Start with the DEP proposal number and original certification date, then match the connection permit and inspection record to the same property. A House Connection Proposal or Site Connection Proposal establishes whether the receiving sewer is adequate; it does not authorize the connection. The licensed master plumber then needs the applicable DEP permit, followed by DEP inspection before backfill. For an older or missing record, request the exact DEP item—such as a sewer as-built, Certificate of Inspection, or tap/sewer card—without assuming that one card proves every new connection was completed.
Keep certification, permit, inspection, and record evidence separate
The DEP sewer-certification FAQ and sewer-connections page describe distinct stages:
- HCP or SCP certification: addresses receiving-sewer adequacy. It is valid for two years from the original certification date; recertification during that period does not move the expiration date.
- Connection permit: authorizes the described connection work after the applicable certification and conditions. For a new connection application, DEP requires a valid DOB work permit and a BIN matching the proposal.
- DEP inspection: occurs after the licensed master plumber performs the work and before backfill. A permit alone does not show that this inspection passed.
- Later record evidence: may include a Certificate of Inspection, as-built material, or a tap/sewer card. Read the document’s title, dates, permit reference, and scope before calling it closeout evidence.
If the certification expires, the FAQ calls for a completely new HCP or SCP before the permit step. A recertification stamp inside the original period is not a new two-year clock.
Carry the same property and project identity through every stage
Prepare a reconciliation packet even though the live PARIS request fields were not observed:
- Property address and borough.
- Block and lot, if known from reliable property records.
- Building Identification Number (BIN).
- Original HCP or SCP certification date and any proposal number.
- DEP permit number, plumber, and work description, if known.
- DOB work-permit number and the BIN shown in that file.
- Exact missing record and approximate work or inspection date.
The BIN match matters because the connection instructions tie a new connection application to a valid DOB work permit for the same proposal identity. The DOB permit file remains a separate custodian trail. Use the NYC DOB permit-search guide for DOB records rather than treating PARIS as an anonymous DOB property database.
Use field investigation when the infrastructure record is missing
The certification FAQ directs missing infrastructure or as-built information, and conflicts between a survey and available records, to DEP Field Investigation. That route resolves infrastructure evidence. It does not determine permit history or site condition; check the relevant records separately.
Describe the conflict precisely. Identify the survey or plan, the sewer or structure at issue, the proposal number if known, and the missing or inconsistent as-built detail. Preserve the Field Investigation result with the certification file so a later reader can see which source resolved the discrepancy.
Request DEP records through the account-based PARIS route
DEP’s PARIS information page says an account is required. Nonlicensed users can request records and hydrant-flow tests, while professional approval work has separate roles. The public PARIS destination displayed a title and Login button during review; no address, BBL, BIN, permit, or record-search controls were observed without an account.
The current DEP records-request page lists water and sewer maps, drainage plans, sewer as-builts, and tap/sewer cards among available request types. For a one-property request, describe the project and provide a site map or plan unless the request is solely for tap/sewer cards. If no map is available, the page allows a tax map or aerial photograph annotated with street names. Some engineering-record requests by a nonprofessional require an additional cover letter signed and sealed by a professional engineer or registered architect; check the named record type rather than applying that condition to every request.
The linked 2023 PARIS records-request manual documents an Add New Application → Record Request route. Its homeowner/property-owner profile is limited to tap/sewer cards for the owner’s property and calls for proof of ownership by deed. Only the cover through printed page 14 was readable for this guide, so no current input fields, status labels, or download steps are claimed from the manual.
Do not make a tap card prove the wrong project
DEP’s PARIS page identifies the Tap Card Form (Self-Certification) as a way to close out Repair or Relay permits issued through PARIS or a borough office. That stated purpose is narrower than universal proof for every new sewer connection. A tap card also does not replace the DOB permit final or an occupancy record.
For reuse of an existing connection, the sewer-connections page calls for a Certificate of Inspection. If that certificate is missing, it describes a water or sewer bill and a DEP dye test—not a bill by itself. Request and preserve the actual document or test outcome rather than converting an account bill into construction approval.
Test the chain with a mixed-file example
Imagine a fictional proposal certified on June 1 of one year and recertified ten months later. The original two-year clock still controls. The DEP permit and DOB work permit show the same BIN, but the file has no DEP inspection result. A tap card also appears, yet its reference belongs to a later repair permit.
Do not use that repair card to fill the missing new-connection inspection. Request the Certificate of Inspection or other DEP inspection outcome for the connection permit, plus the relevant sewer as-built if the constructed route is the question. Keep the repair card with its own permit. Matching the BIN is necessary, but it does not turn an issued permit into a passed inspection.
Keep DEP closeout apart from DOB final and occupancy records
DEP certification, connection permitting, and inspection concern the sewer work described in those files. They do not establish that the DOB construction permit reached final status or that a Certificate of Occupancy was issued. Compare those records separately using the final-inspection status guide.
No current source reviewed for this guide states a universal public-display start year or complete retention period for DEP sewer records. If PARIS access or a request result is missing, contact PARIS support at paris@dep.nyc.gov or 718-595-3088 with the property and project packet. A missing result does not prove the connection was unpermitted, failed, or never built.
Last checked October 5, 2026 (2026-10-05 UTC). Current DEP sewer-certification, sewer-connection, PARIS, and records-request pages were reviewed, along with only the cover through printed page 14 of the September 8, 2023 PARIS records-request manual. The public PARIS landing displayed Login only. No address, borough/block/lot, BIN, permit, certification, card, account, login, query, contact, payment, inspection, form, or records request was used.