The NYC DOB PW3 Cost Affidavit is the form you use to declare, by trade, what your construction project will cost, so the Department of Buildings can set your permit fee. You submit it electronically through DOB NOW: Build at three points in the project: when you first file, whenever a change affects costs, and once more at the end to reflect what the work actually cost before you can get a Certificate of Occupancy or Letter of Completion.
When You Have To File a PW3
A PW3 is required for every application where the DOB assesses fees based on construction costs. The form itself says it “must be submitted for all applications where fees are assessed based upon construction costs.”1NYC Department of Buildings. PW3 Instructions That covers New Building applications, Alteration Type 1 projects, and Alteration Type 2 or Type 3 work involving multiple trades or complex systems.
You will file the PW3 at three distinct phases:2NYC Department of Buildings. FAQ – PW3 Requirements
- Initial filing, with your first application, using the best cost information available at the time.
- Prior to Approval Actions and Post Approval Amendments (PAAs), whenever a change affects project costs. You only have to detail the items that changed; unaffected line items from earlier submissions don’t need to be re-listed.
- Sign-off, before a Letter of Completion or Certificate of Occupancy is issued, reflecting the actual construction value of the completed work.
There is no separate amended version of the form. When costs change, you submit another standard PW3 through the same workflow and check the appropriate reason-for-filing box.
What Counts as Construction Cost
Get this wrong and the rest of the form is wrong. Under NYC Administrative Code Section 28-112.3, the PW3 captures the “total value of work proposed,” which means direct work costs (materials, equipment, and labor) plus indirect costs. The form is explicit that indirect costs “including but not limited to general conditions, insurance, and an allowance for profit and overhead shall be added to direct work costs and shall be reflected in the unit costs shown.”3NYC Department of Buildings. PW3 – Cost Affidavit
Several items catch filers off guard. Construction equipment, wall and floor finishes, built-in cabinets, and kitchen appliances all count toward the total valuation. If a contractor installs it as part of the project, it belongs on the PW3.
What doesn’t belong: costs unrelated to the physical construction itself. Land acquisition, financing charges, legal fees, and architectural design fees are project costs, not construction costs for permit-fee purposes. Including them inflates your fee; leaving out legitimate construction work can get your application denied.
Filling Out the Form, Section by Section
The PW3 has four numbered sections, and the DOB instructions reference them by number when describing what each filing phase requires.
Section 1: Reason for Filing
Check one box: Initial Filing, Prior to Approval Action or Post Approval Amendment, or Sign-off. Initial filings require every section completed. PAAs only need the changed cost items. Sign-off submissions must reflect actual completed work, not estimates.1NYC Department of Buildings. PW3 Instructions
Section 2: Location Information
Enter the property’s house number, street name, borough, block, lot, BIN, and community board number. These fields must match the PW1 application exactly. Mismatches between the PW3 and PW1 are a common source of processing delays.3NYC Department of Buildings. PW3 – Cost Affidavit
Section 3: Cost Details
This is the heart of the form. You first mark “Yes” for each category of work that applies to your project. The PW3 lists fourteen categories, covering General Construction (OT), Plumbing (PL), Mechanical (MH), Boiler (BL), Sprinkler (SP), Standpipe (SD), Fire Alarm (FA), Fire Suppression (FP), Fire Protection Plan (OT/FPP), Fuel Burning (FB), Fuel Storage (FS), Signs (SG), Antenna (OT/ANT), and Marquee (OT/MAR).3NYC Department of Buildings. PW3 – Cost Affidavit
For each category marked “Yes,” enter the area or number of units, the cost per unit, and a total cost for that category. If General Construction is checked, break it into the applicable subcategories. The categories you select have to match the scope of work on your PW1. If the PW1 lists plumbing work but your PW3 shows no plumbing cost, expect an objection.1NYC Department of Buildings. PW3 Instructions
Add up the category totals to get a Total Job Cost. In DOB NOW the system does the math for you, but the figure has to match the Estimated Total Cost field on your PW1 tab, or the system will not let you submit.4NYC Department of Buildings. Cost Affidavit (PW3) for All Work Types – Step by Step Guide
Section 4: Design Applicant Information
Enter the name, business address, phone number, email, and license number of the design professional overseeing the project. This has to be a registered architect or professional engineer, and their seal is required on the form.1NYC Department of Buildings. PW3 Instructions
How To Submit Through DOB NOW: Build
The PW3 is not uploaded as a scanned PDF. You enter the cost data directly into the DOB NOW: Build portal:4NYC Department of Buildings. Cost Affidavit (PW3) for All Work Types – Step by Step Guide
- Inside your job filing, open the Cost Affidavit (PW3) tab.
- Click “+ Add” to create a cost entry, then fill in Area/Units, Unit Cost, and Description of Work. The system calculates the line total.
- Repeat for every category of work that applies.
- Check that the sum of all line items matches the Estimated Total Cost on your PW1 tab. If it doesn’t, the system blocks submission.
- Save your entries. Fields marked with a red asterisk are required.
A filing representative can enter the data for you, but only the Applicant of Record can submit the job filing request. Once submitted, DOB NOW calculates the filing fees from your cost data and processes payment electronically before the application enters the review queue.
The Final PW3 Before Sign-Off
Before the DOB issues a Letter of Completion or Certificate of Occupancy, you submit a final PW3 reflecting what the project actually cost rather than what you estimated. On the Cost Affidavit tab, DOB NOW asks: “Is Estimated Job Cost same as Final Cost?” If yes, you confirm the original figures. If no, click “+ Add,” enter the revised details, and save. Either way, the system makes you confirm the final estimated cost amount before you can move on.4NYC Department of Buildings. Cost Affidavit (PW3) for All Work Types – Step by Step Guide
The DOB lists the “Owner’s Cost Affidavit (PW3)” as a requirement for Certificate of Occupancy issuance.5NYC Department of Buildings. Certificate of Occupancy For a Letter of Completion, the application must reach “Permit Entire” status and the PW3’s final cost details must be verified before the request can be submitted in DOB NOW.6NYC Department of Buildings. Letter of No Objection or Completion If the final cost is higher than your initial estimate, expect to pay additional filing fees for the difference. Skip this step and you don’t get the CO, which means no legal occupancy.
What Happens If You Understate Costs
The PW3 carries this warning on its face: “If in the opinion of the Department, the valuation is underestimated on the application, the permit shall be denied, unless the applicant can show detailed estimates to meet the approval of the Department.”3NYC Department of Buildings. PW3 – Cost Affidavit The DOB also reserves the right to set the initial, amended, and final building permit valuation itself if it disagrees with your numbers.
In practice, a plan examiner who flags inaccurate cost details will raise an objection and require a corrected PW3 before the project can move forward.7NYC Department of Buildings. New PW3 Application Fact Sheet That stalls plan examination and pushes back the permit. Base your numbers on actual contractor bids or quantity surveys, build overhead and profit into your unit costs from the start, and you avoid the two most common sources of delay on this form.