To check an elevator company in New York State, search its name in the Department of Labor’s Elevator Contractor License list on data.ny.gov, then search each mechanic or inspector in the Elevator Individual Licenses list. Since Article 33 of the Labor Law took effect, the company doing elevator, escalator or accessibility lift work needs an Elevator Contractor License and the person doing the work needs an Elevator Mechanic License (or an accessibility lift license for lift-only work). Inspection firms need an Elevator Inspection Contractor License and licensed Elevator Inspectors, according to the DOL’s elevator licensing page.
By our count of the lists downloaded October 24, 2026, 213 business licenses are active: 132 elevator contractors and 81 inspection contractors, about half with a New York City ZIP code. 4,028 individual Elevator Mechanic Licenses are active, and 2,801 of them (69.5%) expire in December 2027, so most mechanic renewals land in one month. Only 37 of 1,495 individual licenses that expired in the past year show a current license under the same name and type.
| Item | What we found |
|---|---|
| Where to check | DOL Elevator Contractor License and Elevator Individual Licenses lists on data.ny.gov (updated October 24, 2026) |
| Active business licenses | 213: elevator contractor 132, inspection contractor 81 |
| Business address (active) | New York City ZIP 111 (52.1%), rest of state 74, out of state 28 (13.1%) |
| Active individual licenses | Mechanic 4,028, inspector 750, accessibility lift technician 53, elevator accessibility technician 12 |
| Mechanic licenses expiring December 2027 | 2,801 of 4,028 (69.5%) |
| Mechanic licenses expiring within 60 days | 51 |
| Individual licenses expired in the past 12 months | 1,495 (mechanic 1,303); 37 matched to a current license |
| Temporary mechanic licenses | 25 active, all issued September and October 2026 |
| Fees and term | Business $600, individual $100, both renewed every 2 years; temporary $20, renewed every 90 days |
How to look up a New York elevator license
- Ask the company for its legal name, DBA and license number. Newer numbers end in SHEL, such as 26-6IRG4-SHEL.
- Search the name in the Elevator Contractor License list and check the license type. Installation, repair and maintenance need an Elevator Contractor License; inspection and testing firms need an Elevator Inspection Contractor License.
- Check that the status is Active and the expiration date runs past your contract or service period.
- Ask for the names of the mechanics or inspector who will work on your equipment and search each one in the Elevator Individual Licenses list. The DOL lets a contractor list up to five licensed individuals on its application, so the company’s license alone does not tell you who is on site.
- If the crew includes an apprentice working as a mechanic, check the Temporary Elevator Mechanics License list. A temporary license is tied to the contractor that requested it.
- In New York City, also check the worker’s NYC DOB elevator license. Since January 1, 2022, elevator work in the city needs both a city and a state license, according to the NYC DOB elevator license FAQ.
- To report unlicensed elevator work, email the DOL address listed on its elevator licensing page.
Which elevator license covers stairlifts and home platform lifts
For a stairway chairlift or a wheelchair platform lift in a home, the person doing the work needs an Accessibility Lift Technician License or an Elevator Mechanic License, which also covers accessibility lifts. A narrower Elevator Accessibility Technician License covers only platform lifts and stairway chairlifts under the ASME A18.1 2017 standard. The company still needs an Elevator Contractor License, which covers accessibility lift work.
These licenses are rare in the state list: 53 active accessibility lift technicians and 12 elevator accessibility technicians, compared with 4,028 mechanics. Most lift installers you call will hold a mechanic license. Work limited to interior finishes, lighting, door recladding or car panel trim is exempt, as is work by licensed architects and engineers, according to the DOL exemptions list.
The June 2026 changes to New York elevator mechanic licenses
Two changes took effect June 10, 2026. Four years of supervised elevator work in New York before January 1, 2022 no longer qualifies a person for an Elevator Mechanic or Accessibility Lift Technician License. Licensees who qualified that way must renew using another method, such as a NAEC Certified Elevator Technician certification, a completed elevator apprenticeship, or a recognized training program and exam. During a shortage verified by the DOL, a licensed contractor can also request a Temporary Elevator Mechanics License for an apprentice with at least 4,000 hours of elevator industry experience.
The first temporary licenses appear in the list in September 2026. All 25 were active on October 24, and their expiration dates fell 45 to 111 days after issue. For mechanics who qualified by any method other than active NAEC certification, licenses expiring after August 1, 2025 carry 8 hours of DOL-approved continuing education a year.
What the New York elevator license list shows in 2026
- One big renewal month. 2,801 active mechanic licenses expire in December 2027 and 287 more in January 2028. The previous cycle shows the same pattern: 867 mechanic licenses expired in December 2025 and 184 in January 2026, and most of those names have no current license.
- Mechanics who also inspect. About 429 people hold both an active mechanic license and an active inspector license, by name. A name can appear twice in the individual list, so check that the license type matches the work the person will do.
- Business licenses. 50 business licenses expired in the past 12 months, and none of the 213 active ones expire within 60 days. 28 active firms list an out-of-state address, including 9 in New Jersey.
- Program start. The oldest business and individual licenses in the list were issued in 2022, the first year of state licensing. 2025 had the most issues: 134 business and 3,287 individual licenses.
Checklist before you sign an elevator or lift contract in New York
- Elevator Contractor License (or Inspection Contractor License for inspections) active through the contract term.
- Named mechanics or inspector, each with an active individual license of the right type.
- Accessibility Lift Technician or mechanic license for stairlift and platform lift work.
- In New York City, the NYC DOB elevator license as well as the state license.
- Proof of the contractor’s insurance: the DOL requires $1 million in general liability coverage plus workers’ compensation and disability insurance for the license.
- For a mechanic license expiring in December 2027, a plan for renewal if the job runs past that date.
For elevator inspection records on a New York City building, see our NYC elevator CAT1 records guide. Our contractor license lookup guide covers other trades and states, and our New York mold license lookup covers the other DOL-licensed building trade.
Counts are our calculations from the New York State Department of Labor’s Elevator Contractor License, Elevator Individual Licenses and Temporary Elevator Mechanics License data on data.ny.gov, downloaded October 24, 2026. DOL elevator licensing page checked October 25, 2026.