

Same requirement across all three New York zones

Cavity-only options below R-30 are not permitted on the prescriptive path

Applies above unconditioned space

Depth and exception details vary by assembly type

SHGC is required in Zones 4A and 5A

Heating-dominated Zone 6A has no SHGC ceiling

Air Leakage and Blower Door Requirements

  • Maximum air leakage: 3 air changes per hour at 50 pascals (3 ACH50) — or the alternative enclosure-area metric of 0.3 CFM per square foot of dwelling unit enclosure area

  • Testing required per RESNET/ICC 380, ASTM E779, or ASTM E1827

  • Mandatory testing — no visual inspection alternative is available under the ECCCNYS

  • Testing performed after rough-in with envelope penetrations installed

  • A written, signed test report must be provided to the code enforcement official

 

New York's 3 ACH50 threshold is one of the stricter mandatory blower door requirements among the states in this guide — there is no visual-inspection fallback like several southern states allow. Builders coming from a state with a more lenient or optional testing regime should budget for certified blower door testing on every New York project.

The NYStretch Energy Code — What It Is and Who Uses It

NYStretch is a voluntary, more-efficient energy code developed by NYSERDA as a statewide model that individual municipalities can adopt by local law — it is never automatic and never applies by default. The current published residential edition is NYStretch-2020, layered on top of whichever base code a municipality otherwise follows. NYSERDA has indicated it is working on a future stretch-code update aligned with the 2024 IECC, but as of this writing no updated residential NYStretch edition has been formally released — NYStretch-2020 remains the current version in active use.

  • Enhanced continuous wall insulation beyond the base code minimum

  • Tighter air-sealing targets in some adopting jurisdictions

  • Mandatory heat-recovery or energy-recovery ventilation (HRV/ERV)

  • Mandatory solar-ready roof or site space with adequate electrical capacity

  • EV charging capacity provisions

  • Occupancy and daylight sensor lighting controls

 

⚠ There Is No Single Published List of Every NYStretch-Adopting Municipality: NYSERDA supports adoption through regional "circuit riders" but does not maintain one central, continuously updated public registry of every town that has opted in — this is the main reason NYStretch status is hard to track. Municipalities confirmed to have adopted NYStretch (by local law, per NYSERDA and municipal sources) include New York City, Beacon, Bedford, Dobbs Ferry, Dryden, Hastings-on-Hudson, Montour Falls, Ithaca, Tully, and Bethel, along with State University Construction Fund (SUCF) projects statewide. More municipalities continue to opt in over time. Always confirm directly with the local building department whether NYStretch applies before finalizing REScheck inputs — it changes the required R-values and mechanical provisions beyond the ECCCNYS baseline.

 

New York City's Separate Energy Code (NYCECC)

New York City is not governed by the ECCCNYS at all. The city operates its own New York City Energy Conservation Code (NYCECC), enacted by Local Law 47 of 2026 and administered by the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) — separately from Local Law 32 of 2018, which requires NYCECC to track or exceed the NYStretch code when NYStretch is more stringent. The 2025 NYCECC became mandatory March 30, 2026. REScheck is accepted for NYC residential filings, but the requirements, prescriptive numbers, and DOB-specific documentation are different enough from the rest of the state that they're covered in full detail on our dedicated NYC REScheck & NYCECC page rather than repeated here.

 

Common REScheck Failure Reasons in New York

Most Common Errors

  • Selecting the 2020 ECCCNYS code year in REScheck for a project that must comply with the 2025 edition (submitted on or after December 31, 2025)

  • Using statewide ECCCNYS values for a New York City project instead of the separate NYCECC

  • Missing NYStretch-specific upgrades on a project located in an opted-in municipality — the base ECCCNYS numbers under-comply there

  • Zone 4A/5A/6A misassignment near county boundaries in the Hudson Valley and Southern Tier

  • Submitting REScheck as if it demonstrates full code compliance without the required separate mandatory-provisions checklist

  • Missing SHGC value in Zones 4A/5A, or incorrectly applying an SHGC maximum in Zone 6A where none is required

 

Mechanical & Envelope Issues

  • Blower door failures at the strict 3 ACH50 threshold — rim joists, top-plate bypasses, and recessed lighting are common failure points

  • Missing thermal-bridge documentation on NYC projects under the 2025 NYCECC

  • Missing or undocumented ERV/HRV systems where mandatory (NYStretch municipalities and NYC dwelling units)

  • Duct leakage failures in unconditioned attic or crawlspace duct runs

  • Missing solar-ready or EV-capacity documentation on projects in NYStretch-adopting municipalities

 

Major Cities and Jurisdictions in New York

New York City (All Five Boroughs)

The Bronx, Brooklyn (Kings), Manhattan (New York), Queens, and Staten Island (Richmond) all fall under the separate NYCECC, administered by the NYC Department of Buildings — not the statewide ECCCNYS. Zone 4A applies, but code selection in REScheck should reflect NYCECC guidance from DOB rather than DOS's statewide dropdown. See our dedicated NYC REScheck & NYCECC page for borough-by-borough detail and NYC-specific prescriptive numbers.

 

Long Island — Nassau & Suffolk Counties

Zone 4A, governed by the statewide ECCCNYS (not the NYCECC, despite proximity to NYC). Several eastern Long Island towns have a history of considering or adopting stretch-code provisions — always verify current NYStretch status with the specific town or village building department.

 

Westchester & Lower Hudson Valley

Mostly Zone 4A (Westchester) transitioning into Zone 5A further north (Putnam, Dutchess, Orange, Rockland). This region has one of the highest concentrations of confirmed NYStretch-adopting municipalities in the state, including Bedford, Dobbs Ferry, Hastings-on-Hudson, and Beacon — verify each municipality individually rather than assuming county-wide adoption.

 

Buffalo & Erie County

Zone 5A. Western New York's largest residential permit market, governed by the standard statewide 2025 ECCCNYS.

 

Rochester & Monroe County

Zone 5A, standard statewide ECCCNYS requirements apply.

 

Syracuse & Onondaga County

Zone 5A, standard statewide ECCCNYS requirements apply.

 

Albany & the Capital Region

Zone 5A, home to the NY Department of State's Division of Building Standards and Codes — the agency that administers the ECCCNYS statewide.

 

Ithaca & Tompkins County

Zone 6A. Ithaca is a confirmed NYStretch-adopting municipality — projects here require the enhanced NYStretch package on top of the 2025 ECCCNYS baseline, not the baseline alone.

 

North Country & Southern Tier

Zone 6A — the coldest officially recognized zone in New York, covering the Adirondack region, Clinton, Essex, Franklin, and St. Lawrence counties in the north, and Broome and neighboring counties in the Southern Tier. No county here is assigned to Zone 7 under the current IECC county tables.

 

Frequently Asked Questions About REScheck in New York

What energy code does New York State currently use?

The 2025 Energy Conservation Construction Code of New York State (ECCCNYS), based on the 2024 IECC with New York amendments, became mandatory statewide on December 31, 2025, with no grace period. It's administered by the NY Department of State, Division of Building Standards and Codes, and applies to all of New York except New York City, which uses its own separate NYCECC.

 

Does the New York State energy code apply to New York City?

No. New York City was permitted to retain its own code structure and is not governed by the ECCCNYS. NYC operates under the New York City Energy Conservation Code (NYCECC), administered by the NYC Department of Buildings rather than the state Department of State.

 

What is the difference between the NYCECC and the ECCCNYS?

Both are based on the 2024 IECC, but they're legally separate codes administered by different agencies. The ECCCNYS covers the rest of New York State (statewide, outside NYC) under the Department of State. The NYCECC covers only the five NYC boroughs under the NYC Department of Buildings, and under Local Law 32 of 2018 must be at least as stringent as the state code — often more so. The 2025 NYCECC takes effect March 30, 2026; projects filed before that date use the 2020 NYCECC.

 

What climate zones does New York have?

Three: Zone 4A (NYC boroughs, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester), Zone 5A (Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, and most mid-state/lower Hudson Valley counties), and Zone 6A (North Country, Southern Tier, and the Adirondack region). There is no officially recognized Zone 7 anywhere in New York, despite that claim circulating online.

 

What is the NYStretch Energy Code, and which municipalities use it?

NYStretch is a voluntary, more-efficient energy code developed by NYSERDA that individual municipalities can adopt by local law — it never applies automatically. There's no single statewide registry of every adopter. Confirmed adopters include New York City, Beacon, Bedford, Dobbs Ferry, Dryden, Hastings-on-Hudson, Montour Falls, Ithaca, Tully, and Bethel, plus State University Construction Fund projects statewide. Always verify directly with the local building department, since more towns opt in regularly.

 

Is REScheck accepted in New York State?

Yes. REScheck-Web is the Department of State's approved software for the envelope-compliance (Total UA) portion of ECCCNYS compliance, and now includes 2025 ECCCNYS as a selectable code year. REScheck alone doesn't demonstrate full code compliance — the mandatory provisions and mechanical/plumbing/electrical requirements still need the separate compliance checklist.

 

What is New York's blower door requirement?

Maximum 3 ACH50 (or the alternative 0.3 CFM per square foot of enclosure area), tested per RESNET/ICC 380, ASTM E779, or ASTM E1827. Testing is mandatory statewide under the ECCCNYS — there's no visual-inspection alternative.

 

When does the 2025 ECCCNYS take effect?

December 31, 2025, with no grace period. Any project submitted or postmarked on or after that date must comply with the 2025 edition rather than the prior 2020 ECCCNYS.

 

When does the 2025 NYCECC take effect?

Enforcement begins March 30, 2026. NYC projects filed before that date fall under the 2020 NYCECC instead.

 

Are barndominiums and ADUs required to comply?

Yes. Conditioned accessory dwelling units and barndominiums must meet the applicable energy code for their location — the 2025 ECCCNYS outside NYC, the NYCECC within NYC, and any additional NYStretch requirements if the municipality has adopted it.

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