You've now seen the concepts. Time to read the actual document.
The NYC Zoning Resolution (ZR) is the citywide rulebook. It's 5,580 pages long, divided into 14 Articles containing 4,323+ sections plus 461 defined terms. After City of Yes amendments (Dec 2024), it's the longest version in NYC history.
But once you know the structure, finding what you need takes 30 seconds. Three rules:
- Article = topic family
- Chapter = district family within that topic
- Section = specific rule
The 14 Articles (the table of contents)
| Article | What it covers | |---------|----------------| | I | General provisions, definitions (§12-10 glossary — 461 terms) | | II | Residence Districts — Use, Bulk, Quality Housing | | III | Commercial Districts — Use, Bulk | | IV | Manufacturing Districts — Use, Bulk | | V | Non-conforming uses + buildings (grandfather provisions) | | VI | Special Regulations — bonuses, FRESH, IBC, POPS | | VII | Administration — BSA + CPC procedures, variances, special permits | | VIII | Special Purpose Districts (SHP, TMU, HY, etc.) | | IX | Special Purpose Districts (more) | | X | Special Purpose Districts (more) | | XI | Special Districts (more) — Coney Island, Hunters Point, etc. | | XII | Special Districts (more) — South Street Seaport, Yorkville, etc. | | XIII | Special Districts (more) | | XIV | Inclusionary Housing + UAP + Transit Zones (CoY additions) |
The section-number pattern
Section IDs look like XX-YYY (e.g., 23-322). The pattern:
- First number = Article (23 → Article II, Chapter 3)
- Second number after hyphen = section within that chapter
So §23-322 = Article 2 (Residence) → Chapter 3 (Use) → Section 22 (some specific use rule). The hierarchy is encoded in the digits.
Common section prefixes:
| Prefix | Topic | |--------|-------| | §12- | Definitions (§12-10 = glossary; every defined term in italics in the code) | | §22- | Residence Use Regulations | | §23- | Residence Bulk (FAR, height, yards) — the big one | | §25- | Parking (and §25-22, §25-23 = the Transit Zone reform) | | §32- | Commercial Use Regulations | | §33- | Commercial Bulk | | §42- | Manufacturing Use | | §43- | Manufacturing Bulk | | §52- | Non-conforming Use + Building | | §72- | BSA variances (§72-21 = the famous 5-finding variance) | | §73- | Special Permits (the §73-xx series — many specific permit types) | | §74- | Special permits requiring CPC review (§74-79 = landmark TDR) | | §78- | Large-scale developments (general residential / general commercial) |
Once you internalize this, you can guess where to look. Want to know the variance findings? §72-21. Want to know about parking minimums? §25 series. Want to look up "what's a yard"? §12-10.
Defined terms — italics matter
Throughout the ZR, certain terms appear in italics. Those are defined terms — meaning they have a precise legal meaning given in §12-10. Examples:
- floor area — total enclosed area on all stories above curb level
- height factor — old pre-Quality-Housing formula (mostly retired)
- lot — a unit of land
- community facility — uses in Use Group III
- non-conforming use — a use that was legal when established but isn't allowed by current zoning
When you see "lot" in italics in a rule, you have to apply §12-10's definition — which might exclude air rights, exclude public property, include subterranean rights, etc. The legal precision of zoning lives in these definitions.
We have all 461 defined terms at /zoning/term/[slug] — each one
with the verbatim §12-10 text, applicable districts, and any sections
that reference the term.
How to look up a section on MuniMind
For any section ID, just go to /zoning/section/[id]. Example:
/zoning/section/23-322. You'll get:
- Verbatim §-text with the Plain/Pro register toggle
- Which districts it applies to
- Effective date (e.g., last amended Dec 2024 = CoY edit)
- Cross-references to other sections
- All defined terms used (each linked)
- Citing BSA/CPC cases that interpret the section
- Cited count (how many decisions reference this rule)
That last point is the moat: knowing WHICH cases interpret a rule is huge for understanding how the rule actually plays out. The handbook gives you the abstract text; we add the case-law context.
Famous sections worth knowing
A few high-traffic sections you'll likely cite repeatedly:
- §12-10 — Definitions glossary (461 terms)
- §23-22 — Residential FAR table (post-CoY R11/R12)
- §23-153 — Inclusionary Housing voluntary (pre-MIH)
- §23-154 — Mandatory Inclusionary Housing
- §25-22, §25-23, §25-241 — Parking minimums + Transit Zone tiers
- §72-21 — BSA variance findings (the 5-finding test)
- §73-622 — Single/two-family enlargement special permit
- §74-32 — Storefront master plan (Belnord, etc.)
- §74-711 — Landmark special permit
- §74-79 — Landmark TDR (transfer of development rights)
- §78- series — Large-scale developments
- Article XIV — Universal Affordability Preference (post-CoY)
If you memorize these 10-12 numbers, you'll cover 80% of common discussions in zoning practice.
The handbook vs. the resolution
Reminder: the DCP Zoning Handbook (2025 edition, 128 pages with watercolor illustrations) is the friendly summary. The Zoning Resolution is the binding law. The handbook is great for understanding concepts; the Resolution is what the courts and the BSA actually apply. Get familiar with both — but always verify in the Resolution before making a decision.
Try the reader
Use the widget below to look up any section by ID, or browse by Article/Chapter.