Key takeaways
- The TR1 (Technical Report: Statement of Responsibility) lists every special inspection and progress inspection a project needs and names who is responsible for each one.
- It is filed twice in spirit: once before work starts, when the inspector accepts responsibility, and once at the end, when the inspector certifies the work was satisfactory.
- The special inspection agency signs for the categories it will perform; it cannot sign for work it did not witness.
- Changing the agency mid-project, or skipping a category, means a new or amended TR1 and often a delay at sign-off.
In this article
Every building permit in New York City that involves structural work, foundations, fire protection or energy-code items comes with a TR1. Contractors see it at the start of a job, forget about it for months, and meet it again when the Department of Buildings asks for a final sign-off. Knowing what it does, and who signs which part, saves weeks at the end of a project.
What the TR1 is
The TR1 is the DOB's Technical Report: Statement of Responsibility. It has one job: to record, for every required inspection on the permit, which qualified person or agency takes responsibility for it. The form lists two families of inspections.
- Special inspections, under Chapter 17 of the NYC Building Code: concrete, soils and fill, piles, masonry, structural steel welding and bolting, sprayed fire-resistant materials, mechanical systems, and dozens more. These are performed by a registered special inspection agency.
- Progress inspections: milestone checks such as footing and foundation, lowest floor elevation, structural frame, energy code and final. These are usually performed by a registered design professional listed on the form.
The applicant of record, normally the architect or engineer who filed the job, identifies which inspections apply. The TR1 then goes to the people who will perform them.
Who signs which part
The form has three kinds of signatures, and they happen at different times.
| Section | Who signs | When |
|---|---|---|
| Identification of inspections | Applicant of record (PE or RA) | At filing, with the permit application |
| Acceptance of responsibility | Special inspection agency director or the design professional for each category | Before the work in that category begins |
| Certification of completion | The same person who accepted responsibility | After the work in that category is finished and found satisfactory |
The important rule is in the middle row: the signature that accepts responsibility must come from the agency that will actually perform the inspections, and it must be in place before the first inspection. An agency cannot sign for concrete already poured by the time it was hired.
When it is filed
In practice the TR1 moves through four moments.
- Filing: the applicant of record submits the TR1 with the job application, listing the required categories.
- Before work: the special inspection agency and the progress inspector sign to accept responsibility. The DOB will not treat inspections as valid without this.
- During work: the agency keeps its own inspection reports and test results. These are not filed with every visit, but the DOB may audit them at any time.
- Completion: the agency signs the final TR1 certifying that the inspected work complies with the approved drawings and the code. This is what the DOB needs before a sign-off or a Certificate of Occupancy.
The mistakes that cost time
Hiring the agency after the work started
Concrete that is already in the structure cannot be sampled. If no agency had accepted responsibility when the pour happened, the DOB may require destructive testing, additional engineering, or it may refuse the category entirely.
Switching agencies without an amended form
Contractors sometimes change agencies for price or availability. That is allowed, but the first agency must withdraw and certify what it completed, and the new one must accept responsibility for the rest. Without this paper trail, there is a gap no one has signed for.
Mismatched categories
The applicant lists the categories on the TR1; the agency signs for the ones it will perform. If a category required by the drawings is missing from the form, or if the agency is not registered in the right class for it, the DOB will catch it at audit or sign-off. See our article on Class 1 special inspection agencies for how the classes work.
Unsigned final certification
The most common delay at the end of a job is simply a missing final signature. The work was inspected, the reports exist, but nobody closed the form. Ask your agency for the completion certification as each category wraps up, not at the end of the project.
What to ask your agency
Before the first pour or the first lift of fill, ask three questions.
- Is the agency registered with the DOB in the class required for every category on our TR1?
- Has the agency signed the acceptance of responsibility, and does the applicant have the signed copy?
- Who at the agency will sign the final certification, and how quickly after the work is complete?
Frequently asked questions
Is the TR1 the same as the TR8?
No. The TR8 covers energy code progress inspections specifically. The TR1 covers special inspections and the general progress inspections. Many projects need both.
Can the general contractor sign the TR1?
No. The signatures must come from the applicant of record, from a registered special inspection agency, or from a registered design professional, depending on the section. The contractor is the party being inspected.
What if an inspection fails?
The agency reports the deficiency to the contractor and the design professional. The work is corrected and re-inspected. The final certification is signed only when the corrected work complies. A failed inspection is not a problem for the TR1; an uncorrected one is.
How long does the agency keep the inspection records?
The DOB requires inspection agencies to keep their reports for a set number of years after sign-off, and it can request them during an audit. Keep your own copies as well.
Conclusion
The TR1 is not paperwork for its own sake. It is the chain of responsibility that lets the DOB trust the inspections on your project. Get the right agency on it before work starts, keep it amended when something changes, and ask for the final certification as each category closes. The sign-off at the end will be a formality instead of a scramble.
Written by the engineers and laboratory technicians of Metric Consulting and Inspection, a Class 1 special inspection agency with a DOB-licensed concrete testing laboratory in Hicksville, New York, serving NYC construction since 2003.