- Glossary
- /BIN (Building Identification Number)
NYC rental glossary
BIN (Building Identification Number)
A seven-digit NYC identifier for a single physical structure, distinct from the parcel-level BBL.
The Building Identification Number is a seven-digit code the city assigns to each individual structure. Where the BBL identifies a lot of land, the BIN identifies a building standing on it — so a single lot with two buildings will have one BBL and two BINs.
The BIN is the key used in the Department of Buildings systems for permits, inspections, the certificate of occupancy, and complaints tied to a specific structure rather than to the whole parcel.
For a brokerage assembling the public record on a listing, the BIN and BBL are complementary: the BBL pulls ownership, taxes, and sales; the BIN pulls the building-specific construction and safety record.
Related terms
- BBL (Borough-Block-Lot)NYC’s unique parcel identifier — a borough digit plus block and lot numbers that pins a property to the tax map.
- Certificate of Occupancy (C of O)The DOB document stating a building’s legal use and how many units it may lawfully contain.
- Multiple DwellingA residence with three or more independent units — the threshold that triggers many NYC building-code and registration duties.