DCWP - Newsstand License Application Checklist

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Newsstand License Application Checklist

Before DCWP can issue a Newsstand license, DCWP must receive approval from other agencies. See Review and Approval Process section.

NEW: Holding a Newsstand License as a Business Entity

As of March 21, 2022, business entities, such as corporations, partnerships, and Limited Liability Companies (LLC), can apply for a Newsstand license. You must be a corporate officer, director, principal, shareholder, partner, member, or manager of the business to submit the application.

Updates from JCDecaux, City’s Street Furniture Vendor:

The cost of a newsstand is $35,681.47 in 2022, and the cost will increase each year based on the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U).

You must pay the full cost of the newsstand to JCDecaux up front. You can no longer choose to pay for the cost of the newsstand with a loan from JCDecaux.

Who Must Have a Newsstand License?

A business must have a Newsstand license to operate a stand or booth on a public sidewalk that is not readily removable and is primarily used to sell newspapers and periodicals. No one may hold a license for more than two newsstands at a given time, and DCWP will not process more than two applications from a single applicant at any given time.

If you will hold a Newsstand license in your name as an individual or sole proprietor, the following will count toward the two-license limit:

any additional Newsstand license that you obtain in your name;

any additional Newsstand license held by your dependent child; and/or

any additional Newsstand license held by a business entity of which you are a shareholder, partner, corporate officer, director, member, or manager.

If you will hold a Newsstand license as a business, the following will count toward the two-license limit:

any additional Newsstand license held in the name of a shareholder, partner, corporate officer, director, member, or manager of the business; and/or

any additional Newsstand license held in the name of a related business entity, such as another corporation with a common officer, director, or shareholder or a corporation in which a common shareholder has an interest.

This description is only a general explanation of who must have a Newsstand license.

Quick List of Requirements to Apply for a Newsstand License

See Requirements section for detailed descriptions. Make sure you provide all requirements; otherwise, your application is incomplete. DCWP can only consider complete applications for license issuance.

Before you file your DCWP license application, you must do the following:

Confirm with DCWP that your proposed newsstand location is vacant and open for use. Verify Newsstand Location online.

When you file your DCWP license application, you must submit the following materials:

Basic License Application

Request to Hold Newsstand License as a Business Entity and supporting documents (if applicable)

Current Color Passport-size Photograph of License Applicant

Proof of Owner Notification

Landowner’s Consent to Operate a Newsstand

Newsstand Affirmation

Scale Drawings of Proposed Newsstand

Photos of Proposed Location

Granting Authority to Act Affirmation (if applicable)

License Fee (if applicable)

Documentation from Physician (if applicable)

Submitting your application does not mean your license is automatically approved.

Additional City or State Permits/Licenses/Clearances You May Need

You must have a Tobacco Retail Dealer license to sell cigarettes or tobacco products, such as cigars, chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco, roll-your-own tobacco, snus, bidi, snuff, shisha, or dissolvable tobacco products directly to consumers.

You must have an Electronic Cigarette Retail Dealer license to sell electronic cigarettes directly to consumers.

Both licenses are subject to community district caps. For a list of the current community district caps, visit NYC Open Data at opendata.cityofnewyork.us.

This is not meant to be a complete list. See Additional Resources section.

Important Message about Business Certificate

You must have the applicable Business Certificate based on your business’s legal structure. Although DCWP does not require submission of your Business Certificate in order to process your application, DCWP may request this document under section 20-104 of the New York City Administrative Code.

Sole proprietors operating under a name other than your own must have a Business/Assumed Name Certificate.

Partnerships must have a Partnership Certificate and, if applicable, an Assumed Name Certificate for your business.

Corporations, Limited Partnerships, Limited Liability Companies, or Limited Liability Partnerships must register and remain active with the New York State Division of Corporations. You can check your status at dos.ny.gov/corps.

Requirements

Before You File Your DCWP License Application:

You must confirm with DCWP that your proposed newsstand location is vacant and available for use.
Note: Please read the Location Verification Form. DCWP will verify the availability of up to three locations per applicant within 5-7 business days. DCWP does not reserve available locations. DCWP reviews and accepts complete applications on a first-come first-served basis.

You must send by certified mail notification to the owner or owner’s agent of the building or lot directly adjacent to the site of your proposed newsstand. The letter must indicate that you will submit a Newsstand license application to DCWP within 30 days and include basic information about the proposed stand (dimensions, distance and direction from the closest intersection, etc.). Download a model letter.
Note: The NYC Department of Finance and the New York State Department of State maintain online databases that may help you identify the name and mailing address of the owner of record or the owner’s agent. For convenience, DCWP created the handout Finding Name and Address of Building Owner of Record or Owner’s Agent to help you navigate these online databases.

DCWP will deny your application if you do not submit these required documents and information:

Basic License Application
Online submission: After reviewing the requirements, please click the Apply Online link at the bottom of the Web page to submit your application.
In-person submission: Download the Basic License Application Form.

Request to Hold Newsstand License as a Business Entity and supporting documents, if applicable (download).

One Current Color Passport-size Photograph of License Applicant Taken within the Last 30 Days.
Online: License applicants can upload an image file of digital passport photo quality. A digital camera with a resolution of 1 mega-pixel is adequate.

Proof of Owner Notification
You must provide evidence to DCWP that you sent a notification letter to the owner(s) of the building(s) or lot(s) directly adjacent to the site of your proposed newsstand. You must also submit an original certified mail receipt as proof that you sent a notification letter to the owner.

Landowner’s Consent to Operate a Newsstand (download).
If your proposed newsstand will be located within three feet of private property, you must submit an original, notarized Landowner’s Consent to Operate a Newsstand.

Newsstand Affirmation (download)
You must complete and affirm the information provided on this form.

Scale Drawings of Proposed Newsstand
Submit six (6) copies of the scale drawing plan with a scale key of ¼″ (quarter inch) equal to 1′ (one foot). The plan must include the dimensions of the proposed newsstand and the distance from each obstruction* within 25′ of either side of the proposed newsstand.
*Obstructions include streets, sidewalks, sidewalk furniture, property lines, crosswalks, buildings and building entrances, subway entrances, grates, hydrants, traffic control devices, light poles, sign posts, public phones, garbage receptacles, mailboxes, parking meters, manhole covers, and trees. Please refer to the Newsstand Size and Clearance Requirements section.
Note: The plan does not need to be drawn by an architect, but must be accurate and drawn to scale on paper no larger than 11" x 17" (tabloid size).

Photos of Proposed Location
Submit eight 5″ x 7″ (or larger) color photos of the location where the proposed newsstand will be located taken within 30 days of the date you submit the application. The eight photos should show:

one image of the left side of the newsstand

one of the right side

two of the front

two of the back

two front views from across the street

Photos must clearly show the area surrounding the proposed newsstand location and the location must be identified with an “X.”
Note:

Photos that cut off a portion of the view will not be accepted.

DCWP accepts standard photographs, color paper copies, Polaroids, or other facsimile.

Photos must reflect the plans, i.e., there must be a direct relationship between the plans submitted and the photos.

Granting Authority to Act Affirmation (download)
Required if someone other than the license applicant will prepare and submit this application
Note: The applicant must sign the license application and all related forms.

License Fee*
See charts below.
*Exception: If you are legally blind, you are eligible for fee exemption. See the requirement Documentation from Physician.

License Term: 2 years. License Expiration Date: September 30, Even years.

If You File Your Application Between These Dates:
Initial License Application Fee
(due when you submit your license application)
Remaining License Fee
(due after construction of your newsstand is complete)

Total Fee Paid

From October 1 in an even year to March 31 in an odd year
$269
$807
$1,076

From April 1 in an odd year to September 30 in an odd year
$269
$538
$807

From October 1 in an odd year to March 31 in an even year
$269
$538

From April 1 in an even year to September 30 in an even year
$269
$0
$269

License Term: 2 years. License Expiration Date: March 31, Even Years.

If You File Your Application Between These Dates:
Initial License Application Fee (due when you submit your license application)
Remaining License Fee
(due after construction of your newsstand is complete)
Total Fee Paid:

From April 1 in an even year to September 30 in an even year
$269
$807
$1,076

From October 1 in an even year to March 31 in an odd year
$269
$538
$807

From April 1 in an odd year to September 30 in an odd year
$269
$538

From October 1 in an odd year to March 31 in an even year
$269
$0
$269

Pay by:

Check or money order payable to DCWP. (In person)

Credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover Card only).
You will be charged a nonrefundable Convenience Fee. (In person or online)

Documentation from Physician, if applicable.
Legally blind applicants must provide original documentation from a bona fide physician proving that they are legally blind in order to have the DCWP license fee waived.

Application Filing Process

File Online

Review requirements and gather all materials.

Click the Apply Online button below to login or create an account to start your online license application.

Important: If you need to file another license application, return to the Apply for a DCWP License page to read requirements and proceed to the next online application.

OR

File In Person
Schedule an appointment to file in person at the DCWP Licensing Center or NYC Small Business Support Center

DCWP LICENSING CENTER
42 Broadway, Lobby
New York, NY 10004
By Appointment Only Hours:
Monday-Thursday: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Last appointment: 3:30 p.m.

NYC SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT CENTER
90-27 Sutphin Blvd, 4th Floor
Jamaica, NY 11435
By Appointment Only Hours:
Monday-Thursday: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Last appointment: 3:30 p.m.

By Email: LicensingAppointments@dcwp.nyc.gov
By Phone*: Call (212) 436-0441. (Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.)
*This number is to schedule an appointment for in-person service only. For general questions, email onlineappsdocs@dcwp.nyc.gov.

Free Interpretation Services are available on-site. To request a disability-related accommodation, visit our Accommodations page.

Review and Approval Process

Before DCWP can issue a Newsstand License, DCWP must receive approval from other agencies. Below is an overview of the process.

DCWP reviews complete application materials (requirements) within five days.

DCWP submits a copy of your application to the relevant Community Board, NYC Department of Transportation (DOT), and Public Design Commission for review to ensure your proposed newsstand is in compliance with public safety regulations. Note: The Community Board must forward recommendations to DCWP within 60 calendar days.

Depending on the location of your proposed newsstand, the Design Commission or Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) will review your application.

After providing the appropriate Community Board an opportunity to comment on the application and receiving DOT’s approval, DCWP will contact you with instructions on submitting the additional materials listed on the Design Commission Requirements. You must submit the materials to DCWP and DCWP will forward all relevant information to the Design Commission. The Design Commission reviews the proposed newsstand’s aesthetic appropriateness and visual compatibility with the surrounding area.

OR

If the proposed newsstand is located in a landmarked area, you must obtain a permit from LPC approving the construction of a newsstand. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/Landmarks

DCWP will notify DOT with the results of the Design Commission’s or LPC’s review. If your newsstand is approved, DOT will contact you to confirm details on cost and provide you with instructions on how to pay JCDecaux, the City’s vendor. JCDecaux will provide DCWP and DOT with proof of satisfactory payment and DOT will coordinate construction of the newsstand with JCDecaux.

Once construction of the newsstand is complete, you must submit the following to DCWP:

A copy of your New York State Department of Taxation and Finance Certificate of Authority with your Sales Tax Identification Number.

To apply for a Certificate of Authority in order to collect sales tax, visit businessexpress.ny.gov.

Payment for the remaining license fee amount (please refer to the fee chart above).

8″ x 10″ color archival-quality photographs of the completed structure. The photographs must be of all sides of the newsstand, including at least one photograph each of the front, back, and both sides of the newsstand.

Note: Three copies of the photographs will be sent to the Design Commission or LPC for archival purposes.

Newsstand Size and Clearance Requirements:

The law requires that a newsstand occupy no more than 72 square feet and not exceed 9 feet in height. This does not include newsstands in close proximity to subway entrances and exits for which special size limitations apply.

For the construction of the JCDecaux newsstands there are nine (9) stand sizes available, including widths of 4, 5, and 6 feet and lengths of 8, 10, and 12 feet. You may apply for the largest stand which fits into your proposed site and complies with all applicable site criteria.

The following is a summary of the required minimum clearances from sidewalk obstructions, as inspected by DOT, to use when drawing site plans.

(For complete details, see the Rules of the City of New York § 2-65.)

Access Plates
2'
Parking Meters
2'

Automated Public Toilets
15'
Property lines extended at intersection
10'

Building Vaults
2'
Service or Freight Entrances
10'

Bus Shelters
15'
Siamese Connections
10'

Cellar Doors

Standpipes
10'

Curbs
1'6"
Street Lights
3'

Curb Cuts*
15'
Street Signs
2'

Elevator Lobby of a Building
15'
Subway Entrances/Exits
15'

Entrances to Houses of Worship
15'
Telephones
2'

Fire Hydrants
10'
Traffic Signal Poles
3'

Governmental Buildings
15'
Transformer Vaults
2'

Information Kiosks
15'
Tree Pit
5'

Litter Baskets/Mailboxes
2'
The trunk of any tree (in any direction) or canopy
5'

Manholes
2'
Ventilation or Other Grills
2'

Newsstands
15'
All Other Retail Entrances and Building Entrances
5'

*A 15-foot clearance is required from curb cuts leading to garages, driveways, parking lots, and truck service areas. All clearances from curb cuts must also meet DOT safety and operational requirements.

Newsstands may not placed under fire escapes, in taxi stands or bus stops, and may not be placed within the frontage of any building having more than three floors of retail use.

Newsstands may not be lcoated in areas where they interfere with the free passage of pedestrians. DOT will measure sidewalk congestion (or pedestrian level of service) to determine if a proposed location meets public safety standards.

Additional Resources for Newsstands

For the laws and rules that may affect your business, visit our Laws page.

Download Inspection Checklist: Newsstands

For resources to help your business open, operate, and grow, visit nyc.gov/business.

Reminder: Newsstand Laws and Rules

DCWP may revoke your license if you do not use the newsstand for a period of two consecutive months or more.

The newsstand structure belongs to JCDecaux. You may not rent or attempt to rent the newsstand to another person.

You or any members of your business entity may not have any income that exceeds the income from operating the newsstand, with the exception of investment income.

Death or Disability of Licensee
If an individual or sole proprietor who holds a Newsstand license becomes permanently disabled or dies, the right to operate the newsstand may be transferred to a dependent spouse, domestic partner, child, employee, or other individual who was financially dependent on the licensee. The eligible individual should submit an Application to Transfer Newsstand Due to Death or Disability of License Holder (Individual or Sole Proprietor) within 120 days of the death or disability of the licensee. Submissions made after 120 days will be considered on a case-by-case basis. To start the transfer, the applicant should contact DCWP at (212) 487-4209 or specialappsunit3@dcwp.nyc.gov.

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