Local Law 199 — Commercial Waste Zones

LL199 Local Law 199 of 2019 · NYC Admin Code §16-1000 et seq. Phased Rollout 2025–2027

What is Local Law 199?

Local Law 199 of 2019 restructured how commercial waste is collected across New York City. Instead of letting businesses hire any BIC-licensed carter, the law divides the city into 20 Commercial Waste Zones and assigns 3 authorized haulers per zone through a competitive bidding process run by DSNY.

Once your zone is activated, you must sign a written service agreement with one of the 3 authorized carters for your specific zone. Using any other hauler — even one you've worked with for years — is a violation starting at $4,000 per incident.

If your zone is active and you haven't signed a new contract: DSNY has already assigned you a carter at the maximum allowable rate. You may renegotiate, but you are already being billed. Check your zone status immediately at nyc.gov/commercialwastezones.

20

Total CWZ zones citywide

3

Authorized haulers per zone

$4,000

Min fine per wrong-hauler violation

5

Zones active as of April 2026

Zone Rollout Timeline

DSNY is rolling out zones in phases. Each zone goes through an implementation period before full enforcement begins. Businesses receive at least 6 months advance notice before enforcement starts in their zone.

CWZ Activation Timeline

Source: DSNY CWZ Program · Local Law 199 of 2019 · Data as of April 2026

Jan 2025

Queens Central — First zone active. Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, Woodside, Forest Hills, parts of Maspeth and Ridgewood. ~150 violations issued in first 3 months.

Dec 2025

Bronx East & Bronx West — Both Bronx zones activated simultaneously. Implementation period ran Oct–Nov 2025.

Feb 2026

Queens Northeast & Brooklyn South — Flushing, Bayside, Bay Ridge, Bensonhurst, Flatbush, Borough Park now active.

2026–27

15 remaining zones — Remainder of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island. Full citywide implementation by end of 2027.

Fine Schedule

Violation	Fine Range
Using a hauler not authorized for your zone	$4,000–$10,000/violation
No written contract on file with authorized carter	$2,000–$5,000
Carter operating in a zone without authorization	$10,000+ (fines on carter)
Contract not kept on-site during DSNY inspection	$1,000–$2,000

LL151 of 2023 note: First-time violations of certain labeling and signage requirements were reduced to $0. However, wrong-hauler and no-contract violations under LL199 are not covered by LL151 fine reductions — those fines remain in full.

How to Comply

1
Look up your zone. Go to nyc.gov/commercialwastezones and enter your address. You'll see your zone name and whether it's active.
2
Find your authorized carters. DSNY lists the 3 authorized carters for each zone. Get quotes from all 3 — rates vary.
3
Sign a written service agreement before your zone's deadline. The contract must be in writing. Keep a physical copy on-site at all times — not just in email or the cloud.
4
Post your DSNY decal. Once you have a contract, your authorized carter issues you a DSNY decal. It must be posted visibly in the window. BIC decals are replaced by DSNY decals once your zone is active.
5
If you missed the deadline: DSNY will assign you a carter at the maximum rate. You can still renegotiate service terms with the assigned carter.

CWZ Fine Calculator

Based on DSNY enforcement data and published fine schedule

How many collection days per week? How long since your zone activated (months)?

Potential fine exposure (minimum)

Required Documents

Written service agreement with your zone-authorized carter — must be physically on-site
Carter's BIC license number on file
DSNY zone decal posted visibly in business window

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